Last Weekend of the Renaissance Festival

Hi Mom and family,

It's 5:30 AM,  the first birds chirping outside in the cool darkness. Ziggy is lying on the floor looking a little pique'd because nobody had given him his breakfast...I usually wait and let Dale Sr. feed him because he has so much fun doing it. Usually he tosses him several pieces of dog food as he takes the dog bowl back to the place we feed him, Ziggy backing up as he catches the little bits in his mouth.

I had a great last weekend at the Renaissance Festival, especially Saturday. I did not sleep well Saturday night, and suddenly felt so tired mid-day yesterday (Sunday) that I came home in the late afternoon instead of staying until closing and for the "cast party" afterwards. It was an effort to sing my last set of songs, and it didn't feel as successful as it is sometimes. (But part of success is just "showing up" and delivering what you can!)

I started getting  tearful when I hugged Chris good-by. She said, "Oh no, don't start that, it's catching!"

They had invited me to stay on and go to a party given by the Clan Tynker family in the evening, but I just didn't feel up to it at all, though the Clan Tynker are some of my most favorite people (and performers) at the festival. As soon as I got home, I crawled into bed, put on a DVD but couldn't stay awake more than a few minutes. (Later I did wake up and watched Masterpiece Theatre.

Here are some performers listening to the entertainment director's morning message, in the morning before any customers arrive. As you can see, the "Queen" is letting some fresh air under her skirt, airing out her legs. When the public arrives, she is dignity incarnate.

Saturday I really did have fun. I performed well, went to see some of my favorite shows again, gave out the photo prints I'd taken  to the relevant people,  and was rewarded by their pleasure in receiving them. I loved dancing at the "drum jam", the energy was magical. 


This is "Tartanic" a drum and bagpipe group. I love the sound of the bagpipes.

I have a feeling of satisfaction because there were a few times this year when I achieved a higher level of performing than I ever have before. It's a thrill to know that this can still happen at my age. One of the reasons that it's still very worthwhile to me to put in all of the effort involved in doing the festival. The other reasons are my good friends, and that feeling of being included, for a time, in a "family" of so many performers, many of whom I admire so very much.

One more photo, of an acrobatic troupe: hard to tell where one of the three starts and the other begins!

But it's also wonderful to have that feeling of finally being "off the treadmill"!


Love,
Lennie