Despite the cold...

[Merlin the Elder]

...we had a spectacular time! Nimue, our old friend (and recently initiated Ren-type person) Robert of Nothingham, and I totally enjoyed our weekend. Temperature-wise, it was opposite of last year's opening weekend. Instead of too hot just after cannon to keep my cape on, this year, my toes were numb, and my hands were stiff.

We had the ride of our lives on a rickshaw, spoken of in another thread; a lovely tour of the grounds on a Thor-drawn carriage; and an amazing visit to the small-world department.

As we wandered and visited shoppes, we stopped by one and were chatting up one of the shoppekeepers. At one point, the subject of our home came up. "Why, my girlfriend and her daughter are from Little Rock," he told me. "What's their last name," I asked, realizing that it was just as stupid as "You're from NYC? Wow! I've a friend from NYC. Do you know them?"  Like I'm actually going to know their family.  He said, "XXX is what they would have been going by when they were still there...She used to be married to George."

My eyes got big, as did Nim's... "He wouldn't have happened to have had a brother named Billy, would he?" I asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes!"

As it turns out, she had been married to one of the kids I grew up with from the old neighborhood. I hadn't seen any of them in many years. It was exceedingly bizarre, and great at the same time. I asked the daughter to please remember me to her dad.

It was wonderful, and my thanks go out to everyone at Sherwood!

[<Alex>]

  It's a small world.

[Queen Bonnie]

 It was great to see you both!

[Merlin the Elder]

Queen Bonnie! Are you recovering from your fall?? We didn't see you Sunday and were worried!

[maeven]

So glad you guys had a good time! 

[brier patch charlie]

I have to say I had on of the best times this year at Sherwood Fair opening weekend then I have had at fair in a long time, and I am looking forward to that 10 hour drive again in late March.

[Lady Mac]

We really appreciate you guys stopping in the shoppe again. Glad y'all
had a great time. Enjoy the new stick. Hope to see you down the road.

Lady Mac @ L'il Mac

[Merlin the Elder]

Already been showing it off at work! Lots of character in that stick. Enjoyed visiting you two as well. I'll get another one next time... I think I'll start a collection...   I love figured woods.

[rengypsy]

was a true pleasure to meet you and your lovely wife.  thanks for sharing your joy with sherwood.  hugs, rengypsy

[Merlin the Elder]

Thank you, RenGypsy... The feeling is mutual, I assure you. You guys are the bee's knees!  If we lived closer than we do, we'd be there every weekend.

[Queen Bonnie]

Queen Bonnie! Are you recovering from your fall?? We didn't see you Sunday and were worried!

I was really hurting by Sunday. It was a bad fall. Nothing broken but I am no longer a  Spring Chicken- more like a late  Fall chicken. It hurts to fall on your nose.My nose looks like Fright fest- not renn fest. I will try not to defy gravity again. I look horrible and still really in pain. I was checked out by my Dr. Had a tetanus shot and I will be there next weekend. Sherwood is my happy place- but I will stay away from roots.
 Digging out masks- just in case.
I need someone to go ahead of me with a soft pillow. I have never fallen like that before. My dignity is bruised too. LOL. Nasty roots! Last Sunday was the first day I had missed at Sherwood in 2 years!

[Merlin the Elder]

Be sure to point out the offending root to the grounds crew and perhaps they can do something about it. I saw one potential ankle-twister a few yards behind the "temple."  The stump had been cut flush, but it was hollow. Not sure what could be done other than a good thickness of mulch.

Don't feel too bad, my Queen. Nim took a spill in front of Scarby a few seasons back. Her ego did heal, but at the time it was quite embarrassing for her. She had loss of some feeling in one leg and foot, and on occasion, it causes a problem.

[Anna Iram]

BARF paints it's small and possibly tripable tree stumps with an eye. Makes them easier to see and gives our wooded areas a magical element. If stumps and roots are a problem at Sherwood, perhaps something similar.

[Queen Bonnie]

 That might help!  I think this root had it in for me! I hope they don't make anyone else fall! Not fun at all!