Sunday, August 23, 2009

Ren Faire 2009


Yesterday we attended the Renaissance Faire in Bristol, Wisconsin. There was cleavage spilling over corsets. (HB often and aptly described them as "vein-ey.") There were elf ears and devils horns. There were floral headpieces. There were velvet dresses with long flowing sleeves and leather boots. (Even some with curly toes.) There was a pseudo-mime named Moonie with ping pong balls in his cheeks, and kids wearing chain mail with light sabers. There was even a giant papier mache jester.
There were also fish in chips served in newspaper that hadn't been invented in 1574 (apparently it came about in 1838, thanks to Charles Fenerty of Halifax, which is not even on the same continent as England...), shrimp and vegetable tempura, ice cream crepes, and bratwurst. And Leinenkugel. Can't forget the Leine! Our Irish Chum ate a giant turkey leg and declared it good.

Admission was $16.45 because we had coupons for $2.50 off the regular adult admission. But once inside, we were offered many opportunities to pay $10 to throw 10 tomatoes at a fellow throwing insults right back, pay 2 "pounds" to climb a rope ladder (Tracy never did figure out how they calculated the currency conversion), and pay 5 "pounds" to pummel your buddy with period rapiers. Our new friend Steve was disappointed that San and the Irish Chum wouldn't ride The Hurlinator with him. The cinnamon roasted pecans were pretty yummy.

We passed a giant nose on stilts with wavering arms, and witness Queen Elizabeth be a bitch to her courtiers. Then we got bored and wandered off to find something else to look at.

We ended the afternoon (which was overcast and a bit chilly) with The Mudshow. Billy tweaked his left nipple at us, and got jiggy with one of the patrons on his "side." Hanonymus whined, and thrust his hips in an inappropriate manner and grunted. "Trojans, Trojans, we will never break! Sparta, Sparta, *mumble mutter junk* " Mr. Wiggles was the judge in his mud splattered fez. At least, we think he was Mr. Wiggles. We're not really sure. San yelled "MONKEY" into the crowd at random and for no obvious reason. The Mud Men failed to notice.

They scammed San out of $1. Which was actually Tracy's. The power of competition was a shockingly effective way to collect hats full of bills. Disgustingly effective, in fact.

Chilled and exhausted, Tracy drove and San snored home.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Happy birthday to me!

My birthday was last Monday. And I love my friends. Why? Because they joined me for wine and cheese the night before, and gave me love and books about sex. I think they rock.

And why else? Because they ate the chocolate cake that I made for San. Ordinarily this wouldn't be a test of friendship. However, they made the mistake of letting me bake after having nearly three glasses of wine. If I'm giggling, I should not be cooking. So instead of serving warm cake with ice cream, I put 24 of San's 34 candles into the fresh-out-of-the-oven pan of yumminess. And then I wondered why the candles wouldn't stay up straight. And then I wondered whey the bottoms of the candles were melting when I pulled a couple out to reposition them.

Some moments I am truly a super genius. That night while tipsily baking was not one of those moments.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Sorpresa Mexicana

To indulge my rice craving, San and I had Mexican on Friday night. As the meal concluded, the waitress brought us the check, and made small talk by asking what if we had any plans for the evening. Thus ensued:

San: Well, I'm going home and getting a belly rub.
Waitress: !!
San: And you don't really want to know any more than that.

Waitress walks off, then soon returns.

Waitress: (Looking at me) Is that true? Is he really getting a belly rub?
Me: (Shrugging) Yeah, pretty much. Yesterday was his birthday.
Waitress: Happy birthday!
San: It's her (nodding towards me) birthday, too, on Monday.
Waitress: Happy early birthday!

We sit for several minutes, waiting for her to return the paid check. I even joke that she had run off with my credit card. A few more minutes pass...and a horde of waitstaff return with his and hers cheesecake - San's had a blue candle, and mine had a pink candle and hearts. Birthday singing began, and the waitress commanded that we make wishes and blow out our candles.

Who would have predicted that San skeeving out the waitress would lead to treats?

¡Feliz cumpleaƱos!