Minutes and Newsletters from 2006
Meeting Notes 6/24/06, *revised 6/25
minutes taken by Comyn in Faellon's absense
'Job List' taken by Momus for inclusion in this document
*Meeting at the house of Colin and Bree who served a fine luncheon of grilled meats and fixin's at 1pm. Meeting proper began at 2:30pm
Attendees:
What News:
Old Business
1) Clan Trailer – old trailer has to go to Pennsic. Aonghus' illness made it impossible for him to dedicate much time to the project of finding a new trailer in time, so Brogan asks that we work together to redistribute heavier items to others who are attending Pennsic so he can tow the old trailer. Brogan related his last trailer experience, and is confident that cruising out with Momus this year will be much better. Suggestion was made by Fionoulla to cruise out to the 'land of the cheap trailers' to aquire one and haul it back. This fabled land included North Carolina. July 7th, at 6pm was set as a trailer work day at the shop. Brogan will be there to coordinate the offloading of heavy stuff.
2) Clan Coins – There was a lengthy discussion about what a good price might be for non-Clan members might be, including $2.50 each, 3 for $5.00, $5.00 each, and only for sale for barter, but in the end it was decided that the treasurer would decide their value to non-Clan folks as the need arises. The price for Clan members remains $1.00 each. Colin will get help to strike the remaining coins perhaps after work one evening for a couple hours.
Fiscal Business
The Clan treasury, including fines for non-torc wearers at the meeting (Colin, - who interestingly had a torc close at hand but chose not don it, and Momus whose torc is still buried somewhere in his gear) stands at $905.00. $535 of that money is already allocated to the trailer project. The treasurer has tee-shirts left over and wants to sell them! They will be brought to Pennsic.
New Business
1) Pennsic Planning – Momus presented the report of those who have pre-registered for Pennsic which amounts to 18 attendees. Discussion about the name no-one recognized on the list (Lara Green, aka Clarrise). A call was placed to Valarian to attempt to learn the identity. Left message for Valarian, but when she later called back, she didn't know the name, she will not be attending Pennsic this year.
a) Jobs List – Momus filled in the Jobs List (see separate sheet).
b) Beer – Brogan should be able to bring 10 kegs like last year due to the amazing output of three tier brewing setup. Brogan needs assistance with this, and will announce a brewing night on the Yahoo list soon.
c) Tiki torches – Clan appears to be OK with tiki torches at this time
d) Natural Spring water this time? Colin mentioned that there is a natural spring which offers potable water and if we can bring containers of sufficient size, we can save big money on water. Comyn is unclear about what decision, if any was made on this matter.
e) *Site fees – TdB fees will be $130 for any stay 4 days or over, and $30 + $5/day for shorter term stays.
f) Momus is land agent with all responsibilities due to that office.
1) Fund Raising -
a) A keg of mead will be raffled off the night of the feast / block party (tentatively Monday night of the second week). Comyn suggested that a raffle is a great way to obtain the names and email addresses of people we think are cool in order to contact them later on to announce future parties. Comyn wants to make sure that everyone understands this idea is not offered simply to create a spam list to sell these cool people time shares in Florida or Little Giant ladder systems.
b) Comyn intends to offer some ideas for more lucrative fund raising at the next meeting – if he can come up with something that won't offend the sensibilities of the clansfolk as a whole.
Probate Review
1) Fiachra – was asked to leave the room and was escorted upstairs out of earshot. A private discussion was joined by all members present regarding Fiachra's imminent membership vote. Valarian had called back by this time and participated. Fiachra was voted in as a full member unanimously: 12 For, none against (counting proxy votes by several members). Fiachra was welcomed back into the meeting to the tune of 'Where there's a whip there's a way' for no reason other than we know he likes songs from the animated Lord of the Rings films of the 70s.
2) Meave – Faellon was not present, so no discussion was made on her probateship.
