Such lovely condolences on my 55th! I am grateful to you all.
TRF update: I want to thank 1Curiousguy for taking the first Fancy Fantasy TRF Tour of the season and accompanying me to opening day of the 40th Annual RenFest, and for extending my birthday celebration through the weekend and making it one of the best ever! Even though we had to wait in line for 3 hours for whimsical artist Real Musgrave to sign our tankards and posters, it was an enjoyable experience. ("Old Home" day for me as I saw a great many friends while hanging about, and I'm sure 1CG got an eyeful of boobalicious bosoms.) We wandered, encountering plague rats, pirates, dragons, wenches, Green Men, satyrs, winged fairies, wild & thorny Iris & Rose, bagpipers, chicks in chainmail, and a very inebriated Sound & Fury, whose props hadn't yet arrived for their stage parodies of Shakespeare, and that made their act even funnier. We had a thoroughly wonderful day, but sorry, I won't kiss and tell about our wicked evening later.
I went back Sunday with relatives and left a favorite pair of shoes behind as a souvenir to the gnomes, goblins, and trolls; the Heavens opened up and poured out a deluge worthy of the Ark, the mire sucked my feet down in a bad spot toward the back and broke the straps off of both sandals! I was one wet slide away from joining the Sturdy Beggars for an impromptu mud pit performance.
Fortunately, next weekend the weather forecast is clear and pleasant.
DO NOT take 1488 to TRF! Construction, numerous traffic lights, and heavy traffic make it a mess. Go up to Conroe and take 105 West to Plantersville. It's a pretty ride, few stops once past the lake, and it will cut your drive time immensely, especially on the return leg. (You can easily spend 2 hours in line going home from faire at dusk just to the 1488 turnoff in Magnolia, inching along like a worm.)
There are 2 new acts this year, Blunt Force Drama crossing swords (no, not THAT type of crossed swords, you homophobes) at the Tower Stage, and the jigs and reels of Drones-N-Drums at the Cloister and on the Green back in the Enchanted Forest. (However, nobody beats Tartanic for melodious-but-loud Celtic rhythm, as far as I'm concerned. They fill out their kilts better, too. Have I peaked under? Maybe. ) Just for informational purposes, there is a place in Old Town Spring called the Spotted Pony which sells new and good used garb if you want to go in costume.
Thank you all, again, for the birthday wishes. Jameson was consumed, candles were blown, icing was enjoyed.