Saturday, December 12

Got up early this morning, but skipped my exercises so I could be dressed and ready when Daughter and Great-Granddaughter came to go with us to the museum for an old fashioned days event.

When Daughter arrived in town, though, she called to say Great-Granddaughter was ill and upchucking, and she herself didn't feel well. So when she got to our house, she didn't come in, but only came to the door to say hi and bye before she headed back home, about an hour and half away.

Since the museum event was centered mostly on children's activities, Hubbie, Mother, and I decided to stay home for the day and watch Christmas shows. We started with the animated feature, "Prep and Landing," that I'd recorded on DVR. Then we watched two musical shows..."Celtic Woman Christmas," and one featuring Andrea Bocelli. We ended with the animated feature, "The Incredibles." Hubbie and Mother snoozed through most of that one.

Later, we changed clothes to go to a local school for a "Madrigal Feaste." After being announced at the door as Lordes and Ladyes, we were seated at 6:30 in the "South Castle, which was decorated in medieval decor. The "castle" was lit only with red candles....lots and lots of them, on the tables, in sconces, in candelabra, etc.

The tables were dressed in red table clothes and set with glassware goblets and plates. Junior high and high school kids were dressed in 1675 fashions, with some acting as wait staff, and some as the royal court (who were also the choir).

Dinner began with the appetizers of cubed white and yellow cheeses, fresh fruits (apples and grapes) and small loaves of hot yeast bread with pats of butter. Then came French onion potage (soup) and wassail. The main course was beef tenderloin au jus, twice baked potato, and green bean bundles, followed by a flaming dessert (carrot cake).

During dinner, various folks stood up and made rhyming toasts, and a jester spouted poems and went from table to table jesting with folks, a wizard performed magic tricks, and there was a "Punch and Judy" show.

Following the meal, the royal court processed to the head table, and the boar's head was carried in. Members of the royal court also danced, and then prevailed up guests to dance with them. Then they sang several Christmas carols as they processed around the "castle." They ended with Mother's and my very most favorite song..."In the Bleak Mid Winter."

We were glad that the arts council director was able to join us at our table, but we were anxious for her when, during a sober moment of the program, her cell phone rang. She fumbled to shut it off. It rang again, and she fumbled to shut it off. But it rang a third time before she finally managed to disable it.

The event ended about 8 p.m. Back home, I found that Daughter had e-mailed me to tell me that she'd fallen asleep at the wheel while driving home this morning and woke up in the wrong lane, with a car headed toward her. My heart went into my throat when I read this!

Thank God she and Great-Granddaughter are okay.