Personal Business
1) Brogan mentioned the 'Horrible Histories' books he likes so much, they reveal history in an animated and humorous way. See http://www.horrible-histories.co.uk/
2) Momus and Comyn sang 'Faellon's Cellar' acapella to a good reception with the original (since stricken) line in the final chorus. Tune into the podcast on the Book of Song to hear the latest version!
Meeting closed at 5:30pm
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2006 Samhain Planning Meeting – 9/9/2006
Members Present:
Aonghus
Vollund
Faellon
Sabha
Brogan
Guthrum
Finnoulla
Momus
Colin
Eberwulf
Members not present
Comyn
Valarian
Fiachra
Guests
Tess
Meeting called to order at 1:15PM with a blessing from the Druid
What News:
Vollund: Was sporting a new shirt he got in Ireland. While in Ireland he saw a well and a Celtic Cross that were dated to the 1st to 5th centuries. Hasn’t had time for much medievally. Wine tasting business is almost ready to get off the ground. Had to go into the city to cover the 9/11 ceremonies. Will be shooting the only high definition camera at the entire ceremony. Has some good stuff planned for Samhain
Momus: Work is going well. His dad was in the hospital with bladder cancer but is back home and doing well. Has written some new music with Comyn.
Faellon: Has been working a lot and is busy planning his wedding. Nothing new medievally
Brogan: School is back in session and he is busy at work. Getting ready to get back in the shop and has made some stuff for Tess – drinking horns, belt, pouch.
Anoghus: Pennsic was great! Almost done building a new glass rack for the shop. Has ordered more tin whistles and is going to re-skin his bodhran.
Finnoula: Pennsic was great! The kids have started school, with Finn beginning kindergarten. Is still trying to figure out how to quit her job. The chickens that she and Guthrum are raising have begun laying eggs. Her boat is STILL not in the water. Has been playing fiddle and guitar.
Guthrum: Pennsic was Great! Had a music session at their house a few weeks ago. Working on getting the boat in the water and will be building a forge in the backyard. Will be going to a blacksmithing event at the end of September. Will be buying a lot of blacksmithing equipment from a farrier. Is planning on going to Fall Thyng.
Sabha: Is recovering from bronchitis. Is now the Chairperson of the PTA for Emily’s school. Has been sewing and making lost of clothes. Had some great samples of some embroidery that she has been working on. Brewing a LOT of meads and fruit wines.
Comyn (courtesy of Sabha): Actively gathering new songs and plans to make a new CD for Samhain. Working on getting a medieval tent or yurt.
Eberwulf: Had dreams of Pennsic. His father has been in the hospital with a rare form of lymphoma but is home now and doing well. Julian has been sick. Has something called Cocksackie Fever. He and Helska have put their house on the market and are looking for something bigger.
Colin: Pennsic was Great!. Went to Ireland for work right after Pennsic. Has been finishing up his pipes and he announced that the Clann still has 80 coin blanks ready to strike.
Old Business
Trailer – Aonghus almost got a trailer but he missed out on the auction. Aonghus is now considering building one from the ground up. He will research and send out info.
Clann Coins – Have 80 blanks left which will be struck soon. Brogan and Aonghus took a coin class at Pennsic and have some new dies and a new method for making them
Colin made a motion to purchase $500 worth of new silver coin blanks. Aonghus seconded motion. Motion passed unanimously.
Aonghus made a motion to purchase a small anvil for coin striking. Eberwulf seconded motion. Motion passed unanimously with approval for Aonghus to spend up to $60 on the anvil
Fiscal Business
Treasury currently at $1304.
Colin given $500 to purchase coin blanks.
Trailer - $860 of the $1304 is earmarked for the trailer
Guthrum lent $56 of the trailer fund to Colin for the coin blanks
We have $1700 in pledges from Members for the trailer
Mead raffle at Pennsic made $325
Aonghus, Faellon, Momus and Vollund fined for not having torcs
Eberwulf fined for being late to the meeting but fine was later retracted by Colin
New Business:
Samhain Planning – Samhain will be Oct 27-29 this year.
