the Dalaverse

Today, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, I ate the following in approximate order:

1 Steak on a Stake
1 (non-alcoholic) cup apple cider
5 honey sticks
1 turkey leg
1 cup Pepsi
1 strawberry Italian ice, housed in 1/2 frozen orange
1 fried pickle
1 cup hard cider
1 cup white wine/raspberry wine
1 fried Milky Way
1 (actually five small triangles Mac and Cheese on a stick

Notice the three separate and distinct fried items? I am never eating again ::gulps ice water::

Yes, it is Renaissance Festival time again, and Dad and I went for Pirate Weekend as is our wont. I threw pieces of my pirate costume, namely the sash, headscarf, jewelry, and striped tights, on top of my standard costume mostly because I've gained back nearly all the weight I lost last summer and am feeling very self-conscious. You just don't notice it until it's there, and then gone (!), and then there again. This is also why I didn't buy any new pieces of clothing like I really wanted. Well, I could've bought one of the velveteen musketeer's hats I was eyeing -- because really, I know everybody and their uncle wants to be Captain Jack and that's awesome, but me? I'm Will Turner -- but I cringed at the price. I can probably find something simliar online for cheaper, or I could ask for one for Christmas. Instead I bought a walking stick. There were several varieties: big fat curvy ones, ones with dragon heads carved into them, ones with tacky wizard's crystals on top. The one I picked is fairly slender and whittled so the white shows through in a winding pattern, except for six or seven inches at the top where there is a suede handgrip and strip, and the middle, which is smooth and bark-covered. I chose this one because, if I could only master one fantasy-novel weapon, it would be the staff (or the glaive, if I happen to be in Tortall). In addition to Will Turner, I am also Gabrielle from "Xena." I questioned paying for what is, essentially, a stick -- I went by twice before I finally found this particular one and fell in love with it. It's awesome. It was just as easy to hang it from my wrist as to walk with it, and I leaned on it when I was a little tipsy and there were no seats for Hack and Slash, and I hooked my legs around it when I finally did sit down. I wish I could carry it around all the time.

Dad bought himself some nice leather gauntlets. In addition to shopping, we watched Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy, because he's the best act there, and the Rogues because they are kickass and have their own bellydancers. The cute main bagpiper was standing behind me at Hack and Slash, and I was just drunk enough to attempt to hit on him, except my dad spoiled it by adding, "Hey, you guys are great!" This is the one drawback to having a totally fantastic parent who dresses up to go to Ren Fest with you and buys your ticket: very hard to have game.

I saw some truly odd costumes today. There were three times as many Jack Sparrows as in the past, and some of them were really authentic. Pirates were everywhere, as were folk in regular Ren-dress and heavy metal t-shirts. And then there were the two Knights Templar, and the lobsterback (his coat was beautiful, but...bzah?), and strangest of all, one lonely Roman Legionnaire (Legionairre?). Swear to god. He even had this puzzled look on his face, like he fell asleep for fourteen or fifteen centuries and woke up to find himself in Henry VIII's England. Speaking of whom, he was between queens this year -- Jane Seymour just died. I wanted to ask him about his son, but never managed to get him alone. Probably for the best.

ETA: I also made myself a bitchin' purse, in about forty-five minutes last night.