lenora_rose | When last we left off...

We were partway through the Folk fest and JoJo had a tooth.

- FOLK FEST - Sunday we returned to Folk Fest though it was sweltering, well over 30, getting there in time for most of the gospel workshop (With Ruthie Foster, Chic Gamine, and the Caroline Chocolate Drops. For the style, an exemplary set) and continuing through one called The World Accordion to Us, which was awesome even if you thought you didn't like accordions; one French-Canadian trad band, one Klezmer/Eastern European style, though locally formed, and one Balkan/Gypsy/whatever else they could mash in). Joseph stayed for the afternoon, but when Jeff decided he was too tired to stay for mainstage, we decided to drive both of them back to the city, and leave Joseph with his dad and his paternal grandparents.

Mom and I returned for Ruthie Foster and Dry Bones. (This also involved listening to Belle Starr, whom I thought quite good if on the edge of country, totally not Jeff's thing but fine by me, and Iron and Wine, whom I thought obviously talented but not quite my thing, where Jeff loved him last time). Dry Bones is the trio who opened for Oysterband on their last show in town, then called Trad as they were still debating names: JD Edwards, Nathan Rogers and Leonard Podolak. They're pretty awesome. Ruthie Foster is always worth hearing. We lingered a bit for the Woody Guthrie tribute, longer than originally intended, but weren't too late getting back.

- IN-LAWS - They were in town about 4 weeks, or just under, partly to visit Joseph and partly to try and help get more of the renos done. The former was highly successful. The latter was slightly held back by the cold that went through the house, as, per usual, Colin was hit worst. This also gave me a fair bit of a break; I could leave Joseph with his Mother-in-law for five minutes, fifteen minutes, or an hour, pretty much without warning, to get anything from a chore done to a walk. I also got a few evenings or days off. I tried not to overdo it, since she was also doing the vast majority of the cooking and a whole lot of housework. But even that was a break of sorts.

Also, as of last Saturday, their last day here, the main floor reno has a floor, and baseboards on the sides where it could get them. The nursery has baseboards, or at least has them begun; because of the curved wall, there's a lot of work still to be done. But this coming weekend is a wedding and the tail of the Fringe, so we're not getting anything done this week.

It's odd; I usually find their presence an intrusion, even when it's a welcome one, because I like my time alone, but because they gave me so much extra time without Joseph, this felt like the opposite; their being here increased my solitude and independence. Not sure I would have liked it long term, but it made of July a bit of a holiday, and not just for the Festivals.

- BETWEEN FESTIVALS - did a couple of successful get-togethers with friends (And one accidentally unsuccessful). Saw Brave. Brave is awesome. Mom and daughter magical adventures FTW (Also, the mom is an Elinor, as all proper moms should be*, though the best ones don't spell it that way.) Good to see people, too.

And Joseph's second tooth popped out the first day of the fringe, even though all i did on site was pick up my badge and shirt, and visit a few people (With baby in tow so he could be introduced).

- FRINGE - Seen three plays so far, all excellent, but then, if they're in my top five must-see after this many years' experience, they'll probably be guaranteed at least good (Also, as an aside, they were all plays or at least sketches, not one man or one woman shows. Even T.J. Dawe and Erik De Waal were on my second tier of priority, and they're consistently interesting. Of course Sound and Fury made the top rank for being close to home). Will probably see a fourth, may not see more than that, Since I'm not trying tonight, as Colin needs sewing time for the wedding.

My two shifts so far went well; I took Joseph to the second, and sent him home about 2/3 of the way through when he fell asleep, though of course he woke up for his dad picking him up. But he wasn't too much of a distraction considering the shift was fairly quiet. I'm not sure it would work for ticket sale, which are my last two shifts. But tomorrow, since I want to head out from the house before Colin gets home, and I'm actually replacing my mom on shift, I was going to take him with me, and trade duties with mom: "Here, I'll take the tickets sales, you take the baby..."

Sigh. It's the 25th Fringe, and my 20th as a volunteer, so I could hardly skip out. But it's not quite the usual splurge of 20 plays. Still, if Erik de Waal is still doing African Folk tales in 2-3 years, he'll get a new fan...

- WEDDING --

leonacarver and her doughty (and doting) fiance are having a steampunk-themed wedding in a park this Saturday. This gave me an excuse to buy corsets (I was bad and got two; I'm using the underbust for the wedding as I can breastfeed, but I might like the full one fractionally more.), and a big floofy skirt, and go shopping with Iulianna for all kinds of accessories in one of my days out. Assembled my outfit (except for the wrong colour blouse) today, and it seems to work. Though Colin says he has a hard time looking at my face. Mom liked it too, though she didn't disagree about the effect, exactly.

The blouse is definitely not Victorian proper, being an open peasant blouse, and short-sleeved at that; were it Victorian and not steampunk/cosplay, I might be fearing I was dressing as something shameful, at the very least as a stage actress. But I think I won't swelter. Looking forward to it.

JoJo will have to make do with his renaissance shirt and a pair of corduroy overalls with a steam train on them; a bit modern-looking but still thematically appropriate.

Though, as above, Colin is still sewing. He remade a pair of pants so far, and is making suspenders, and needs to do some leather-work on his boots. I think he's also making a cravat as they're hard to find these days, but that's apparently not what one would call a difficult shape (the tying will be the trick). If anyone knows a place in town to find a bowler hat that isn't $100.00 ...

Now, back to my baby.
_______________

*My mother in law is technically an Elinor, though she wasn't meant to be and goes by her middle name.**

** Since Lenora was derived from Eleanore, I might count, but give me eighteen more years to find out.