I survived Arlington!

[fiberaddict]

Describe it in one word: HOT. effing Hot!

Let's see...where to begin? Ah...Friday. The kids were on their way to Granny's when I got home. I had a lovely RAOK in the mail - a box from Bethanie - it had 2 balls of Naturwolle (in natural - lovely!), a cute soap, and some stickers. The box had been opened..and Herself claimed the soap. Himself is jealous, so decided he got something made out of the yarn. Coolness...now to get my wrist better so I can Do Something.



Saturday dawned early. I was there at 7 AM for setup. Did I mention it was Hot? 77* at 7 AM. Did a little shopping while Clan MacDuff had their annual Council Meeting (their Annual General Meeting was this weekend - Joy!), but had to cut it short because my leg started hurting. Spent most of the day in the tent. Lots of flirting...I didn't *catch* any kilts, thanks to the boot of ass-kicking doom, but that's ok. I got a lot of sympathy flirting, which is fun. Met ritaspins37 and her friend, but they wanted to enjoy the shows instead of keep a cripple company (just joking! *g*)



Sunday...more of the same, only Hotter. The Kirking of the Tartan was great - we had the minister from Scotland again (Praise the Lord! Last year's was...lacking. Lots.) More time in the tent. More flirting. Clan Young's Regent was there (finally!) and remembered he owes me a meal. *eg* Got hit on by our local toy soldier. (IN uniform, yet!) More sympathy flirts.


Overall, lots of fun, even if it was hot. Only got hit on by 1 (not very) witty drunk - he thought he was SO funny. *sigh* The same old jokes are funny, even the 200th time you hear them, if the timing is right. His..wasn't. Got an offer of Wooly Mammoth hair to try spinning - I need to email a reminder to the jeweler that offered. Got proposisitioned for a portrait - a really sweet clansman came over, fascinated by the wheel. He watched for a bit, sat down, and asked for my address. O....K. I handed him my Clan card. Why? He is going to send me a couple of pages with the Gaelic words for the parts of a spinning wheel. He is also an artist, and wants to do a portrait of me in garb, spinning. Coolness!

Got 4 full bobbins of my current Dragonhair, and 1 1/2 full bobbin of some stuff by Color Me (in the "Regal" colorway. Yum! It'll be my next pair of socks, once I can knit again.)


Very tired, very sore. Must go throw myself into the pool to cool off and see if it helps my hand and foot.

Comments

You're Welcome!

[(Anonymous)]

I'm glad you received the raok! Enjoy!!!
Bethanie

[ritaspins37.livejournal.com]

I promise to sit more if I can spend two days there. I was mortified when I saw that you had gone home and I hardly talked to you all day. :(

Then again, if they put the musicians that I want to hear next to the clan tents I will sit there all day anyway.

[fiberaddict.livejournal.com]

I was only joking! We were so full of MacDuffs that it was hard to have a decent conversation anyway (MacDuffs are LOUD. *g*)

OH - on Sunday, another lady came by looking for your clan. I had to regretfully tell her ya'll weren't doing the Games - at least not here. She was...not happy. Maybe ya'll should DO something about this....tents at Arlington are...$25, I think, and you get discounted admission (again - I think...could be wrong on that.)

We're in the same spot every year - right by the Beaton/Fraiser tent. Alasdair Frasier is *wonderful*....Alec Beaton..is not. He's OK, but...not the most personable person.

[ritaspins37.livejournal.com]

I am wondering how to start a clan society. It might be a little more time than I am willing to commit to, but my cuz is retired and might be willing. He is not always around, his kids are not interested, and they are the only ones around that I know at all. I would really like to pick up my father's geneology stuff eventually...

[fiberaddict.livejournal.com]

OK - I've been doing some digging for you. I found 2 links for Clan Menzies (well, I found a *lot* of links, but these 2 are for the N. American branch):

http://webpages.charter.net/mathewes/menziesclan.html

http://www.scotclans.com/clans/Menzies/links.html

both of them seem to go back to the same person. I would suggest you contact him, and see what you need to do to get a group going down here. I know that the MacDuffs/MacLellans love people to volunteer; the regional/state person will provide tents/info/banners/etc for new festivals, to help get the region going.

Most societies will pay/reimburse for the festival cost, too - but it's pretty cheap to rent tent space ($25 seems to be the average). All you really need is 2 people - 1 to tent sit and sign up new people, and 1 to run around. *g*

[ritaspins37.livejournal.com]

yup, I sent David an e-mail this morning, wrote my check for annual membership too. I can't expect support if I am not willing to pay my dues, right? If Tom is not willing to stay long at the tent, then dolphin94 and/or L may be willing for short periods of time... Anyway I am working on it.