Carmella’s Hang Out » Blog Archive » The day has come and gone.

The day has come and gone.

July 22nd, 2007

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After weeks of anticipation….wait, what am I talking about? After a year of anticipation {!} Kade and I went to Silver Leaf yesterday!!

I tried to get to bed early the night before…but when does that ever happen with me? At least I was not in bed at 3 in the morning or anything like that. Though I do not remember the exact time I DID get to bed. After getting everything together for the next day and putting what I could in the car, Mum curled my hair and I put so much spray into it, it pretty much all moved as one!! Pretty funny!

We got up and began to get ready, at 5:15 the next morning. I expected to be much more tired than I was, think it was the excitement that helped. Thankfully, I had actually been able to SLEEP during the night. I have this bad habit if I have something to do early the next day, of worrying in my sleep! I get so worried that I am not going to wake up in time, even if I have it all set with an alarm and everything, and so I wake up at least every hour if not every half. Put that on top of the fact that my hair was all curled and needed to stay that way for the next day, I figured I would not sleep a wink between trying to get up in time and trying not to lay on the curls. YAY for that not happening!

My plan was to be on the road no later than 6:30am. The fest does not open till 10, we did not have to be there till 9, and the grounds are two hours away. Leaving before 7 was not completely needed, but there was no way I wanted to be late, and I wanted to give myself some time to get lost! Kade and I were able to get everything done that we needed to, the car was packed, we got something to eat, we make up and costumes on {though, I only had the top part of my garb on. My Zairah skirt is huge and far too bulky to drive in. So, I took it with me and just wore normal pants and tennis shoes to drive.} and hit the road at 6:15 on the dot. I love it when a plan works out so well!

Thanks to the map Dad printed out for me the night before we pulled into a parking spot at 8:15!! It took less than half a tank of gas and I didn’t get lost! Though, I did drive PAST the park entrance, due to construction in front that I didn’t know about, causing the place to look different. However, as soon as I drove past I knew that I had gone too far, and was able to turn around right away.

Once there, Kade and I hopped out and took some photos near the trees {after I finished garbing up} We then went and sat at a bench for awhile, and waiting for the others. Yes, 45 minutes was probably a silly amount of time to be early, but I don’t think either of us minded all that much, and it could not be said that we were late! heh.

Shortly after 9, the van pulled up with most of the other Musketeer workers, and we all began getting the site ready and running for customers.

In my personal opinion, and not just because I was on the team, I thought we had a good crew!! It seemed that in no time we were working well together, keeping the balloons full at all times, the masks ready for the next round, a quick in and out of the vests, and so on. I suppose Dale or Doug could tell me better if I am right or not….but since they are at faire right now….I get to keep my opinion in tact for now at least!

I will say that one thing that was not in tact this morning, was my voice!! lol! My accent needs serious help, but I had fun none the less trying to sound the part as I talked with people and yelled to passers by. Yes, I could have done more than I did, but I did try not to be as silent as last time!

Kade and I did not get to use any of the skits we had worked out, as she fell into place manning the cash box, while I was able to walk around a bit more as I blew up balloons, fitted masks with new targets, called to people, and played balloon bopping with Lenny! {see photo album for pictures of that}

The morning started out pretty slow, even though we did try our best to get them to fence, but things picked up a bit in the late morning, early afternoon.

I had hoped to see a few more of the KOI Legends of King Arthur show scenes, since I was not able to catch but the last scene, that being the chess match, both times I attended last year. However, before I knew it, 4 o’clock had rolled around and we still had a steady stream of people. I do not want to sound to self important, since I do believe that the crew was a great one and could have managed by themselves, but I do think Kade and I helped staying there at the School rather than walking around more like we had first planned.

It worked out that it was ok anyway, since many of the cast members came and helped out at the fencing, seeing as how having them there helped to draw a crowd. That was a lot of fun!! Though….I found I am not liked by one of the characters. Seems my hair is too red? Or maybe I am too mouthy! Does he like anyone though? Other than pretty girls? D’Kahn quickly picked up ‘bugging’ me and I got to bug him too!! I am such a dork, I found that so much fun! Had it been in my ‘real life’ I would have probably backed down, but…much like my TFC counterpart SAj, since it was fake I got to yell right back anytime he yelled at me! {or at least I think it was fake. He may really hate me that much!! }

He insisted on popping any balloon I had in my hand..that was not attached to a mask, if I walked past him. Thankfully, he was kind enough not to pop them in my face as I blew them up, but I soon learned to walk to the other side of the area if I saw him walking near by as I inflated a balloon! He also blamed me for something I didn’t do! For SOME strange reason, he thought I popped the balloon on his mask during one of his fights. It is true: I was behind him on the other side of the wooden fence, picking up balloon carcases, but I had nothing to do with the fact that the one on his mask popped! He began yelling that I had popped it, so I yelled right back that I had nothing to do with it.

Business slowed way down in the evening, so many of us were able to get away and watch the chess match.

It was AWESOME! Even better than last year, thanks to the switch in Mordred’s actor. I am very sad that the kids will not be able to see him in that role, this year, since he has always been one of their favourites and they would really get a kick out of seeing him play Mordred. I suppose we shall just have to visit him again some day, and the kids can say hi and take him more goodies.

