In How Delightful Everything Is!, Sei Shoagon writes about the festival and preparing for this annual event.
As my children have gotten older, finding something that the four of us would enjoy that when something comes along, it is delightful. So when Matthew was working at the Renaissance Festival and insisted that I attend to possibly flirt with everyone and meet someone, I was not in the mood. Deep in my depression at the time, I was not ready to enjoy myself. In spite of this inevitability, I did recognize that possibly my children would enjoy attending the festival the following year.
That spring, I took all three of them to the Festival for the first time and they loved it. It was more than I could have expected or hoped for and all of us had a wonderful time. My children left my side to find amusing things for themselves. I don’t know what they enjoyed but our paths would occasionally cross and we would stop long enough to share a little something—food, a tour through a display of crafts, or a quick show.
Maeve got a crush on the Lost Boys that spring. All the better when they pulled us out of the audience to be a part of the show. We watched the satire of Shakespeare together as well. That was also the year that John became angry with me for buying the chainmail.
In spite of his anger, he had a good time.
The next spring when we went, Matthew and his trio were no longer performing and my mother joined us for the first time. The children once again went their separate ways but began a collection of their own. Swords and daggers. Oh my. My mother and I spent the entire time together, wandering from craft to craft, show to show, talking and just learning more about one another.
Last spring, I didn’t know it would be the last time that we would all go together. I didn’t think that my daughter would leave for Chicago before we got a chance to go again. My mother took us again and this time she bought me the hair thing that Christy has complimented me on many times. (I plan on buying one for Christy this year.) We didn’t see as many shows, however. We must have spent more time just enjoying the crafts and such.
And this year . . . it looks like the boys and I will be going alone. My mother will be coming down for the boys’ graduation but we can’t go to the festival except on a Saturday or Sunday and she will leave on Sunday. And Maeve is in Chicago. I am sure that there is a festival/faire up there somewhere and I want to order her a ticket so she can go on her own to a different festival. Maybe she will find new and wonderful things to enjoy and can tell us all about them.
And next year? I don’t know if the boys will still want to go with their mother to see the festival. They will be in college. Likely they will want to go with some friends or . . . dare I say it? . . . a girlfriend.
I will still go. Possibly with Rob or a friend or even by myself. I will buy myself a blouse or skirt.
It is just strange to think how much has changed in the few years between the time that Matthew was trying to get me to meet someone new and today.
BTW, the tickets for the GA Renaissance Festival are on sale soon, if not already. Campy? Yes. Not historically accurate? Definitely. But fun? Yes. Definitely yes. In a quirky and unusual way.
Besides, had I never gone, I wouldn’t know that there is a perfume in my name. Satia. Do you know how rare it is to find anything in my name? Mordecai was the observant one who found the perfumed oil and I definitely need to buy some more. Lucky me! Not only is there a perfumed oil in my name but it actually smells good!
Next: Different Ways of Speaking
As my children have gotten older, finding something that the four of us would enjoy that when something comes along, it is delightful. So when Matthew was working at the Renaissance Festival and insisted that I attend to possibly flirt with everyone and meet someone, I was not in the mood. Deep in my depression at the time, I was not ready to enjoy myself. In spite of this inevitability, I did recognize that possibly my children would enjoy attending the festival the following year.
That spring, I took all three of them to the Festival for the first time and they loved it. It was more than I could have expected or hoped for and all of us had a wonderful time. My children left my side to find amusing things for themselves. I don’t know what they enjoyed but our paths would occasionally cross and we would stop long enough to share a little something—food, a tour through a display of crafts, or a quick show.
Maeve got a crush on the Lost Boys that spring. All the better when they pulled us out of the audience to be a part of the show. We watched the satire of Shakespeare together as well. That was also the year that John became angry with me for buying the chainmail.
In spite of his anger, he had a good time.
The next spring when we went, Matthew and his trio were no longer performing and my mother joined us for the first time. The children once again went their separate ways but began a collection of their own. Swords and daggers. Oh my. My mother and I spent the entire time together, wandering from craft to craft, show to show, talking and just learning more about one another.
Last spring, I didn’t know it would be the last time that we would all go together. I didn’t think that my daughter would leave for Chicago before we got a chance to go again. My mother took us again and this time she bought me the hair thing that Christy has complimented me on many times. (I plan on buying one for Christy this year.) We didn’t see as many shows, however. We must have spent more time just enjoying the crafts and such.
And this year . . . it looks like the boys and I will be going alone. My mother will be coming down for the boys’ graduation but we can’t go to the festival except on a Saturday or Sunday and she will leave on Sunday. And Maeve is in Chicago. I am sure that there is a festival/faire up there somewhere and I want to order her a ticket so she can go on her own to a different festival. Maybe she will find new and wonderful things to enjoy and can tell us all about them.
And next year? I don’t know if the boys will still want to go with their mother to see the festival. They will be in college. Likely they will want to go with some friends or . . . dare I say it? . . . a girlfriend.
I will still go. Possibly with Rob or a friend or even by myself. I will buy myself a blouse or skirt.
It is just strange to think how much has changed in the few years between the time that Matthew was trying to get me to meet someone new and today.
BTW, the tickets for the GA Renaissance Festival are on sale soon, if not already. Campy? Yes. Not historically accurate? Definitely. But fun? Yes. Definitely yes. In a quirky and unusual way.
Besides, had I never gone, I wouldn’t know that there is a perfume in my name. Satia. Do you know how rare it is to find anything in my name? Mordecai was the observant one who found the perfumed oil and I definitely need to buy some more. Lucky me! Not only is there a perfumed oil in my name but it actually smells good!
Next: Different Ways of Speaking
