Four years ago the land where the Northern California Renaissance Faire has been held was sold, so they had a "faire thee well." Then for the last four years, the developer has been held up with environmental reports and permits and on and on, so the Faire kept happening. This year, though, the developer starts building his housing estate in October.
We went four years ago and Bernadette went back with Vince's girlfriend that same year. When we lived in Novato, we didn't go, and I didn't discover it till I was into D&D. I went with two or three of my D&D group 17 years ago, and had such a good time I and the family went back. We went another time, as well, as a family, when Monica had met a guy who worked at it (not that we ever found him.) Then four years ago. The thing is, it's very hot there in the "Shire". They are early this year because of having to vacate. Roni offered us free passes for one of the first three weekends, but it was 110 degrees here when she did that, and I didn't have any enthusiasm at all. We settled on 4 passes, and I thought maybe Bernadette could get three friends together for this and I wouldn't have to go.
Then it cooled off, and we discovered this really IS the final farewell, after 32 years. We would kick ourselves if we didn't go. Therefore, if Bernadette got her own group together, we would pay to go later. As it happened, her friends had other plans, except for Mike from San Jose, so we were able to go free today!

My big plan was to get a set of Arthur and Guinevere goblets, but they were still too pricy for my taste. Not that I need them. I've always lusted after the cotton clothing with natural dyes, but without a fair to come to, their uses are limited.I settled for a Blackpoint 1998 t-shirt. My "special" t-shirt collection has been growing ever since 1980 when they set off a bomb at the South Lake Tahoe Harvey's, and two hours later I got a T-shirt that said "I had a blast at Lake Tahoe."

Mostly, my plan was to see all of the shows I wanted to and to browse to my heart's content, and to enjoy the day, and so we did. Mike was dressed as a software pirate, in black, poor guy. He attracted the attention of a geek, of course. (His purchases included a faire goblet and a nice set of juggling sticks. Bernadette got a beribboned hat that she will actually use later.) Bernadette has a faire outfit she made and wore four years ago, when she attracted the attention of the duelling Englishman and Italian. "The lady saw me first, and the lady's heart is mine." She got stolen from Mike at one point, she tells me, and it took Mike a second to pull his plastic sword, and the blaggard laughed at it.
Meanwhile, Rich and I were sauntering along seeing EVERYTHING. Rich had bought a personal mister and brought it along to test it out. He was easily the most popular man in the Shire. Most of the stalls had them concealed in the eaves or the trees, which helped, and I did see one costumed actress with one hidden in a bag, but most people were just suffering.

Rich also endeared himself to people at the first show we attended, "Testicles and the Sack of Rome" (and that's the cleanest part of the show. They never once said any of the Seven Words, but it was very bawdy indeed. I loved it.) One actor was missing (they needed the Purple Helmet (for the Trojans? I don't remember)) so they were doing improv stuff, and the "expert" needed a subject to be expert in. Rich shouted out "necromancy." They did very well, describing in chorus how necromancy was the art of romancing the neck, and one wants to do that in order to romance the rest of the body. Much later in the day, a woman came up to Rich and said what a good word he had chosen.

Other shows we saw included much of Taming of the Shrew, Manly Men (swoosh!) in Tights(plink!) which was hilarious, the Queen's Royal Pageant, Morris Dancing (with bells and ribbons and sticks and swords), Country dancing (which is basically contra dancing and I need to get back to that!) and Midsummer Night's Dream.

The food was good, too, and not too pricy. (Guinness is less than Bud is at the baseball games!) I ignored the things I can find elsewhere and had Toad-in-the-Hole, which was perfect. Rich got a trifle which he shared with me. Yum. There were "dragon's eggs" for sale: cheese- stuffed jalapenos.

Signs of the tymes:

Master Card, Lady Visa, Lord Discover, and New World Express recognized here.

Endangered Domestic Species Breeding Program (This on a donations box outside of the petting zoo.)

Litter Bringeth Plague

Eat, Drink and Stink (On a t-shirt from the Gilroy Garlic Festival)

And on a t-shirt being sold at the fair, but it was black, too hot: The floggings will continue till morale improves.

We kept seeing the kids, but didn't actually join up till it was time to leave. I asked Mike about his digital camera, just trying to learn what features I will want, when it's time. Maybe someday I'll fall into a deal as I did with the scanner, you never know. We all sunburnt a bit. We spent 8 hours there and that was just about right. It's a lot more fun without kids, it is. I mean, sometimes it would be nice to have them playing some of the games, but they get tired and whiny and they never want to stop and see what I want to see.

And so home. On the way to Novato, Rich had pulled off the emergency brake and the release handle came off in his hands, so he has to mess around under the dash to pull it off now. (That'll get fixed Monday.) Home at 8, Bernadette and Mike went out for ice cream, and then Mike had to return home for his grandmother's birthday tomorrow. Tired, me.