Today we're up to our eyeballs in preparation for the biggest Civil War event of the season. Well, okay, we did go to Gettysburg this year, which pretty much blows away anything on the west coast, but for us, Fort Stevens is the big one. And both our units will be there, the 15th Alabama and the 69th New York, so we'll all be trotting between camps, hoping not to get shot at traitors by either camp! Not only that, but Alabama has a ton of new recruits this weekend, so we'll all be busy training and welcoming, and in the midst of all that, Sgt Lawless will be in New York as Sgt Archie Napier for most of the weekend.
It's amazing to me that Laura Ingalls Wilder's family, and many others like them, managed to fit all their worldly good into a single wagon. I could easily fill that wagon for just a three-day reenactment. If only you could see my kitchen right now: crates, baskets, boxes, jars, two breadboxes, a big cooler, all loaded down with several iron pots, half a dozen lanterns, two wash basins, a bread board, a dish drainer, a full set of dishes, silverware, cups, two tables, five chairs, sleeping pads and bags, pillows. Not to mention two guns, leathers, hats, trousers, a bunch of gowns, three hoop skirts, shawls, bonnets, boots, and a basketful of handkerchiefs, hair pins, gel, ribbons and other girly items.
While I was running thirteen miles this morning, the kids were packing and baking. Hailey, our resident baker, has undertaken the monumental task of preparing bacon biscuits, pumpkin bread, lemon cake, peanut butter and shortbread cookies, Mississippi cake, molasses pie, and an orange sponge custard. Wow - talk about "Do Hard Things!" Claire and Brennan washed dishes, chopped vegetables, helped with baking and packed.
It's not entirely my fault that we require so much baggage. Last year, the Captain asked if I'd be Company Cook, and fix dinners for those that want them. Until the last event that generally meant doubling what I make for our family and cooking for maybe ten people. But this weekend, I'll be making dinners for three nights for more than twenty people each night! At the last event, my big dutch oven was overflowing with jambalaya and we devoured every bite. I also found myself scrounging desperately for mixing bowls and serving dishes. So this week I went shopping! Hailey and I had a blast antiquing, and came away with some great additions to our gear: another cast iron pot, two big ceramic mixing bowls and two metal platters, plus a cute potato masher with a green-painted handle.
Laden down, but in delightful anticipation, we leave this century at first light tomorrow, not to return until Tuesday. Huzzah!
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