Rehab in Renaissance- Shot in Stunning Cellphonevision!

I had my eye for detail wide open.

Both of them, actually.

All week long, we worked on costumes, purchasing comfortable footwear,

and settled on a budget.

The Minions did extra chores to procure spending money for their own pockets.

That morning, Sam emptied the memory on the camera,

and I plugged in the battery to fully charge it.

We were ready to surge into pictorial battle.

"For the Glory of Rehab!" we cried as we rushed the gate.

Okay, maybe we didn't go that far.

But when Sam went to take that first shot, and the lens on my little Cannon didn't budge...

I actually did let out a sob.

The battery was still

On. The. Charger.

We squabbled for about 5 minutes until it hit me-

we had 5 cell phones with us.

I fired off a text explaining the situation, and lo and behold, we have a record of the trip.

A far, far odder record than if Momma had shot all this by herself.

THIS guy took 78 photos himself, all emailed to me one at a time.

One at a time.

One at a time, I say.

I'll try to explain what transpired that day as we drag you through the melee of

The South Florida Renaissance Festival!

The $20 per person gate cost may seem pricey, but it includes all of the shows once you're in,

and there were 15 stages, all with multiple troupes performing.

The Minions are history buffs with a real interest in armaments, and this was Weaponry Weekend.

You can start your young paladin out with a wooden sword.

I know there's a lot of this stuff at my house.

Sam always thought it would be fun to line my foyer with broadswords and Claymores when Savannah started dating. And to conveniently sharpen them as said date arrives to collect her.

Hispanic fathers...

Speaking of Dad...do we like his Dollar Tree Caribbean hat turned peasant chapeau?

I've rubbed off on him.

Not all of the weapons are blunt edged wood.

Some of this stuff is dead serious.

Collectors can have a true field day.

 

I need these for the next time a Feline Overlord needs a bath.

Add this to my bag too.

Ye Olde Food Court.

There's some of the expected choices, like turkey legs, but there's also falafel, pizza, burgers,

and gyros.

Oh, and meat pies!

Thom, our resident health nut, found baked ziti and a huge salad.

So relax, you don't have to eat the haggis.

Padded practice weapons to keep your homeowner's rates down.

And then the earnest shopping began.

I think his girlfriend has a Dread Pirate Roberts thing.

Tell Thom you're going to take his picture and to "smile."

Go ahead, try it.

For a vegetarian, that's a lot of ham.

We do make all of our costumes, by the way.

Check the prices on these and you'll know why.

I behaved around the jewelry, but it wasn't easy.

I actually left with just a belled copper hair stick for me and a green heart shaped crystal for Mom.

Be impressed.

Oil burning rocks?

I was like a moth to a...well, a flame, okay?

Once we get organized, I'll share some of the websites with you.

Because I would NEVER hack this, never!

*coughcoughcough*

A Hookah shop!

With demonstrations!

I'm glad my Minions were amusingly disparaging.

The Dread Pirate Roberts checking on his Mommy.

"Did you take your pain killer, Dread Mommy Roberts?"

There are lots of amusement rides at the faire, all human powered.

By these muscular guys in tights.

Oh, shut up.

Back when guns were made of wood!

An arsenal for your desk.

What do you mean, the meeting is on a Saturday now?!?!

POW!!!

Give the nice wizard his hat back, Samwow.

Only in my family is this a necessity.

I can't explain this.

Serious "DER" face.

Warn a girl, would you?

This is an ingenious way to make a living...

They lie on the ground, taunting you to throw coins in their bowls.

How's that liberal arts degree working out for you?

The clouds were moving in, so we sought shelter...

at Christoph the Insulter's show!

I paid $20 to have Sammy insulted a couple years ago, before we cut his hair short and sent it to Locks of Love. Christoph dubbed him a "A pointy eared elven Quaker bastard" and many worse things for 10 minutes in front of all of his friends, who had met us there.

Best twenty bucks ever.

This doubles as the feast hall for a traditional period accurate dinner.

We're waiting for the children to leave home before we shell out the cash for that.

The rain let up, and off we went.

The following pictures just amused us to no end...

I need this hat.

Helmet, I mean helmet!

Still not smiling...

I...I have no clue.

I'm not recommending this as a holiday salt and pepper holder though.

Me in my wonderfully altered bodice.

It needed a few inches removed.

Ahhhhh, rain and my hair.

Savannah and I did do a bit of shopping for her at the jewelry counters, and a lot of it came home.

How do you say no to a sterling silver dangling Celtic dragon ear cuff for $15?

Bodice Buddies.

I LOVE that she's too shy to wear this without a blouse. 

You moms with teenaged daughters know what I'm talking about.

Look! Thom's smiling!

Never mind, he sees me.

There's my guy, all swathed in my needle work.

What does a man wear under his kilt?

I'm not telling.

...and here comes the smoulder!

Tangled, anyone?

This was a bad time to find out that I can't turn my phone photos, so please, just tilt your head to the left.

That's it...

5:45 in the afternoon...one last romp, taking advantage of the empty stages.

The rain hit again as we piled into the Prius, exhausted and dusty.

We're really glad you were able to come along with us,

but some of you had a little too much ale and hard cider.

Oh well, as long as you had as much fun as we did!

The last challenge will be the group effort to get these boots off of my feet.