How I Spent My Weekend, yeah, yeah...

I know Wednesday night is kinda late to be reporting on the weekend, but I've been dealing with some "stuff". You'll just have to learn to get over some of Life's little disappointment's
Anyhoo... Saturday was one of those incredibly, knock-out gorgeous Spring days. Boo and I went to Pack'n'Mail to send cookies to my Cousin in Iraq, and AD. What I didn't tell them until today was that the cookies, as good as they taste, are semi-guilt free. I made the dough, all 12 dozen cookies worth, with Splenda and Brown Sugar Splenda.
Once that was done, we headed over to the biggest park in town for the Annual Arts and Music Festival. Oh, did Miss BoozieFloozie have a ball. I had a bit of fun myownself. I got a new hat, mint green straw with a green satin ribbon and bow. It has a nice wide brim to keep the sun out of my eyes and off my delicate skin. The brim is just barely turned back at the very front.
Then, properly protected from the glorious Sun, we proceeded to mosey all around the place. We wandered into and out of several booths that looked interesting.
One fella had been painting women and shoes all Winter. His stuff was very interesting. Out of my price range for the paintings, but he does repros of the paintings for folks like me who can't afford $450 and up for a painting. So I got one, a print of a woman asleep in a high-heeled stroppy sandal. It's titled "Asleep at the Heel".
I picked up an early Christmas present for the ABG and Son. Now if I can remember in December where I put them in May, I'll be doin' good. I also got something for me in the same booth. Can't tell you what, because then my clever chirrens will have a clue what they are gettin'. But it's creative, suitable for framing, and sentimental.
All during the day, Boo and I stopped in shady spots, and I'd unsling my backpack [from my old gradual school daze] and get out the 2 liter bottle of water and give her a drink. Then I'd relax and drink whatever beverage I had purchased and we'd watch the other Festival goers.
One of the most delightful things I had was a Big Red slush. How long has it been since you tasted that incomparable sweet, red, childhood memory? Oy my Gatos! It was divine! I got it at the Stanfield Lodge booth. So I was supporting the good works the Masons and Eastern Star do. How much better does it get than that? I went back later and got some Sweet Tea. Whenever i go to the festival I buy as much as I can from the charitable booths and the booths run by the Festival Foundation. The proceeds from the Foundation go towards next years expenses and help to keep it a FREE event.
And what an Event it is. Four stages with music from country to jazz to bagpipes to ACapella Ladies. Then the Stage by the Senior Center is for all the School Choirs, and Orchestras and Bands and dance schools in town. I love seein' the baby ballerinas dancin' their little hearts out.
Miss Boo got so much attention and lots of polite children asked before they petted her. Other, shier children, just gazed at her longingly. When I noticed that, I'd make eye contact and say,"It's alright, you may pet her if you'd like."
And they'd look up at Mom or Daddy and then come over and pet or stoke her. Oh, she just LOVED all that! She was very well behaved, except with that one RUDE boy-dog who tried to hump her. She let him know, with a snarl and bared teeth, that she was NOT THAT kind of girl.
After Son showed up, we went shoppin for ABG, had a couple of beers, and just hung out for a while.
Then we went home and had Lasagna with the Dearly Beloved and the ABG. Then he went off to play with friends, the ABG went to hockey practice, and the DB and I went to collapse.

Sunday, since Boo had gotten to go to the Festival Saturday, I decided to take Tip to the Park to watch Son get whaled on during an Amtgard battle. If you've never seen or heard of this, I'll explain. A bunch of folks, usually under 30, get together and create characters, they earn points for showing up each week and participating in events. By earning points they can move up in the character hierarchy, earning the right to use different and more powerful weapons, and have more "live" in battle. The weapons they use are made of PVC pipe and padded with foam and covered with material. Supposedly this way no "body" gets hurt. It's still hard to sit there and watch somebody hit your kid, even if he is an adult, with anything.
One time I took Boo. She adores Son. She pulled away from me and ran to get in-between Son and his opponent. SHE didn't like someone hittin' on him, either. She didn't bare her teeth, or snap, but she was growling, very low in her throat. It was hard to pull her away from the battlefield and back to the tables where the spectators sit.
Tip didn't care about the battles. He was too busy flirting with one of the girls, licking all the sweat off her bared chest and neck. Then it was off to romp in the grass and chase some attacking leaves. He had a BALL!

Later that evening it was back to the Festival for me. Brave Combo was the closing act on the Main Stage. If you've never heard Nuclear Polka, you've never heard a unique sound. This is a hometown band that plays this gig every year. And it was thanks to Brave Combo that I learned to do the Chicken Dance. This year I did it with Ben, the Dearly Beloved's Yellow Lab. Boo and Tip had been taken on adventures so now it was Ben's turn. [To say Boo's nose was out of joint would be a major understatement. She barely spoke to me when I got home from the Festival.] Ben had a LOT of fun. He is a calendar boy and he got his share of props Sunday evenin'. One guy from Mexico was filming him with his video camera. I told his bro, who spoke English, to tell him I left my BIG dog at home and brought Ben instead. They both laughed.
Ben was also a great protector. He kept all the lions, tigers, and other dogs away from his Mama. And looked grand doin' it. I had brought a chair and set it up away from the crowds near the stage. ABG came and found me, with the 9 y.o. son of an old friend in tow. I admired his body "art". It really was a magnificent dragon, truly. Later on his Mom, whom I had known since she was about his age, came back and we caught up with one another. She has matured into a fine Mother and woman. And she looks fabulous! Not a day, or an ounce, over 22.
When Brave Combo had finished their set, I folded up my chair and Ben and I left the park and I called the Dearly Beloved for a ride home.
I slept soundly that night, I was plumb tuckered out after a weekend of Festival and park activity with all three dawgs.