My dream began 29 years ago, I was watching a show called "Real People" and was facinated by the people dressed in Viking Gear. My friends asked around but without the internet, this was the Fat Mac era, and even though we were all at Universities, none of us had heard of the SCA. Move 3 years and one of my friends wirtes to me that he found the SCA, he was then living in Sunnyvale, CA and was going to San Jose State. We made plans to go to an event, but since my time was precious we made the plans for Easter 1985.

Caid/West War April 6, 1985- Myself and my BFF Sara along with the Marshman, arrived at the site. We arrived at night, we got up to the 'troll booth' and a young man came to my side of the window and asked me if I wanted some "Duck Juice" and I took it and shared it with my friends. We found a place to camp and unloaded. Now while we came with food and basic camping supplies, we had no clothing except mundane. All we saw at that time was cars and such... Then came the morning

Saturday morning... and we came out of our tents to a whole new world! People were milling about in garb, we were very shy as we were still dressed in mudane jeans and shirts. The Marshman brought Sara and myself, to the gold key, where several lovely ladies helped dress us in lovely garb. I had found a piece of the dream at this time. As we were getting to know people, several of the ladies who helped us invited us to dinner, and then we went to their campsites, and met their people. It was lovely, we walked around a bit and then we went to work volunteering as "Water Bearers". We met many more people as we did this and later that night we partied with everyone. It was a lot of fun.

By Sunday, Sara who was going to Berekeley, found her own section of the SCA there and I went home to look for my own... I was told I would be part of the Barony of the Angels, and I did go to a meeting but it was way to far from my home. I then found out that I was in fact part of Lyondemere. I began going to the meetings and it was so much fun, people were lively and lovely, they were jumping over themselves to help me get basic gear, and garb and the like. I never felt anything but acceptence and joy to be part of this wonderful hobby.

By 1993, I was married and I had a child as well and we moved to Oregon, to Eugene which is Adiantum. We spent a couple of months finding a place to live and then went to the first SCA meeting in Adiantum. Again we were met with acceptence and joy, and while my first 10 years within the SCA was pretty much spent having fun and partying, I found a new calling within the Science and Arts, and I yearned to make Elizabethan Garb and Cooking and Arts ETC. I had a blast learning skills and found out I had skills I could teach as well. I was a lady in waiting for the Baroness, when my husband and I had to move because of job offers. We packed up our world and our son.

In 1995, we moved to San Jose, CA and we again took a couple of months to acclimate, and then found our shire, which was Southern Shores. and it was different as we had moved to the Kingdom of the West and it was the oldest Kingdom in the SCA. Even though I had been in 2 other kingdoms and had been well seveal officers, we had to prove ourselves to our new group, which is pretty normal for any group I have met in or out of the SCA. Even in new jobs one must show what they can do and how they can work within goals. I recieved my AoA and Corrolla Aulica during my time within the Shire. Due to some needed and not needed shifting within the Shire, we changed groups to Ecorngil and since we purchased a larger home, we are now within a new group which is a Barony. I have kept the Dream alive in my heart now these 25 years, I can't imagine myself not part of the SCA, even with life being crazy, we make time and now our children whom have grown up within the SCA lifestyle. They have learned chivelary and they have learned how to deal with different types of people. They have learned to work hard and play hard, it is something I hope they can cherish all of their days.

This is still my journey, I still have the dream

Cilean