Neighborhood Warriors

Since all the drama across the street has died down,

the landscaping still hasn't been replaced but his wife seems to have returned, limbs intact, but only a couple nights a week. I overheard a census worker trying to get info out of him while he was axing down what was left of his white rose bushes. While the census worker stood there in the dirt and asked how many people were living in his house, I heard the the guy reply, laughing, "one and a half." To a census worker, that would mean just what it means, that perhaps a child might only live there half the time. To me? Take a wild guess

...I am looking for other things to look out at. Last weekend I got an eyeful of a load of people tumble out of a burgundy Volkswagen mini-van (circa 90's, don't get your hopes up). They were laden with things that looked like stuffed swords, sticks with spiky balls at the end, your basic role-playing nightmare. Since I never had much of a look at the folks who live in that house, I got to thinking that these people might be diamonds in the rough, you know, ones that might have more to offer in terms of people-watching than your average Southern California super-duper boring suburban yadda-yadda that I'm so used to.

I was rewarded again yesterday when that very same mini-van pulled in front of the house. Out tumbled the same folks, this time carrying video cameras and even more fake weapons. One guy was wearing some sort of a robe. They scrambled around giggling like grown-up round bellied would-be elf-grownups, and I took note of the time and day so I could be there at the window again this week.

"Those people across the street, I realized what they're doing," I said over lunch with HWWV and Girlfriend today. "This article in the paper says that there's live-action role playing going on in the local park. The reporter calls it 'Braveheart' style and it's officially called 'Belegarth.'"

"The reporter doesn't know what she's talking about; it's not Braveheart-style, Wendy. Braveheart took place in Scotland. The reporter is confused because elsewhere she says that the role-playing they're doing is Medieval crap, not Braveheart crap."

"Why split hairs? Braveheart crap is Medieval crap, although probably late Medieval crap if you want to get technical. I know this; I have a college degree in that stuff. Anyway, she says here that they do live-action battlefield fighting and people get slapped around pretty hard with those foam swords. One guy was quoted as saying that he got temporarily woozy after getting beaned pretty badly. They actually act dead and lay there if they get smacked hard enough. . . I think the folks across the street, the ones I pointed out yesterday, were at the park playing those "Belegarth" role-playing games, not filming a geeky Renaissance home movie as I originally thought."

"But it can't be" he said, "I spotted one of the guys wearing a black robe with red trim! Red trim! That is most definitely not Belegarth or Braveheart-ish. It's more, you know, wizard-ish, especially since it was longer than hip-length. It's more like what role-players would wear if they are re-enacting Lord of the Rings battles, or, come to think of it, I suppose it could it be he's confused on eras or had a random wizard costume that fit him better than his Medieval tunic..."

And that is when I gave up on the argument and realized I married a guy who might have a stick or two hidden in his closet and might also want me to show him how to use my sewing machine, you know, just in case a ninja re-enactment opportunity arises.

So, I cast on for another Jordan. I had to. I loved the one I knit as the sample so much but I no longer have it in my possession. I had to send it to my pattern wholesaler who has it on display at their shop and will be taking it to TNNA. The first two or three rounds are a little slow, but once you get started, it's a breeze. I have other projects going, including Veronik Avery's cabled beret from her new book Knitting 24/7 (click on the link and look at the right-hand sidebar for a free copy of the pattern) and some sewing projects which I'll show you as soon as I can.

Comments

[Liz Chatwell]

OMG! I'm working on the cabled beret too! I'm stuck though at the decreases. Have you gotten that far? I'm not sure how to read her directions...

[Wendy]

No, not yet. I have about 3 inches done so far.

[Liz Anderson]

It sounds like your neighbors are hoping to be cast in the follow up movie to the blockbuster, "Role Models."

If you've seen it, you know I'm working my snark gene.

[Jen]

http://www.belegarth.com/
From the website: "Belegarth Medieval Combat Society (or Belegarth, for short) is a live-action battlegame organization devoted to simulating Dark Age and medieval combat. Participants may focus on history, but are also free to include elements of fantasy such as those from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings."
That's why they're wearing Tolkien garb. :)

[spacemaurader]

In my town, every Sunday all summer long, folks with foam weapons gather to whack each other. There is no rule on costume or era, you just have to be armed with a non-lethal weapon and go down when you have been "killed." It is normally a series of waves where one half of those who show up are on one side and the other half on the other side. At some point the two sides begin to charge each other and the battle ensues. Last man standing, both sides go back to their end and repeat.
Here is a link of a dual at said gathering. In the background at one point you can see a line of people, that is how it normally is-group battles. This dual is interesting because one of the fighters is in samurai garb.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5f9zaGSbI8&feature=fvst

[Angie]

Jordan will be gorgeous in that color. ps. cute nail polish. pps. I think you can just call it LARPing (live action role playing) and everyone's happy.

[Kimberly]

I'm very close to decreasing on my Jordan too. It's too bad I have to teach full time or it would be done already. Love the pattern! :)

[Donna]

Your new pattern, Jordan, looks great on you! Very impressed how quickly you made it. I just bought the 24/7 book - I love that beret and so many other patterns in that book!

[TURNER]

well, you did say you wanted people to have hobbies... :-)

[Donna Boucher]

What a gorgeous picture!!!

[Virginia]

Ok, the role playing thing is hilarious. That's wonderful. I once dated a guy who did that (I didn't know about it until long after we started dating. he was in the closet) stuff and was really addicted to it.

He and his "larping" (live action role rplaying) friends would spend HOURS doing this stuff.

Well, he had fun with it anyway. I can't judge. It made him (and countless others) happy.

I just choose to let my freak flag fly in other areas. Heh.

[Elaine]

Haha my husband must be reading your blog or something! He's forever peering out the blinds spying on what our neighbors are up to!

[steph conley]

nothing wrong with LARPing really.... just a different way to spend time. In fact, the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) are really big in to the history of things and do shows and classes for different knitting and spinning styles/patterns/etc.... they even do wars and weeks where merchants will sell their wares (another source of fleeces anyone? spinning wheels hand built by the guy sitting in front of you?).
There are other LARPing games that are more fantasy than history... so you will have elves and dwarves and such..... but with all the possible things for people to do with a group.... larping is the more socially friendly one (and generally less naked).

[Wendy]

This is why I like blogging so much...I always learn something new!

[knittingoutloud]

Wow! In my neighborhood, one car going by is big excitement.