Well, we did it - Rob's rhoids were not too bad so he could walk fairly well. We left the house around noon-thirty this afternoon, and after various stops, including a trip to McDonald's (where we fed grackles and pigeons the majority of our french fries & half of my hamburger bun), we made it to the Renaissance Faire. Parking was hairy, and made worse by yesterday's rain - we saw a couple of pick-ups that were up to their axles in mud and sinking...
Pirates were freakin' EVERYWHERE! Everyone was a pirate or some sort of deranged fairy. Watched a coupla bands, some belly dancers, some swordplay and many, many, many well-supported breasts. I'll have proof that I left the house if the film in my camera didn't go bad. I watched a woman spinning wool, had my picture taken w/a guy in a fur loincloth & a belly dancer, had some friendly banter with pirates... and walked til my knees were screaming for mercy.
Every year I go, they can't ever seem to get the merchant balance right. This year, the fair was almost merchantless, the past coupla years it was all there was. Every year, though, there are fewer & fewer folk actually displaying medieval crafts and skills. The spinner was about the only one I saw doing anything. Salamander Arms was MIA, the Harvest Moon Brewers also absent. Most of the sword shoppes had the same collection of movie replicas from BudK, and the jewelry was just meh. I am quite happy with the drums I bought online, considering I saw one frame drum of the same quality for the same price I paid for all 4 of mine.
This was also the first time we've gone where we did not see one single person we know, except a singular co-worker - her camp got flooded yesterday - she said they nick-named the overflowing gully the Albion River - at least they stayed in good humor. All in all, it was a decent few hours out there. My SPF 50 pulled through, spent some time in the sun, watched the freak show go by.
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