[MR] courtesy to ladies...and others

[Rowanwald Central]

Lord Rupert wrote:

> Indeed, lets tell it like it is.....Camp York is the "site from hell" when
> it comes to moving stuff to and from the cabins. The distance, and the
fact
> that the terrain is like the moon with craters and rocks, gulleys, and man
> made ditches across the "roads" to turn the water, plus the inherent
> slippery red clay, especially after any moisture falls, make this site one
> of the worst and most treacherous for even walking.  I noticed several
> people on canes and one on crutches before the event and wondered how in
the
> world they were going to survive the site. I know at least one member of
my
> household NEVER goes to camp York as it is just too hard on him. I know
that
> my own handicaps were seriously aggravated by the site itself, and I am
> truly paying for it this week... if I am going to suffer from an event,
> please let it be from fighting or doing something, not just moving in and
> out!

   I have to second this comment. York is a beautiful spot, shady and with a
lovely hall (and a kitchen to DIE for!), but the terrain has made it a
burden to attendees. After returning this weekend and telling my lord
husband about my experience, he has decided that we will not be attending
any further events held there. Now, mind you, my visit was not as difficult
as many other folks - I'd reserved early and got a cabin with three beds and
one mattress on the floor, so the beds we brought were able to stay in the
van, and we made sure to bring wheeled carrying cases as much as we could
(as an aside, a chunk of plywood laid down across the horizontal ditches in
a convenient place would go far towards easing the bumpyty-bump of rolling
carts. I seriously considered making some and donating them to our cousins.)
A sweet and kind man, whose name now escapes me, but who is a jester in
incredible motley, was kind enough to help myself and another lady as we
carried our burdens from the car to the cabin.
   Falling down and spraining my ankle in the morning did not make things ea
sier. That can be chalked up to inattention - I was chatting and glanced at
my companion rather than watching what I knew was a treacherous road. What
capped it, however, for my husband, was learning that our party of three
lost our seating because some other gentles decided that the seating chart
was not important and were rude about their right to sit with their friends
"since it's OUR barony after all".  As we were visitors from a different
barony, I suppose that they may be justified... but my husband was less
understanding of the rudeness offered to a lady, and even more irate that it
was offered to a visiting landed baroness and her retinue...
the Autocrat, by the way, was very distressed on our behalf and made
arrangements for my companions to be seated by each other, while folks at
another table caught the panicked look on her face and gallantly sat one of
their children in their lap in order to offer me a seat at feast. I was
grateful for their courtesy, as the autocrat was unaware that I had caught
that the seat she was offering me at another table was *her* seat -and she,
dear lady, deserved to sit while she ate far more than I did! Upon being
seated, I found that the gallant lady mother with the child under her arm
was the captain of a ship's crew, and one of her crewmen and table-mates was
none other than the jester! I commend these fine people for their gallantry
and cheerfulness.

   Be that as it may, until there are easier arrangements for guests at that
site, to my sorrow, we will not be returning.

Rosine, Baroness of Marinus