"The Donnan Party IV"

The Donnan Party IV

or

"A Fourth Helping"

March 8, 2003

The annual Donnan Party muster and celebration has once again come and gone with high times leaving us awashed ashore once again with thoughts of fencing and bar tabs. Many thanks to all who participated. It was fantastic to see all of these good people who joined in for a very good Saturday. Many people were missed, and we hope that they can join us next year or at other musters.

Following up on the previous year, we chose to offer various fencing classes to start off the day. With folks arriving late, we started a half hour after our intended time. The first half hour offered "Theatrical Fencing" by Val and Donnan, "Footwork" by Corwin, and "Methods of Teaching" by the fencer formerly known as Kusar. Next, we moved into classes of "Fighting Two Fencers at Once" by Iago, "Basic Bladework" by Corwin, and "Lyev's Guide to Hand Sniping" appropriately by Lyev. After a group effort to move the center partitions out of the way, Quinn and Donnan started us into a very excellent class (via my personal opinion) on melee. The drills were great, the knowledge fantastic, and the student blunders hilarious. ...and we lost track of time...

...and this is how I keep my cadets in line... What do you mean you drank my scotch?????

...I thought this was supposed to be the Rocky Horror Picture Show...

The Bogstreet Boys perform another top 40 dance hit

okay, people, line up if you want to kill somebody...

you men may now bask in the glow of our wonderfulness

Kusar shows Anias his Pokemon collection

The Southern Watch came together for a grand muster. From Region 1, we had Anias, Bastian, Gwyn, Kathrine, Parion, and Valentine. From Region 2, we had Armand, Benjamin, Colin, Corwyn, Donnan, Illadore, Miguel, and Michael Alewright. From Region 3, we had Caroline, Iago, Francis, Kusar, Lodovick, Quinn, and Teresa. And to throw in their strength to wishing a Donnan a happy "older than dirt" birthday, Deirdre, Megraig, Miriam, Rebecca, Toni, and Vicki cheered on the fighting.

something about this guy just bugs ya, doesn't it?

After classes, we spared some time for bouting, after which we prepared to give Donnan the tradition of his "birthday smacks" in which he has to fence everyone in gear one after the other. As Anias was recently inducted into the Order of the Golden Alce for his fencing ability but unable to receive that award personally at the White Hart event two weeks prior, a Bog tradition was utilized in which he had to fight everyone at practice to receive his award. As his Don Iago instructed the other Alce members present, "When you fight my Cadet, do not yield the field to him until he defeats you." The first Alce he had to fight was Donnan himself. Anias did a great job of fencing and working before receiving his award, and Saturday while being deluged by hornets nest of fencer, he proved it.

Simultaneously, we dogpiled Donnan with birthday smacks. It is fantastic fun to watch Donnan feel even older by having to stave off an army of young kids. However, it did not end there.

We also had the challenge of "Inego Mantis" to "Dastardly Don Donnan" over an incident that apparently occurred at White Hart two weeks prior. Inego was seconded by Parion, and the "DDD" was seconded by Boo the Dwarf Giant Space Hamster. Could it get more strange? ...yes, it got a LOT more strange indeed...

As per our former poll regarding appropriate field dress for the Southern Watch Commander, Parion presented Donnan with a pink tutu... but not just ANY pink tutu... and thus was born "Don Kong."

...Southern Watch will NEVER be the same....

At the conclusion of the fencing, members of our merry group met at Penn Brewery where we were joined by Katherine Sinclair, "the Diva" Juiletta, and John for some fine food and fine brew. Following the fighting, we moved our way down to Penn Brewery for food, booze, and more good times. I personally had a blast. The Big D expressed enjoying himself more each year.

SWORDandMUG