Texas Renaissance Festival 2006

Well, all i can say is that i feel great! My batteries have been re-charged and i'm ready for it all! I went down to the Texas Renaissance Festival this past weekend and it was wonderful! I had so much fun. Tyler, Cat, Rachel, Corey, Derek, and I all trecked down to Austin then to Plantersville. Here is our story:

Leaving Lubbock about an hour into the trip, we get pulled over by a highway patrol officer. He pulled us over because we were speeding...well, for the daytime we weren't. But it was night and we were speeding. We had to leave late from Lubbock because I had a band preformance to attend. The officer let us go with a warning, not without makeing Corey roll down the back windows and the officer shined his flashlight in my face. I was asleep, but sat up for the officer. He said, "Where are you guys headed?"
Corey: "Austin"
Officer: "from?"
Corey: "Lubbock"
Officer to me: "how are you?"
Me: "tired"
Officer: "only an hour on the road?"
Me: "I was asleep." (While i was wincing from the light)
He let us go with a warning. We think he was trying to nail college students smoking and doing drugs...we weren't doing either. But, he let us off...which was nice.

We continued on, with few hitches. I slept, but evidentally we almost ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere. But we made it...so it was ok. We hit Austin at around 4 am. We all stayed at Corey's house. We then got up around 8:30 and started getting ready. It took Rachel and I quite awhile to get dressed b/c we had makeup and ears to adorn ourselves with. Cat and Tyler met up with us at Corey's house (they stayed at cat's relative's house). Tyler got a speeding ticket in Lakeway...our second run-in with cops on this trip. We finally left Corey's house at 10:20 and went to a sandwitch shop. It was pretty good. From there we trecked to the TFR. Well, on our way, Corey didn't take the correct exit to get off of HWY 71 and onto (i think) 284. So we were on 71 for quite awhile, and then i realized that this wasn't right. We ended up tacking on a good 30 min or so to our trip, but it was ok. We got to the TFR around 2 pm. We spent the entire day there. Tyler and Cat branched off on thier own, while the rest of us did our own thing. We went to go see some of the Dead Bob show and some of Cast in Bronze...my most favorite musical act there! I have every one of his CDs. If you want a song i'll send it to you, just tell me. Oh, i failed to mention that I went as an elf, Rachel went as a faerie, Corey went as a Squire, and Derek went as Derek. So, we all wandered around and went from shop to shop. I showed Rachel some of my favorite shops. We bought earcuffs (of course) and miscelanious things. *grins* Around 4 or so we started getting hungry so we bought two turkey legs and sat and watched the jousting. Around this time, we were starting to wrap up everything...going back to stores that we liked and deciding what we want to purchase. Derek's parents emptied his bank account b/c they didn't want him to be there, so we all pitched in and helped him over the course of the weekend. I returned to one leatherworking shop and bought afew things, and rachel and Corey tried to find the fox tial place. (oh in the course of all of this, we took lots and lots of pictures) We wanted to find the town beggar, but we couldn't. Which dissapointed us. The guy is so funny, but on his weekday job he is a lawyer for a successful firm. Interesting hu?! Headed to the tail place, we skirtted by the enterance, and who do i stumble upon?! Ravenswoodleather.com! They were there!!!! My favorite renaissance website EVER was at the TRF! OMG! I went crazy! Absolutely crazy. I ran over and was introduced to the man who makes all the clothes. I gave him a big hug. I was grinning from ear to ear, so excited that i couldn't contain myself. He seemed very pleased. He asked me if i wanted to try on anything, and i responded that i didn't have any money. Their clothes are expensive, but well made for the type of craftmanship they produce. He then said again, "would you like to try anything on?" I then nodded and he handed me off to one of thier employees. He said, "endulge this young lady in anything she wants." I was so happy. They first put me in a full length leather dress and skirt. One of the ladies went into the dressing room with me to help me. I felt like a true Lady. I'm glad that i am not ashamed to show myself in front of other people, because she did see me, but she had to inorder to help. I came out and looked at myself in the mirror and gasped. It looked amazing! They all hand picked the perfect dress for me....and it looked wonderful. Derek blushed. He liked it. We took pictures and gawked some more. I got lots and lots of complements. Then i tried on a bodice. That looked just as nice. I was helped by one of the family members on the website. It was funny. While i was getting dressed heads peaked in wondering what we were up to...male and female. I could so be part of this company...they looked like they were having so much fun! I came out and more gawking and more pictures. The guy who made everything, took pictures and said he would post them on their website. I can't wait to see them. Once i see them, i'll post them here. Oh we had so much fun. It made my night. They gave me a t-shirt and Derek bought a dagger. They didn't make him pay tax, which was very nice of them. It was funny: (i feel bad that i don't remember names)
Lady: "that will be 21.50
Derek: scrounging for the money that everybody gave him
Lady: looking up, "Oh for you guys it will just be 20" as she smiled.
Derek: handing her 20
Lady: "thank you, have a wonderful day, come back to see us"
Me: "of course! You all better come back next year"
Lady: "oh i think we will!"
I cannot convey in words how happy i was. It really made my night. It was honestly the best thing that happened the entire night...that and derek put a protective arm over me and said, "You are my elf, nobody can have you." It was sweet and romantic. Its amazing what happens at renaissance festivals. I have fallen in and out of love with people, descovered myself, and just plain played at the TRF. It is where life meets reality. It is by far one of the most amazing places to ever go to! I absolutely adore it. I was in my element, and it made me love life once again.

We left the TRF around 6 or so and headed back to Austin. This trip was smoother than the one going to the TRF. We slept in Austin again and headed out around 9:30 or so the next day. We stopped for breakfast burrettos first, then headed out. It was a drizzly cloudy morning. It was beautiful. You could smell the pine in the air. Something that you miss in lubbock. We drove all the way back, and right before we hit Sweetwater we got clocked by a cop. Well, we noticed and took a farm road for 20 min inorder to loose him. We did, did not get stopped, and continued on with our trip. It was our third cop experiance on this trip. The Farm road route was actually quite pretty. When i sat up from my nap, i noticed that there were some Texas Historical Markers plaques up. Right in the middle of nowhere. It made me curious, and i wanted to stop and read them, but we couldn't. We were trying to get to Lubbock somewhat early so Derek could get work done for the upcomming week.

When we finally hit lubbock it was around 4 or so. Again, cloudy and drizzly, but still nice. It was an amazing trip...and i fell in love with my friends even more. They are amazing people!

Thank you for reading this long post! Enjoy your day!

-Happy Reijn!