Time to report in on 2017!
Kit goal
By trekking season this fall, have at LEAST trousers, tunic, cloak, belt, and boots.
My stretch goal is a completed quiver, proper bow and arrows, waterskin, sidearm blade and completed Greg-style bedroll/snapsack setup with carry strap, blanket, and ground cloth.
Trousers - done, but the dye washed out and they're a dirty grey again.
Tunic - done, but botched the blue dye and haven't had time to try again.
So both are too light and stand out crazily in the woods. :/
Cloak is done, still using my old v1 belt, and I've commercial armstreet boots I don't really like but they serve well enough.
On the other hand, "stretch goal" went great - I'm very happy with my quiver, arrows, and longknife and my tarp came out quite well. My waterskin is still waiting on my fella to turn a new oaken spout and plug, but at least is servicable as it is.
Overall I'd say clothes B-, extended kit A, averaging to an A-.
Done!
Fitness/WMA goal
Part 1 (most important): By the first day of fall, be able to make it to the top of the giant behind our farm without stopping for breath.
Nailed this by the first day of spring.. BUT had a miserable middle of the year followed by two months of on-again off-again illness. I'm not back to where I started, but I've not progressed as far as I'd like. Let's say passed but barely.
Part 2: By the first day of fall, be able to get 8 / 10 arrows in an 18†circle from 15 paces.
Forget waiting on perfect period kit - just practice with the darn bow more.
Made it! Woo!
Part 3: … some metric for handling a largish blade with rudimentary competence. I really don’t know how to judge this, and would welcome some advice. Some kind of cutting test?
Not even scratched this one. I've been reading Mr. Edelson's cutting book since Christmas though, and it's fascinating.
* cook one family meal on the hearth inside
* cook one family meal “camp style†outside
Didn't get these done as well as I'd like. Lets say fail.
* do one little drawing or piece of tengwar calligraphy on a scrap of vellum in period materials as an “in character†memento piece.
Pass!
* listen to that audiobook reading of the silmarillion all the way through
Didn't make it through the Sil, but did listen to LOTR and the Hobbit both, so I'll call it a pass.
* make the walking trip to our neighbor’s pond he’s told us about but I’ve never seen. This will take a bit of orienteering from satellite pictures, but it should be a fairly easy day trip.
Fail, and the one I'm most upset over having missed. 2017 was grand in lots of ways, but it just sucked for being able to get out into the woods.
So... middling year, all told. Not a disaster, but I really did fall short.
One thing to do - pick up and try again.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.