Gardiner’s Fourth
Several Gardiner’s folks and FOG (Friends of Gardiner’s) gathered at the Toscano’s for festivities on the Fourth of July. Despite the heat, there was a crew of fighters in the backyard fencing and doing cut and thrust. They took breaks in the shade of the tree and had plenty of water to quench their thirst. They also received periodic hound visits as the beagles and visiting foxhound ran amok in the yard.
Inside there was some handwork being done, while Robert brought out a CD with an interactive map of Elizabethan Southwark, dated to 1598. It was cool to zoom in and see the different streets and see where everyone’s personas reside on the 42” flat screen. The idea is to eventually make this interactive on the website, once members have determined their residence. Online versions of the maps can be viewed from John Strype’s Survey of London, but not with the same zoomable features as the CD: St. Olave and St. Mary Magdalen Parishes, Southwark and St. Saviours and St. George’s Parishes, Southwark.
We had a wonderful new scadian visit to fight and get some tips on clothing. She was able to go home with a shirt, pants, stockings, and a bodies pattern, thanks to Sandy’s patient drafting skills. While the computer was still hooked up to the TV we showed our new recruit pictures of Elizabethan dress, both men and women as she’s going to fight Rapier in a man’s persona and also maintain a women’s persona when not fighting. It was cool to look through some of the on-line images, and go through Isobel’s website and it’s treasure trove of information.
Craig brought over the DVD “Tales from the Green Valley” which was really, re-enactor porn. This is a show, viewable online, about re-creating a 1620 farm in Wales over a period of a year. Great stuff presented, really, but there were a few things we just had to comment on. Because, you know, we’ve all worked on a 1620’s farm in Wales. 😉
Jimmy grilled up lots of chicken and burgers, Carla gathered the rest of the meal together, and a feast was had while standing around chatting, sitting around socializing, discussing classes for Atlantian Academy of the Rapier and Costume Symposium, and watching re-enactor porn. A good time was had by all. Everyone dispersed as it came time for fireworks to be lobbed into the air, and enjoyed from our vehicles as we made our ways home through the various cities and towns with fireworks displays.