Old Tired Squire Update

I haz rattan!  


Not enough, mind you, but I've built one sword (as soon as I get a basket hilt to put on it).  I bought a 9 foot shaft (Thank you, Sir Godwin), but after I gave one blank to my oldest son, and one to his best friend, I'm left with one 37 inch blank for myself.  Guess I need to buy more!  :-)

I continue in my conditioning -- I was at Stargate fighter practice Sunday.  Two and a half hours in the Houston heat (even if I couldn't fight).  And I'm up to two laps of the neighborhood with HeavyHands.

I had hoped to pick up some armor this weekend (and may yet), but I'm having to drop $1,300 on the family car to replace the A/C compressor, dryer and hoses.  Oof!  (But having reliable A/C again will be a good thing).

But, hey -- I still have my job and my health, so who's to complain?

Leif

Spring Conditioning in Summer

I started conditioning for Legacy of the Lions tonight. Instead of coming home, putting my bike in the garage, and sitting down with a cold beer (St. Arnold's Summer Pils), I changed clothes and went walking with my old "Heavy Hands" weights. Then when I got home from walking I showered and had that Summer Pils. 

Okay, maybe not a radical change, but exercise is exercise!  :-)

Tomorrow, I'll add distance and keep upping the burn (so to speak).  Although in this part of the Ansteorran summer, it is more like upping the sweat. 

I'm really more interested in cardio, right now.  And the hand weights do help tone the upper body.  My biggest fear is that I'll get in armor, get all adrenalized, and push too hard, straining a tendon or something.  I didn't realise when I was a young-buck-sword-jock that it would be the joints that suffered the most as I got older.

Of course, I'm carrying about 60 pounds less fat around than I was "back in the day." 

This is me today: 

 

Me back then -- circa 1985 (on theleft in the herald's tabard):

Yeah, that guy:

Okay, back down, Harrison; it was joke!  Dont' sic your copyright lawyer goons on me!

Me today:  

My professional self.  Or this:


Me at our (former) office:

Or this, the motorcyclist me:

 Or my favorit, the Scout Leader of three sons me:

The Search for Armor

As a returning fighter, I am in the process of looking for "new" armor to protect my poor body.  I got some good ideas from sites on the web:

 

http://scafighter.blogspot.com/2008/12/low-cost-armor.html

 

http://scafighterblog.com/

 

http://armourarchive.org/

 

But I'm very picky about stuff I'm going to get hit in and I like to touch and feel it, so I put the following message up on the Facebook page of the Barony of the Stargate:

 

=================================================================

My Dear Fellow Stargate Residents:

After some 17 years out of harness, I am in the hunt for some good, usable munitions-grade armor. All I have at this time is a protective cup. :-)

Does anyone have some serviceable armor they would like to sell (cheap)? I thought I might put this out on the Stargate listserve and here before either (1) ordering new stuff, or (2) trying to cobble together my own setup (which is my eventual goal).

For sizing, I'm about 5' 10 1/2" tall and 185 pounds. Right hander.

I am also in the market for sword rattan and a good basket hilt.

Thanks in advance.

Lord Leif Wadason, (Old Tired) Squire to Sir Karl der Gaenger
===================================================
The good news is that I've had four responses so far.  The bad news is that armor is so freaking expensive! 

I had always hoped that if I tried to start fighting again, I'd have enough money to buy the good stuff.  If forgot to factor in three sons, two dogs and two cats, all of which seem to suck all the money my wife and I earn.  :-)  Come to think of it, that's why I ride a 10-year old motorcycle!

One set was already assembled and from Stonekeep Armoury.  http://spiers-saddlery.stores.yahoo.net/index.html  Nice looking stainless and leather with Kydex splints.  Problem is, we're talking $600 here!

The other set was unassembled and from Illusion Amory.  http://www.illusionarmoring.com/  That is REALLY nice stuff!  But even more expensive than Stonekeep. 

I hope that I can still strike a deal with one of our local knights for the gear he bought for his son, but which never got used.  But I'm still feeling sticker shock. And I'd hate to spend too much money and then find my poor body can't take heavy weapons any more! 

The long term plan is to build my own, but that may take longer than I want right now.  In the meantime, I'm wistfully remembering the "old days" of carpet armor when I was considered "progressive" for wearing a gambeson. 

Leif

Old Tired Squire Returns!

THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE STAR SHIP ENTERPRISE...

(Cut!!  Wrong promo!!!  From the top!)

=========================================

These are the annals of Lord Leif Wadason, Old Tired Squire of Sir Karl der Gaenger of Ansteorra.  Follow Leif as he attempts to rejoin the fighters of the Ansteorran heavy list and regain the fighting prowess of his youth.  (Or something like that).

Can he do it?  Can the wisdom of age overcome the frailties of the body and the inevitable toll of time? Follow, and find out!

Leif


DISCLAIMER:


This blog may contain humor, attempted humor, poorly attempted humor, sarcasm, irony and other things difficult for the weak of mind or stomach.  It also contains ME!  Be forewarned.


This blog will NOT contain modern politics, current events, or anything regarding Casey Anthony, Barack Obama, Justin Beiber, Lady GaGa or any other modern annoyances.  "If that's what you're looking for, they've got what you're looking for" here -- www.Twitter.com

Also, this is not my legal blog because Leif is not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice!  Lee, however, is licensed as an attorney in the mundane State of Texas and can be found here:  @bizlawyertexas

Coming Soon!

"Old Tired Squire" is coming soon.