King Richard’s Fair

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Last year, Brad wanted to go to King Richard's Renaissance fair. We didn't make it...this year, he made a point to bring it up again and ensure that we went.

I looked at it as $50...

We got up early today and went out for breakfast and then headed out to the fair, which is held each year in Carver, MA. Having never gone to one, I had no idea what to expect. And was I surprised...

I couldn't quit giggling when we walked up to the entrance and people were saying, "Why is thou no line herest...please moveth over to this line that hath no waiting." I don't know why, it just struck me funny that they were starting so soon.



I was honestly amazed at how quickly we entered into another dimension, another world. Here is this forest, with all of these little stores / booths...it was honestly a different world! We headed in and wanted to catch the jousting tournament, so we went over to Tournament Field. We got to cheer on our knight in green - I forgot his name - and he ended up winning the jousting match. Yea!





We then decided to wander around and I was truly amazed at how into this people were. I mean, not only were there employees dressed up, there were also visitors that dressed up. Hell, there was a costume rental booth set up when we walked into the forest! The further we got into the forest, the weirder the people got. I was very confused because at first, I got the whole Renaissance theme - you had your royalty and upper echelon folks, and then you had your gypsies and more common folk. But as we wandered further into the forest, I suddenly saw pirates, fairies, gothic people...I even saw a kid dressed up as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle....and little girl with an old fashion asian kimono get up...What did we get ourselves in to?!






Then I understood it...and I reflected back to an episode of Gilmore Girls where Luke's sister and brother in law wandered around with this Renaissance fair and sold the jewelry that they made....the closer I looked, the more I saw them...they were all hippies!! All the people that were working the booths and were actually into this, were hippies that travel around freely and do this for a living. I thought about it for awhile and that wouldn't be a bad life. No corporate bullshit, no political puddles to wade through...you make your craft, you set it out and you let people look at it and buy it.

We then got hungry and headed over to buy a big turkey leg....this thing wasn't natural. I didn't take a picture of it due to fear of mockery...people were toting these things around like it was nothing....This wasn't a roasted turkey leg, it was a steriod mutant turkey leg....but we ate it anyway!

We then headed over to Hell's Mouth stage and watched the Aerial Angels which are HIgh Flying Artistry. That is a fancy way of saying chicks who climb up long pieces of cloth, wind themselves up and spin out of them...all set to music. It was pretty cool though and watching them do this was like watching the trapeze artists at a circus. You just watch and grimmace, waiting for one to fall.



We looked at all the booths that consisted of everything from handmade mugs, pewter goblets, jewelry, dragon statues, swords and weaponry to incense. It was quite interesting.

We wrapped up the day with some Irish music and a terribly cheesy magic show, stopped by to get a root beer float and some of the King's nuts....Roasted nuts that is. At the end, I turned out to be that five year old kid that ate too much sweets at the fair and slept for two hours when we got home.

The fair was a neat experience, even though it weirded me out. I don't like knowing if people are in costume because they work there or because they're just wearing them....like this guy...have NO CLUE if he was working or just wandering around with this get up...



We came home to our wonderful dog Lando who took a nap on the couch aside from mine and had a great nappy time...yes - I might have planted the stuffed animal there for entertainment and picture value.

A fun filled evening

Sunday, October 14, 2007

We had originally made plans with the Brennan's and Castillo's to go to King Richard's Renaissance Fair yesterday, but of course, our plans fell through. So, instead, we took them to the last regular season Revs game. We gave our season tickets away and bought tickets on the other end of the field as it was the only place that had 8 seats together (Darien and Patricia brought along Gaby and Juan from Nantucket). It was a super chilly night so we all had to bundle up for the game! As we were tailgating, the soccer club brought out the Lamar Hunt Open Cup trophy that the Revs won two weeks ago...it was amazing to feel the energy around the trophy as it is the first championship the Revs have EVER won!!



