I was speaking earlier about our trip to East Coast Thing at the end of August. Here’s part of our “epic tale”. We had so much fun on our trip. I had been apprehensive about being in cabins without so many amenities, but it was a lot of fun and despite the fact that Pennsylvania is so much colder than Florida I had no trouble with the fibromyalgia at all. I’m sure there are many people who would much rather be on Vegas vacations than an old summer camp cabin, but it was a lot of fun, and also very refreshing to take a break from the hustle and bustle of technology based society and get back to my roots.
Much of Friday was taken up with wedding preparations. Nephew, hubbie, munchkin and I escaped for a little while just before lunch to go to one of the restaurants in town “The Dimmick Inn” as we’d been told that they had a buffalo calamari that was really, really good. Which was absolutely true.
We arrived back in time for rehearsal, but as with most weddings things didn’t go quite according to plan. However, the wedding was able to go off a little later than intended, but was still a lot of fun. We had to swear before those assembled that we knew the bride and groom were free of other promises and ill-intent, and after the vows we got to beat them with pine boughs as a fertility blessing.
Then the bride and groom walked out through a sword arch that we, that is to say, the “witnesses” or bridesmaids and grooms men were making.
The munchkin played a part too. Towards the end of the ceremony he had the duty to bring the rings up, and he performed that very well. I was so nervous that he would run off with the rings, but he sat with hubbie’s aunt until the appropriate time and then ran the rings straight to his Dad. Everyone thought he was adorable, which I have to say biased as I am, that he was. He was dressed as a viking!
I can’t wait to see “official” pictures, because I know the photographer took several of him goofing around before the ceremony. He kept putting rocks in his helmet and pouring them over his head.
After the ceremony we went to the feasting hall where we had good food, lots of mead, and wonderful entertainment. An acting troupe put on “Tales from the Edda” depicting Loki and Odin having a heated argument about who had the right to bless the happy couple on their wedding day, it was hilarious, especially Thor in a dress being married to an ogre, and an awesome band called Norse Wind played during the second half of the reception. My husband was quite taken with the fact that the female lead also played a didgeridoo.
Towards the end of the night the munchkin was getting tired, so I took him back up to the cabin. He passed out fairly quickly but I had a hard time getting to sleep.
The next day was a lot more relaxed and slow for us. We woke up late and missed breakfast, so went into town to a local diner, and ate there. On the way back I realized that we were leaving the next day so it would be my last opportunity to get shots of the lake and weir on the road up to the camp so I pulled over to the side of the road and hopped out. Hubbie was a little perplexed but he and the munchkin soon followed, and we took a few more shots. I’m still in awe that my cell phone can take decent photos. I just wish it had a flash. I miss my digital camera!
When we got back to the camp all of us flaked out and fell asleep in the cabin for a while, which meant we missed the viking games. That was disappointing.
That night after dinner, hubbie looked after the munchkin who had caught a bug somewhere along the line and was running a fever. He said it was only fair I had a night out by myself given the first night he had gone with nephew and played poker. So, SIL, BIL and I went to the auction and then to the Odin blot. That was a really wonderful experience. I felt so connected to everyone and everything, and such power when the priest blessed me with Odin’s spear. I wrote out a list of things I was sacrificing and giving up and pledged myself. I was so energized when I got back, which was a little counter productive because we had to leave at 3 a.m. to drive back to Newark and get our plane, but I managed to sleep, and also slept a little on the plane.
We made good time back to the airport and had no problems with the rental car place this time, and didn’t get eaten by the train either.
We’re hoping to be able to go to ECT again next year; but it’s one of those things we’ll have to play by ear.