After the show, Kade and I went to buy a few things have had in mind for a long while. She got some gifts for people, and I was able to pick up two more throwing stars {this time in a bit smaller size and in gold rather than black like the ones I got last year. They look great on the wall next to my black ones. Ley Ley is holding them as Chow Mein in our King Conan movie promo pics.} Sadly, I did not stop by the KOI cart, and I now regret that. I forgot that they had some new things this year, and we did not stop by after the show to check it out}

I did, however, manage to get an update photo with Chiyome….though she tried to kill me first so hhmmm. Bad guys just don’t seem to like me. Strange! What I did not do, was get photo updates for Sammy’s birthday book. OOoppps. I just remembered, I have yet to tell him that. heh. With all that was going on, neither the characters or I had time for me to pester for their help with that. {i.e new photos and autographs.} He will understand I know, and I did get an updated photo of D’Kahn for him. A posed photo this time, rather than the ‘caught off guard’ one that is in there now.

Much to the kids {and my!!} delight, the movie we made seems to have gone over well!!
I don’t think I mentioned the movie here before. Because we are pretty sure that yesterday was the one and only time we can get out to the fest this year {*tear*} the kids can’t go. Instead, we made a gift for KOI. The kids stared in a movie that we called “King Conan and the Knights of the Patio Table” with the kids taking on their own KOI name of Kids Of Iron. Kat played both Gormanna and Queen Genevieve {our versions of KOI’s LOKA characters Morganna and Queen Guinevere.} Caeley played Chow Mein and Delgris {instead of Chiyome and Grisandole} while Sam once again became Hunter and took on the new role of King Conan. {Rather than Huntress and King Arthur.}

I wonder if they picked up on the reasons for the names we chose…? The entire film is filled with little jokes and ‘easter eggs’ that we either pulled from their show or the like. I am interest to see if they were TOO hidden, or if I wrote them in the right way.

I have to say, I am one proud big sister for how it turned out. We all had so much fun making it, and the kids did a wonderful job on it!! It was fun for me to write again. When I was little, I use to direct plays all the time. One year we put on a production of Beauty and the Beast. While this one was another ‘twist version’ of something else, I tried my best to have the script not copy KOI’s version. I think I managed to only ’steal’ one or two moves and lines from the original production. Kade was a great help with costumes and props. She also held the position of “Script idea bouncer off-er”. If I wanted to hear an idea out loud and get someones opinion on how it sounded, she was my sounding board. She also helped a great deal in showing the kids how to do the fight scenes. We got to act out at least two of the fights to demonstrate it to the kids, and Ley Ley taped our Chow Mein vrs Gormanna fight. {That video is NOT on the CD we made! lol}

After everything was over, the cannon fired, and the park emptying of patrons….I got to fence!! I have never been able to, so it was really cool to get to fence against both Doug and then Kristy. We needed to get rid of the balloons that were on the masks already, and that proved to be a great way to do it. I even came away with a nice little welt from one of the swords hitting my shoulder. YAY, battle scars!! Though, it is nothing more than a faint red line today, so it shall not stick around as proof that I ‘did battle’. {like with much of what I am talking about, there are photos of one of my fights, in my album. K-D got photos of my fight with Doug on my cam, but she used hers to get the fight between me and Kristy.}

We all walked out to the parking lot together around 8 or so. Kade and I got to the car, made some dinner and I got back into my driving outfit, packed the car up, got gas for the car at a near by station, and hit the road. Of course, we talked nearly none stop about the day and sang to the CD’s we played….one of the great reasons to go to a faire with your best friend!! Around 10, we pulled up in front of the house and got the car unloaded.

I had such a blast yesterday, but at the days end, I really did feel like crying. Is that crazy? Going once is ten times {and more} better than not going at all, though, so I am so thankful that it worked out for us to go. I just wish we could get back there one more time this year.

It was great to meet the new people I got to meet yesterday. And everyone in KOI did a great job!

*happy/sad sigh*

Oh yeah! I also took cookies with me, four dozen, to celebrate three years surgery free!! YAY!! Yup! Three years ago yesterday I was having a piece of my back taken out, and yesterday I was fencing!! What a switch huh? I was celebrating that not only was it three years since, but also that I have not had to have another surgery since then, even though I did re-injure it back in December, and that I am able to walk, run, play, and have fun after all that happened!! So it was a great day for me to go to faire!! Helped make the day all the more special!

SO NOW!! Photos! I shall try to post some of my favourites, but they will be in the albums too, so even if they do not work you will still be able to see them. {I have albums at both Myspace and Facebook for both Silver Leaf and our King Conan show!}

This is Kade!! Fencing costs were $2 per person if you were fighting against a friend, $3 to challenge a champion who was anyone from the KOI cast and anyone of us that worked there and then there were lessons that had their own cost. Kade was challenged twice to fight! Doesn’t she look great?! Mum did not even recognize her in this photo for all the weight she has lost!

Huntress lost her battle and Chiyome thinks she should pay for this with her life. Mordred says he believes she may still be good for ’something’, and so King Arthur calls for Huntress to allow him and the Knights to protect her. I liked this addition this year…last year Huntress just had to run away from Mordred crying, scared for what he would do if he found her.