The site has already been reserved. We will be in our traditional spot at Cathedral Pines
Feast:
Roast Pig – Brogan and Vollund
Vegetable Side dish – Faellon
Barley – Colin
Pottage – Eberwulf
Beer – Guthrum
Bread, Honey butter and Fruit – Momus
Dessert – Sabha
Dessert – Aislinn
Firewood – Guthrum
Welcome Stew – Aonghus
Dayboard – Colin
Trailer – Brogan pulling
Hose setup – Momus with a helper
Jockey Box setup – Momus
Hose Breakdown – Colin
Jockey Box breakdown – Brogan
Dishes – Fiachra assisted by EW and Finnoula
Rake Path – Aonghus
Tiki Torches – Guthrum
Fire tender for feast – Faellon
Feastocrat – Brogan
Brogan and Aonghus are almost done building a propane fired torch for use in camp
Clann Championship battle will be held on Saturday between 1-4
Brogan will possibly do a bronze smithing demonstration if there is interest.
Finnoula will try and remember to bring her lampwork bead supplies
New Business Continued:
Guthrum and Finnoula are planning on hosting a beer tasting party at their house on Friday, Oct 13
Probate Review
Maeve is currently the only Probate. The clann would like to see some more participation before bringing her in as a member.
Personal Business:
None
Presentations:
Brogan – brought a number of books on Celtic\Irish history as well as a few books on coins and coin striking.
Colin made motion to close meeting at 3:55
Seconded by Aonghus
Meeting adjourned at 3:55PM
Vollund's rite
The smell of smoke from the community fire was still in my nostrils as I pulled the heavy canvas of the yurt's door flap aside to allow my wife and children to enter. We were the next to enter the privacy of this sacred place and we didn't know what to expect. Vollund, the Clan's druid welcomed us warmly and offered us something to drink and a seat. The children were quiet - they knew that what was happening was important. Slowly, I outstretched my arm to rest on the Druid's altar and I took note of the incense, the candles around the room, the furs draped over wooden chairs, the solemnity of the ceremony was absolute. The great Druid of the Clann drew an ogham symbol of protection on the back of my hand and offered words of comfort to my elder child, nervous now during the sacred rite. We took our leave, comforted in the knowledge that we would be protected on this, the last night of the Celtic year - as the dead walked the Earth and flit past us in the shadows.
Meeting Saturday, December 9, 2006
Meeting began at 2:40pm
Officers in attendance: Colin, Momus, Brogan
Members: Comyn, Aonghus, Sabha, Guthrum, Fionnuala
Friend: Tess
Comyn took notes for the meeting
Comyn opened the meeting with a blessing in the old Druidic style
WHAT NEWS
Aonghus is suffering from something which hasn't been identified yet, he had a test this week and his platelets are fine. He's having another test next week. It might be lyme's disease since he has antibodies for that. Some doctors don't agree. It might be blood sugar related, or a result of the steroids he's been on. He's got a lot of pains and is tired all the time. The trailer is still in the shop, hasn't had time to get to it with the health problems. Learned how to re-skin a natural skin boron (and performed on the Samhain CD with it).
Brogan made a violin, but he didn't bring it this time. He brought it to violinist friend (Tommy Mulverhill who plays at Molly Malones on Friday and Sunday) who played Toss the Feathers on it, so it got a work out. Tommy pointed out some things to be done and Brogan plans to bring it back to him for some tweaks. He will bring it to the next event. Has been checking out European groups and their crafts and will have some cool lampshades that he will try to have ready for the next event as well. May have some for auction.
Comyn talked about music projects he's been working on this year, and that he doesn't think he will be able to do another CD for Imbolc. Plans to continue in the same manner for this coming year under the direction of the Bard.
Sabha mentioned the crafts, Christmas preps, brewing is a constant - has a Cyser going now. Would like to get a business going for crafts.
