This summer has been a ridiculously busy one, and real life kind of slapped us all in the face. Between car issues, truck issues, injuries, illnesses… we just haven’t been on here. And that needs to change. I’m going to be making a huge effort, though please excuse any hiccups between now and the end of September.
I’m going to throw some quick stuff together and hopefully I’ll manage to get my writing back in gear.
To give you a quick rundown of my summer, I spent early summer dealing with some minor but negative health things, and then went right into New Hampshire Renaissance Faire. I want to say, that was the most difficult and yet most satisfying year ever. We managed to raise over $147,000 for the NH Food Bank and over $97,000 for Rockford NH Meals on Wheels. All that by doing a fair that everyone loves anyhow. 🙂 It’s my most important charity event of the year, and I give it everything I’ve got.
Because I gave it everything, I then missed a couple of events I’d intended on attending. I was just … spent. But I did 9 library gigs this spring and summer, I believe, and that was a real record for me. I love doing 18th century library gigs, but wow, that was a lot. I moved from those into Maine Ren, which was a full 3 weekends this year. You might not think that sounds like much, but it’s four days (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) of hard labor for each weekend of fair. I managed to do something to my foot and ankle, so I missed yet another event after that one, so that I could take care of myself.
From there, I moved into Fort events, which are a little easier for me. I’ve made the sad but necessary decision to step away from my French F&I group, the Pequawket Alliance. I just don’t have enough time to do stuff with them. I’ll still see everyone when they come to the Fort, though, so it’s not an entire goodbye. Still, it was sad.
And then I missed the event I love doing every year, Hillsboro History Alive, because the truck’s alternator died. I was packed and ready to go, and then we fizzled. So I spent last weekend at home, sleeping and reading. I’m ashamed by just how much I needed that.
I have a handful more events this year. New library gigs may arrive, and I also have Auburn Duck Race Day (Sat. Sept. 12, 10am to 3pm, Auburn Village on Hooksett Rd, Auburn NH), the Timeline event at the Fort (Sept 26/27), Mayflower Market Days (Oct 17/18, in Plympton, MA), and the Hammond Castle Ren Faire days (Nov 7/8).
With more time on my hands, I’m sitting down to get caught up on my writing, which was sadly neglected since May. I’m working apace on my latest vampire novel, with a hope of getting it out for the xmas rush. That would be nice. 🙂
I’ll leave you with a little bit of the Working Man’s Blues:
I’m glad you confirmed my too busy to post hypothesis. The summer is peak season for fairs and reenactment so I expected you to be away from electricity and Internet. I hope your health issues are resolved and the alternator wasn’t too expensive. We had a similar experience, the truck was loaded, I turned the key and click. Fortunately it was a light load so we moved everything into the car and bought a battery later.
summer has a way of doing that.. one day it’s Memorial day and you crawl in bed. wake the next morning and its half way through August.. work, house projects, car projects, friends truck project aaaahhhhh..
as long as we are on this side of the grass..
Welcome back. I, for one, am glad to see you have not decided to stop posting, and it was just a busy summer with a few hiccups tossed in. I am there myself, I promised a fried something three months ago and finally have time to put it together this morning.
I am still going to be posting. Part of it was that I was struggling with definitions of myself, and where I fit. But more, it was just that I think I had two weekends at home since May. People tend to think of ren faires and reenactments as a weekend thing, but for those of us who are using them as vehicles for selling stuff, it’s a full time job. It takes me a day or so to load the truck and trailer (sometimes Thurs, and definitely Fri). Then we drive (most of Fri). I unload, set up, get organized (Fri/Sat). I spend a weekend having fun and selling stuff (along with cooking and living rough) (Sat/Sun). Then I load the truck and head home (Sun and sometimes Mon). Unpack everything (Mon). Clean what needs cleaning (Mon/Tues… sometimes Wed). The laundry all has to be hung to dry, because it’s not dryer safe. And then it’s time to get loaded again. Whee…
Glad you’re well – I’ve missed you!
Thanks! It’s just been crazy. 🙂