We had a great night being silly, tail gating and watching the game (although the Revs lost to Columbus FC). We even spent a little time jamming with the Midnight Riders in the stadium before we left. I hate that the pictures of Patricia, Brad and Jen were blurry! The picture of us tailgating wtih the Revs Minute Men also came out blurry....



Look at the company sign in the background....









We then headed home to finish off the tons of beer we bought. Brad and I had to introduce our friends to our latest obsession (or at least mine) and us....and we stayed up until 3:30 playing GUITAR HERO!!! We had so much fun that we didn't realize how late it was. We played, we sang, we danced and we enjoyed the company of each other. Kevin and Darien, who are also musicians, provided us with some real life acoustic guitar and percussion back up during our play!!





Jenn and Patricia are two of the closest friends I have in New England. Jenn used to work in Mansfield until she was promoted to North Haven, CT. She has now moved about 2 hours away and we don't see them as frequently as we would like. Jenn's little girl (CRAZY NATTERS), is the first baby that Brad and I have watched grow from a newborn to a funny, cute and smart toddler who is now approaching 2 years of age! Brad and Jenn's husband Kevin, get along like two peas in a pod. We often joke about the lack of absence of these two when we get together, because they like to go off and have random boy talk by themselves...

Patricia and Darien, we met during our stay in temporary housing when we first moved here. They had also moved up here during the same time from the Dominican Republic. I work with Patricia and we were both staying in the same hotel. Not having any friends up here and our spouses driving us looney in the hotel, we all used to hang out together in each other's hotel rooms for company. We used to party in those hotel rooms...for almost two months straight. Patricia might be my female soul mate - my little big sister (she's younger than me, but gives me advice like a big sister.) Brad and her husband, Darien get along quite well too, so it is amazing how we've all connected together...it is rare that you can find a friend who has a husband that your husband also likes.

So, these people, are one of the two reasons we are going to hate leaving New England, if the time ever comes. They have become an extension of me and I will miss them dearly.

Now, Patricia has decided to join Jenn in North Haven and will also be moving next weekend to CT. I am so sad. Eventually, I will leave and my fears that I will never see these awesome girls again, haunts me....In a whole lifetime...you are considered lucky that you find one person as amazing as these...and I have managed to find two. We say that we will make plans to see each other, but with work and family, who knows what will happen. But deep down in my heart, I know that we will continue to keep in touch, no matter how many miles are put between us!

Jenn and Kevin stayed the night with us and we shared our new Sunday morning ritual with them...a Box of Joe from Dunkin'. Another thing we will miss about New England...

Galway, Ireland

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

This morning, I found it VERY hard to get out of bed. In my apartment, there are no TV's in the bedroom and I could not fall asleep in the big comfy bed...I had to drag my banky upstairs on the leather loveseat and watch TV until I passed out...I even took one of my prescription sleeping pills...and I think that may have been what done the trick.

I met the driver this morning and he took me to the site. Training went well and we were able to finish early enough.

And...thanks to my good looks and charm...I managed to con someone into taking me to the Cliffs of Moher...which was no small drive. It was an hour and a half drive through typical narrow and curvy roads, but the views were spectacular. It had been down pouring rain earlier today, but God managed to clear up the sky for a gorgeous evening at the Cliffs....

And it wasn't my charm and good looks that got me the trip there...it was really a friend from the Athlone facility that I guilted into taking me...."This may be my last trip to Ireland (blink, blink...sad face...blink, blink)"

And check out the pics...they don't do it justice and I've only attached a few of the gazillion pictures I took!







We got a little lost coming back down, but made it back to meet a few ladies for a late dinner. We ended up walking down to the city centre of Galway and having a lovely dinner at a pub. I had a "gorgeous" dinner (as they say when referring to food) and then we had a nice stroll back to the hotel.



Now, it is after midnight and I'm exhausted. I don't really plan on doing much else in Galway while I'm here...I may go out to a pub one night for some live Irish music, but is is Not going to compare to the Tullamore pub and their Irish music...the bar was set high...

Till next time...