Guthrum brought Beekeeping for Dummies since he has been interested in starting to keep bees. Thinking he should start with one, but he may want to start with more, it depends on what he learns. 90 lbs of honey per hive is typical yield. There is a Long Island association that gives a class in March which is when you want to start up. Brogan may want to sit in on the class. Started building the shed that will someday be the smithy on his property. Has worked on it for only two days, but already has a frame set up. It's only dug into the ground, it does not have a cement floor or foundation. The building, when finished will be 10' x 12' with a metal roof. Has been jamming with Momus and Comyn and Finoulla and likes it.
Momus did everything the other guys did too. He's been doing music steadily, getting back into the swing of it and for the last few weeks he's been going over to Guthrum's house to jam with Comyn. Comyn has been hauling the recording equipment out as well recently, so we have some new stuff recorded.
Colin has been getting his shop geared up to prepare for working on something for the craft fair. Has 8 cases of mead he has to bottle! It's a big job getting everything cleaned up in prep for that. Work has been really busy, though he is still thinking about moving on to greener pastures.
Tess had an accident and a subsequent consussion after that. Her ambulance got hit in an accident, and ended up with a related injury shortly thereafter due to the loss of balance. Her memory has seemingly improved somehow, so there was a silver lining. December is a month of healing.
Fiachra called in, he's looking at houses, hopefully some with land! The Clan votes that he should buy lots of land so we can camp there!
OLD BUSINESS
1. The trailer has been aquired, it's in good shape, it's a tank. It's beyond beefy. The trailer was something over $960 + $80 for change over electrical stuff and a new trailer hitch. Rated for 8000 pounds. The trailer probably needs new brakes though haven't checked them yet. Maximum estimate is $240 if all brakes need to be redone (about $60 each). They are electrical brakes, and we will require an electric brake module for the van. Module is $60 according to Brogan. Brogan wants to replace the lights on the trailer for $20. Another thing Aonghus is investigating is shorter axles so that the wheels can be sunk into the frame. Has some concern about how much this mod would cost, knows a guy named Rocka-Billy through the glass shop that might be able to do it. Shooting for maiden voyage at Beltaine. Guthrum wonders if there are any updated plans as yet. Not yet - focused on the mechanical issues right now. It should be a lot like the old trailer, only bigger. Hoping to get it lower though. Someone was eyeing our old one - should we sell it as is, or strip some stuff out of it first? Nomad may be getting to the point where it needs to be serviced or at worst, replaced. Nomad requires a certain flow rate to kick in, if it doesn't get it in a low water situation as is common at our campsites, that's a problem. We need to check the valve that controls that function. The Nomad was $800 at the time we got it, so it may be good to keep that. A work day was set for the 2nd weekend in January (Jan 13th) to flow water through Nomad and evaluate the function.
2. Clan coins: The Clan spent $50 on the 'anvil-shaped object' which was broken. A 50 lb from Harbor Freights was the only thing in our price range (Comyn brought out a Centaur Forge catalog which showed that a cast steel anvil from them was in the hundreds of dollars), since we had planned to drill into it anyway there wasn't a desire for an expensive one. Aonghus suggested that cast Iron anvils are more likely to break, what we want is a Cast steel anvil (which isn't as good as a milled steel anvil). Brogan got a cast steel 15 pounder for $0.99 on ebay. Guthrum straightened the dies and took the mushroom off. He has the dies and Colin will take them home. Some discussion ensued about the best process required to do the coin striking. Colin has the anvil in his basement now. Brogan will take it, he can bring it to the Suffolk College metal shop and may be able to do something with it, in order to salvage what we have. If that doesn't work out, Comyn offered to bring it to work where he has a massive machine shop at his disposal. The claim was made that Cast Iron absorbs some of the blow, Guthrum admits that it is brittle and chips more, but suggests that that is because it is a harder material. Brogan and Aonghus make the claim that cast iron is more porous and so it compresses with each hit, what we want they say is cast steel if we can't afford milled steel.
