Sir Gaston's Shield

Well I finally got around to putting the edge on Sir Gaston's (Zach) shield after he had painted it and gotten it back to me. Unlike my last heater I started the rawhide edging at the bottom and did the top last so it would layer/overlap better for SCA combat. Got the shield edged in 3 pieces and was very happy with the edging. I tried out latex paint for the rawhide, as you just cannot dye the stuff and was surprised at who easy it went on and how well it looks. I have been told that it holds up to SCA combat well and it was akin to paint the canvas/linen covering on the shield. Just touching up a few bits and the heraldry before I deliver it for him to strap up.

Well I have come to the conclusion that I will be dropping German, working and then going to class is not working out. The summer class looks brutal, but it is a slow time at work (no flu season) and it is during the late morning, so hoping it will work out better than the evening classes did.

Still not getting exercises like I need to be doing, I do plan to start getting out for Rapier practice on Tuesday nights and I will have Fencing on Friday and Saturday afternoons so that should help a bit. My weigh in was the same as last week 207.8 lb.'s.

Bad Week

Well the week started bad and ended bad, although I did get back on track and back down to 207.8 lb.'s, really need to get out and exercises more or at least some. Fencing starts Friday and hoping to get my schedule worked out so I can fence on Tuesday nights too.

Work sucks as normal and school is not going all that well either, going to school for almost 3 hours after working in hell all day is not conductive to doing well. Might just take them in the Summer. Down side is it is only a 6 week course, like Monday thru Thursday; upside it is late morning and then I would go to work.

Started working on Zach's shield edging finally, got most of the forward edging on, just need to let it dry and then drill and sew it on, then off to the rear edge and finally the top edge.

Erebus graduated from his basic Obedience training Saturday and on his weigh in at 20 weeks, he was 65.5 lb.'s and growing.

Comfort Food

Comfort Food, should be called food that will kill you, did my weigh in today and I gained +2.4 lb.'s this week (back up to 210).

1. Eating Bad, comfort food (Deathbox and McDeath)
2. Stress (work, school, work...)
3. Lack of meaningful excises

Does look like I will be getting some good excises at least once per week coming up as I had to add a fencing course to my schedule (needed to have 6 hours and not just 5). Goals are:

1. Strengthen Shoulder and surrounding muscles
2. Cardio/Aerobic exercises to manage stress and get less fat
3. eat better

Less Play, More Study

Well finally getting over the cedar fever/sinus thing, felt like crap all last week and last weekend spent most of it in bed feeling like crap. Stupid trees and shrubs.

Looks like I am going to be concentrating on school before hobbies, as I am tired of having just 2 classes to finish my degree and just need to get it done. German is going OK, need to study more and working on my listening skills, still hard to hear the differences in the words and phrases.

Haven't been doing much, no SCA or armour and not much on-line gaming either. We did watch some Sopranos this weekend, starting over and going to try and watch the whole series with Netflix.

Cold and Wet

Well weigh in Saturday went okay, down to 107.2 and that is down 0.6 lb.'s from last week. We are still trying to eat better and really need to exercises more often (or at least some). Work sucks as usually, no one actually wants to work so just make more problems when the basics do not get done.

Went to the doctor and found out my SCA heavy fighting is going to be on hold for a while, no shield and no pole weapons for a the next couple of years......which around here is pretty much the whole heavy weapons game. Maybe I will take up spear and combat archery for the Baronial War Company and go back to rapier and hopefully Cut and Thrust.

Also found out that I will not be able to go to Germany for the birthday, after Mary is finished work there, as in the time frame we could be gone I will have my 3rd test, my final review and my final, followed shortly thereafter by my oral final.

No Tuesday night practice this week, as it is cold and wet and they are anticipating an ice storm right about practice time. So going to stay home and do my German homework and study for my first quiz on Wednesday night. Miss going to armouring on Wednesday nights, but Zach is moving this weeks armouring to the weekend (so he can go to the pole arms practice on Thursday night) so that will be cool.

Tool Making Monkey

Well first off the diet has been going fairly well, did good last week 'cept for my lapse at Wendy's Friday for lunch and Saturdays weigh in I had lost 3 lb.'s......down to 207.8. Still need to get out and exercise more.

Last weeks was my last armour night at Zach's for a while as I will have school on Monday and Wednesday nights (German I), I am hoping to hop on over there when he is working in the shop so I can get stuff done. Spent about 3 hours pounding on the ankle of my right frontal greave and it felt and looked like I had worked on it for 10 minutes, probably another reason most people forgo greaves in the SCA. Very dpressing to spend all that time working on something and it looks and feels like you did almost no work on it, although at the end of the 3 hours it started to look right. Think it was a combination of me learning what to do and the metal finally getting to were it needed to be. On a positive note I did get a tool made, made a rivet setter, to help sit the nail for trimming and riveting.

Saturday we helped Jason move in just down the street for the house, which is way cool, but man I am sore today. Mary also took Erebus (who weighed in at 48 lb.'s at 16 weeks) to his first day of training and he did very well. We are going to continue working with him this week in preparation for next weeks class.


Have decided to make a Corrazina (ie. little curriass or a covered segmented curriass -breast and back body armour) out of the 4130 spring steel I have and cover it with a sturdy linen covering (although I am not decided on the outer shell covering yet) from the pattern I got from Master Talbot (Dough Strong).

Legs Done, Finally

Well finally got my left leg put together, now just need to clean the buffing wheel gunk off and get them strapped up. Started working on my greaves (right one) last night, hopefully they will go faster than the legs went.

Got my gorget front cleaned up and painted and the leather rear cut out and shaped. Need to dye and seal the rear collar and then rivet and add the buckle and I will have a new gorget done, oh and add the felt padding to the inside.

Did not get to fight this Tuesday night as my reflux was kicking my butt and I was waiting on refills from my MD and for my insurance to authorize my medication. Was out for about a week and it really flared up, but got my meds yesterday and feeling a whole lot better. Got my new sword put together so really looking forward to trying it out next week at practice.