They Call Me Mum

So, let’s work backwards, shall we?

Yesterday, the kids went back to school.  TSM is happy to be back, and Klumpen says her teachers don’t suck too badly.  So, I guess that’s a good thing.  TOH and I spent yesterday morning at the bank, finalizing our Home Equity Loan to pay for those new windows for the Stupid Big House™.  After that, I went home and went back to bed for five hours.  I think the weekend, and all the accumulated stress of the last few weeks had finally taken a toll, and I was exhausted.  I’ve had a twitch in my left eye for about a week and a half now.  And it’s driving me quite mad.  (Not that I wasn’t mad to begin with, but hey, you know, it’s getting worse.)

Monday, which was Labor Day here in the US, was spent in Revel Grove, of course.  The weather was lovely, and I was feeling a little better than I had been on Sunday (more on that in a minute; we’re working backwards here).  The usual cast of characters was in attendance.  It was Senior’s Day, and I actually stopped to help a couple of pairs of elderly patrons who seemed rather confused.  I need to remember to fill out some comment cards at the Customer Service booth this weekend.  One gentleman made the suggestion that the names of the stages be a little more prominently displayed, and I agree with him.  Right now, if there is a crowd around the sign board, it’s pretty hard to tell which stage you’re at, unless you already know.   Also, my wishful thought for the day was that Fairever Pass holders get some preferential parking treatment.  Why should motorcycles get better spaces?  I’m totally with the handicapped parking, being a federal regulation and all, but why the motorcycles?  Anyway, the shows I caught Monday were The Renaissance Man, The Queen’s Knighting Ceremony, a smidge of The Squire of the Wire, Robin Hood’s morning children’s show, and the final pub sing of the weekend.  I finally got to see Nymblewyke and the evening fireball, too.

Speaking of the pub sing, I totally agree with this post over on Amethyst’s LJ (not that I’ve met her in person, but I’ve seen her, and I need to actually stop and say hello one weekend).  I am totally intimidated by the “regulars” at the White Hart, and I’m not even a “mundane”.  There are several cliques at Faire, and some of them seem very exclusionary.  Which is a shame.  There seem to be those people whose main purpose in attending is to dress up in garb and sit in the pub all day.  No effort to go out and see what’s going on elsewhere, or to make newcomers feel welcome.  I always feel like I’m intruding on a private party.  Most people I’ve met at Faire, I’ve met through other people.

Anyway, Sunday.  I’d taken the wrong medications.  I’d taken my Neurontin for Sunday night, which is basically a Parkinson’s drug, in the morning.  So I spent my day walking around like a zombie.  You know you’re tired when you find yourself nodding off during Barto!  I managed to watch a joust, though, and caught some decent pictures of that.  I haven’t uploaded any of them yet, but I’ll get around to it soon enough.  I don’t remember a lot of other stuff about the day, though.

And finally, back to Saturday.  We took one of Klumpen’s friends with us for his first Faire experience.  Once inside the gate, and after showing him where the Jack of Spades was located, I set him free on his own.  He said he managed to catch four or five shows, and ate a little bit of everything, and played all the games.  So he had a great first experience.  I’m sure we could entice him back, and even into garb, in the future.  Every time I went wandering, I managed to have an entourage of teenagers.  Not that I minded, though.  It’s great they all enjoy talking to me and not just because I’m Klumpen’s “Mum”.

I finished my new white smock on Friday night, and wore it, and my new little caul on Saturday as well.  I’ve discovered that my weight has shifted below my waist, because the bodice of my overdress is actually a bit loose.  I think I could ladder lace it shut and still have room.  I ended up re-hemming it and the smock (and taking them both in about an inch on each side) because I was tired of them both dragging in the dirt.  I am always amazed at how filthy I get by the end of the day, even if all I do is sit around and gossip.  I arrive home positively grubby each time.

So.  That’s the basic recap of the weekend.  I want to have pictures up soon, but I have some towels to embroider for a friend, and I’d like to work on my new corset as well.  So, we’ll see what happens.