FISCAL BUSINESS
1. Guthrum brought coins for those folks who had previously put in coin orders. Members who came with enough money were able to pick up their coins. Has 235 stamped coins ready to sell, and 240 are pleged for, and 250 blanks left to stamp.
2. Treasury has $1,590 ($800 is allotted to the trailer fund)
3. Most people already paid what they pledged except Aonghus and Brogan, though they have paid for stuff for the trailer and haven't been credited as yet, but $1,000 has already been paid out for the purchase of the trailer. Some outstanding members on dues.
4. Aonghus, Brogan and Momus are fined $1 each for not wearing their torcs.
NEW BUSINESS
Imbolc is usually the first weekend in February (Saturday the 3rd). There is always a chance that we won't get Swan Lake - Aonghus' parents put a bid in on a house, they may close by Christmas, but things are up in the air but Aonghus doesn't think anything will happen.
1. Feast - Discussion ensued regarding what would be the best fare. Many things were discussed: Leg of lamb, Chicken, birds of some kind. Aonghus suggested we tone it down since there is always so much waste. Comyn agreed that this is not the time of year for waste traditionally. We should settle on a simple theme for the event. Brogan was nominated Feast-o-crat.
• Brogan will prepare a few chickens and one leg of lamb.
• Faellon will bring bread and honey butter
• Jen will bring desert
• Eberwulf will bring pottage
• Vollund will bring roast veggies
• Fiachra and Eberwulf will do dishes
• Aonghus on garbage duty
• Guthrum and Finoulla will bring 5 gallons of beer (probably Blue Point)
• Sabha will do desert
• Guthrum and Finoulla will bring salad
• Aonghus will bring the jockey box with Momus' help
• Momus will clean jockey box with Aonghus' help
• Colin will bring non-alchoholic apple cider
2. Silent Auction - Colin offered, but Guthrum will run, which Aonghus believes is very appropriate given his position as Treasurer - should it end at a specified time? Discussion about the pros and cons of ending during an active bidding war.
3. Craft Show - all clan members are required to present at least one craft. Should a craft be only be a tangible item? Precedents are written lyrics presented at previous craft shows. The Fili originally charged the clan to produce a physical craft over the winter months. Is the File charging the clan again this year? Brogan as Fili, believes that a poem or a song takes just as much effort and does benefit the clan. Poems should be written out, and songs should have lyric sheets so others can sing along.
4. Game show - Guthrum, Finoulla and Momus will present a Celtic game show and Aonghus is required to play.
5. General Gaming
• Encourage all members to bring Fitchneal boards, etc.
• Shut the Box should be played en masse
Aonghus will do Tee Shirts for Samhain this year with a commemorative Wicker Man motif.
Guthrum brought up the question of probates. Should we start doing some recruiting? Brogan suggests attending local SCA events as a group and show up as an obvious presence to impress and meet new propectives. Aonghus, as an SCA member receiving the newsletter, will look for local events that we can attend and post ideas to the Yahoo list. The clan will plan to attend a local SCA event as a group.
Guthrum says that fighter practices are still being held by local SCA groups (either at the Sayville Grange or a local school) and Brogan was interested. Comyn suggests that he might be interested in making some armor, Guthrum and Brogan both offered their aid. Aonghus would participate in armor making, but the trailer will take precedence.
Comyn nominated new webmaster. There will be announced meetings to plan the implementation. Comyn will not register anything without discussion with the clan.
PROBATE REVIEW
Neither Faellon or Maeve are here, and since Maeve is covered under the old probate laws anyway, it doesn't really matter.
PERSONAL BUSINESS
Comyn has been having a great time being back in the clan.
We want Elvis in the Clan! But since our laws eliminate this possibility, we will offer him FRIEND status instead. The motion was made and seconded. Passed unanimously. Another motion was made to offer FRIEND status to Christianna as well. Passed unanimously.
Who holds the official list of friends of the Clan? On the old site or meeting notes.
Meeting cosed at 5:40pm
