18 May, 2008

it's just another ordinary miracle today

It's not that usual when everything is beautiful
It's just another ordinary miracle today


The Bashful Peacock held a Prom. The theme was May Flowers, and for some reason, I was actually worried about attire. I perused the offerings of several Caledonian and non-Caledonian designers, before making my decision--bright cheerful colors for the Early Bird version, elegant monochrome for the evening--and then it was down to shoes and accessories.

Black pearls I had by happy accident, but what to wear with the pink satin dress? And the longer time went on, the more I decided I didn't particularly favor the bodice.

The sky knows when it's time to snow
You don't need to teach a seed to grow
It's just another ordinary miracle today


I ended up over at Adam & Eve's, looking over Damen's incredible shoes, so when Wonder Girl called to deliver me the JLU emergency signal--with any luck, to help with future mass-griefing accidents at Rivula and elsewhere--I thought nothing of bringing her in.

She agreed with me; the bodice had to go. But replace it with what? I searched frantically through my inventory, trying to find something that would properly pair with pink watered silk.

Life is like a gift, they say
Wrapped up for you every day
Open up and find a way
To give some of your own


I finally decided to make my own, and to hell with the consequences.

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To the first Bashful Peacock Prom, I wore the flex skirt and the underskirt from Victoria V's, and the glitch pants; I threw together the bodice, gloves, sash and jacket (with its large ametrine cabochon to hold it closed), and the stockings, and slipped into a pair of Damen's Volar pumps, which were surprisingly easy to dance in.

Isn't it remarkable?
Like every time a raindrop falls
It's just another ordinary miracle today


Her Grace the DJ-ing Duchess had a ball pulling together the set list; music from Proms from the twenties to the nineties, and beyond. And we happily danced, rejoicing in spring, and dance, and friendship.

Birds in winter have their fling
And always make it home by spring
It's just another ordinary miracle today


Then I fell off the grid for a bit, clawed my way back in, and reported to the Marzipan Teahouse, for beautifully vintage tunes provided by Lady Soliel Snook.

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It was the epitome of teahouse dances, once some technical difficulties had been resolved; elegant surroundings, polite dancing, and a small horde of women discussing hats and haberdashery.

As an interesting complement, Miss Reghan Straaf attended, and her timing was perfect--I had just passed out landmarks to Hatpins, her establishment in Caledon Downs, to four of the women there, and--as I was again wearing green--rummaged for and threw on the emerald Lady Persephone hat she'd tinted for me, a Herculean effort that she pulled off seemingly effortlessly.

She's so talented.

When you wake up every day
Please don't throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
'Cause we are all a part
Of the ordinary miracle


Then it was another quick-change and into the monochrome of leopard spots, white and black silk, scattered with dark embroidered blooms. Simple (granted, 1940's vamps) black shoes, black stockings, and the aforementioned black pearls completed the look, and off I went to meet with Mr. Gilbert Sapwood to host the evening Prom at the Peacock.

I wish I had pictures of the second event. So many people came. It was nothing short of phenomenal. We relived past proms and touched on future joys, discussed the music, love and celebration, tossed the storyteller supreme offbeat requests which he capably and joyously played for us--it went, in a word, stunningly.

Ordinary miracle
Do you want to see a miracle?


For both events, the Prom committee had created a raised, tinted glass floor, over blooming tulips and wildflowers, and it was like dancing on air. There was a bit of a trick to figure it out, but once accomplished, it seemed the perfect thing.

It seems so exceptional
Things just work out after all
It's just another ordinary miracle today


Mayor Littleblackduck Lindsay showed up in very small squirrel form, and to be honest, watching him rotate around the dancefloor chanting "WHEEE" was half the joy of attending. But by and large, it managed to be the best of times, without all the traditional Prom agony.

I think we're more than looking forward to doing this again.

The sun comes up and shines so bright
It disappears again at night
It's just another ordinary miracle today


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I'd like to leave you with a bit of nostalgia on my own. It seems impossible, but this was an image taken from my introduction to Caledonian society, at the Guvnah's Ball, January 2007.

I was nervous and wary and somewhat scared, everything I wasn't for the Bashful Peacock Ball. I'd heard tales of the prim and proper Caledonians, and, being that I was just another working girl from Steelhead--and that meant literally--I had no idea what my reception would be.

I'd even panicked on appearing in my traditional neko form, and decided to go human--again, out of nerves and fear.

It's just another ordinary miracle today

I shouldn't have worried. I spent a lovely bit of the evening talking to Lady Amber, and Miss Cornelia Rothschild; danced with Edward Pearse, who'd invited me (and what a transition that's been, hasn't it? From Edward Pearse, bachelor and tailor, to his Grace Lord Argylle, Sir Edward Pearse, happily successful and happily married); shared a spin with Miss Qlippothic Projects; and, for the most part, managed to subdue enough nerves to have a very pleasant evening indeed.

Is it Caledon that's changed, or just me? While there are still staid and prim regions, for the most part my social set in Caledon (when I'm not holed up in some small studio building, and never did I think I'd understand enough about building to craft clothes and scattered ephemera for a living) comprises gentles from all walks of life, all social levels, united by two driving principles: invention, and amusement. Dark Victorians, steampunk souls, DJs and dilettantes, artists and architects, tailors and tiny ecoterrorists.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Ordinary miracles indeed.

(Lyrics are from Sarah McLachlan's Ordinary Miracle.)

4 comments:

Alexandra Rucker said...

Considered making an affiliate vendor with your goodies in it?

Emilly Orr said...

Hmm. Hadn't thought I had the need.

Maybe I need to go through my stock again, make sure everything is what I want to be selling.

And get up the new stuph! :)

Edward Pearse said...

It's been a fun ride. Scarily in about 3 weeks Christine and I will have been married for a year :-)

I think I could spend all my time here and still not get everything finished on my list. Damn RL!

Emilly Orr said...

I'm telling you, this has been a QUICK damned year. You and Christine coming up on your first year; Fawkes and I have been together over a year; I'm coming up on two years on the grid. Fun.

hide away, they say, 'cos we don't want your broken parts

Yeah, so...remember that thing I was recovering from? You know, last year ? Yeah. I did it again. So this is Em Faw Down Go Boom part ...