Civil War... 2006

Yes, it's that time of year again... the Civil War Encampment at Wildwood!!!!!!!!!!!

The above picture is from the first battle on Saturday. I didn't get to see the whole thing since I had to work at the Manor House about halfway into it, but I did get a few good pictures. The event went well, more people came this year then last and I think that next year it'll be even bigger.

My reenactor friends from last year were back and, as always, very entertaining. They hung around the house a bit and got visitors involved in a game of ball of the front lawn of the Manor House, which was great to watch. If I had more free time and the proper clothes I would so start going to events with these guys... or at least just going to events in general. The history and the time period is really interesting, as well as being something I never used to be interested in, so it's like learning things all over again. Which is cool.

Ok... *I* think it's cool.....

Anyway, it went well, and I got to see some people that I hadn't seen since last year and I'd missed. Plus, Molly, George, Matt, and Angela all came out for the concert and night fire, so it was the best of a few worlds that night.

I also got a few things I can wear on the boat from the merchants that were there. I got a really sweet looking watch on a chain that I can wear as a necklace, and a pair of handmade period garters (peach in color), which I wore under my skirt most of Sunday just for fun ;)

Oh, and a quick update on the hands. The broken fingers are still in their splints and tapings, but the others are pretty much all healed and ready for the outside world. I'm back at work on the boat, have been since Wednesday (the doc said I could be). I can't do any lifting or grabbing, but other then that it's all good. I should *crosses unbroken fingers* be out of all the dressings in two weeks.

That's all for now.... I have a meeting to finish with some wine.....

Warning!

The following photos (after the really cute one of me in the pink shirt) are really kinda gross.... sooooooo, if you don't want to see some gross/cool pictures of my hands/flippers, I suggest that you not read this blog post.

Now.... onto the pics.....



ME! Looking all cute of course.

Left hand with some dressings and the splint

Left hand without dressings... looks kinda cool..... in a painful and, you know, not normal kind of way....

My hands look WAY better then they did. I've got a hella bruise on my left hand that you can't really see in the picture, but the skin is healing and the swelling is going down slowly.

Why did I post these when I said I wouldn't be updating much? Well, I honestly don't have much else to do. The no driving and no working is getting to me. I tried to work at the Manor House today, but I went home early.... I'll give it a shot again soon. I have a follow up at MCO on Monday, so we'll see what the doc has to say about how things are going.

One thing that I haven't done that I should've right off the bat is thank the EMS people and the ER staff at MCO. I know that none of them will see this, but I need to say something. Everyone was so nice there, explaining things to me and helping.... I felt good despite the bleeding and broken bones and all.... so thanks guys, you made it easier ;)

More Pictures!

Phil and the mooring post.....

Mrs. Kyser after a soggy day in the boat

As promised, I posted the pic of Phil with the mooring post. As a bonus, you also get a pic of Angela looking a bit damp after a day on the boat.

I wanted to thank everyone for the well wishing, it's nice to know I'm loved! I also wanted to thank the boat crew for the balloons..... I'll be having LOTS of fun with those later.

That's all for now... gonna go lay down for a bit.....

Take care all ;)

Bloody Tuesday

Had a small accident at the boat today... my hands got caught between the wooden mooring post and a rope as I was trying to stop the 12 ton boat. Stupid mistake on my part, should'a just let the boat go.

Anyway, I have two broken fingers (little on the left, index on the right) and evulsions on all but my thumbs and the little and ring fingers of my right hand. It was way bloody, and we had a boat full of 4th graders when it happened. I ran up to the ticket booth as soon as I could and got some towels so that I wasn't bleeding all over the place, and I didn't want the kids to see it.

The EMT's got there and I was sitting on the floor of the ticket booth, cracking jokes and flirting as they looked at the wounds. They carted me off to MCO in the ambulance and gave me morphine and oxygen on the way there. Morphine is niiiiiiiiice.

So, yeah.... I think updates now will be few and far between for a while, just till I don't have to wrap my hands in a way that makes me look like the Penguin from Batman Returns.....

Gonna go lay down for a bit, the Vicodin is starting to kick in.

Laters all

Boat Photos!!!!

Keira with the low bridge horn

Me looking all cute on the roof of the boat

Angie, Angela, and ME!

I really do have more photos, but Blogger is being all pissy today and won't let me up load them...... the one I have up now are from last season ;)

The boat is open!!!!!!!!!!

It opened this week.... all 60 feet and 12 tons of 1876 period goodness. The new crew this year is awesome.... in addition to all the returning crew we have from last year. Phil, Tom, and Molly are all new this year.... Ruth, Angela, George, and myself are all returning. We also have a new mule tender since our old one retired after the close of last season.

I'm back in my role of being Anna Compton, and I'm a it more happy with the my First Person this year. Last season, I joined in last August and only had a rough idea of what my character on the boat was. This season, all of us sat down and did hours of charter development. Relationships between our characters, habits they have, items they carry, education, place of birth and family background.... pretty much the works. Here's a rough outline of what we have so far......

Donavon O'Riley, Captain.... he's mentioned a lot, but isn't a person that is ever seen on the boat.

Ruth: Ms. Ruth O'Riley, Captains wife. Likes her coffee, hates Anna for reasons we'll get into in just a bit. Does some of the cooking, cleaning and mending, mostly because she's very picky about how things are done on the boat ;) (I love you Ruth!!!)

Thom: Mr. Finn O'Riely, Captains brother, deck hand. Came over from Ireland and worked in Buffalo till he was in a bit of a row and got kicked out of the city. Came to Providence to work on his brothers boat and keep eye on things.

Phil: Mr. Shamus McFarland, deck hand. Was with Finn in Buffalo and was also in the row with him. Came with him to Providence under the promise of a job from Finn's brother. Is a bit sweet on Miss. Compton

Molly: Miss. Dixie Myers, teacher, part time cook. Is friends with Anna, who got her a job on the boat to pay for Dixie's passage down to Defiance to see her parents, where she hopes to settle down or teach.

Angela: Ms. Clara Keyser, Head cook. Clara was widowed about a year ago, her husband died of Cholera. She's good friends with Ruth, who got her a job on the boat since they've known each other for years. Clara is fond of Anna, as a friend, but can't show it much because she is so close with Ruth.

George: Mr. George Goodheart, deck hand. Has a talent for fighting that rivals Finn and Shamus. Was noticed by the Captain while at the Toledo locks (the most violent locks on the Miami & Erie Canal). Is sweet on both Ms. Keyser and Miss. Compton and likes to ask them both if they'll marry him.

Amanda (Me): Miss. Anna Compton, cleaning and mending lady. Was hired onto the boat by the Captain for 'less then proper reasons' (i.e. is the Captains mistress). Is hated by Ruth, so she is nit picked quite often. Is the boat drunk, as well as the healer, having a bit of a medical background. Has a soft spot for Shamus.

Soooooooo, that's a short rundown. There's a lot more that goes into all of the boat and the first persons , but that's the base of a lot of it. It's almost hard for me to believe that I have a job that I look forward to each day, and one that involves dressing in 1876 clothing and acting like I'm not me.


It rocks.... nuff said