Last weekend we took Friday and Monday off and drove to Maryland. Here, then, are a few thoughts and observations. Reflections, perhaps. Insights? Don't hold your breath.
But First
... first I wanted to say that the new Blogger interface and templates are the shiz-nit.
If the TARDIS Was a House
While in Maryland we stayed at my sister's place, which is a semi-separate downstairs house, part of her in-law's house. This house, I have become convinced, is constructed in defiance of the laws of temporal space and physical causality.
It has at least two to three times the interior volume that you would expect given its outer appearance. It is filled with rooms, closets, storage areas and other spaces which clearly cannot occupy as much space as they do without venturing into the area obviously otherwise occupied by still more rooms.
Upstairs there are bedrooms which have these odd narrow hallways connected to them, door-width but maybe six feet long, and at the end of those hallways are yet more rooms. I don't know what to say about a house whose rooms have their own rooms.
I Love My Car
We got from Ottawa to Maryland on one tank of gas. More impressively, we filled up before leaving on Monday morning, and we were able to drive all the way to Ottawa and still have a quarter tank left, which was enough for me to do my work commute Tuesday and Wednesday, finally filling up again this morning.
My brother in law is contemplating a new vehicle, given his exciting new job and the large quantities of travel that will entail, and he seemed interested in the hybrid. I heartily encourage him in that regard. Once you own a hybrid, you realize that you really don't want to own anything else.
Plus it has a 110V adapter in the center console! Who doesn't love that?
Renfaire
The Maryland ren faire is something that just has to be experienced. They have a complete town that stands year-round and covers 25 acres. It has taverns, restaurants, games, and shops. You can get swords, mugs, works of art, armour, clothing and more.
They have jousting. And by jousting, I mean six guys on horseback in full plate, lances shattering, the whole nine yards.
I bought an outstanding wood mug made out of walnut and some other wood that starts with a 'w' that I didn't recognize. It will serve me well at future Oktoberfests, and future Ren Faires.
They have these giant turkey legs! Smoked!
Lots of people dress up. You get your people dresssed in medieval styles, knights and ladies and itinerant beggars and so forth; more fantasy-oriented people; girls with wings and fox-tails; and cosplay types, everything from Ghostbusters to Drow in Klingon armour to Tim the Enchanter. Lots of women dress borderline-inappropriately, God bless 'em.
We were there all afternoon with four or five thousand of our close personal friends. I took lots of pictures. My lovely wife rode an elephant and we went down a giant wooden slide.
I'm going back for it next year, and by God, I'll have armour on.
Beer!
Lots of good beer this weekend. I did want to share one amusing beer related moment in particular.
One of the places at the Renfaire offered chocolate covered bacon. I considered trying it but decided that discretion was the better part of valour, but then it was observed that I was turning down bacon, so I manned up and tried some.
It was, as you might have suspected, God-awful.
I took a hearty swig of beer to wash away the taste, and my sister asked for a swig for the same purpose. At that point she exclaimed that it was excellent (Cherry Wheat!) and asked her husband if he'd tried it, because it was really good.
At that point I mentioned, casually, that it was brewed by Sam Adams.
My sister, you understand, loathes and despises Sam Adams and all his works, and is convinced they make no good beer.
It was a moment I can only describe as delicious.
Haunted Farms
On the Saturday night we attended Markoff's haunted farm. It was characterized by a lot of waiting, due (one suspects) to a turn-out well in excess of their high-water expectations, but once you got into the woods it was very well done. Lots of scary stuff, some vertigo-inducing bits, and quite a few startling moments.
Well worth the trip, even if I didn't get my cider.
American Food
Awesome! Cheap! If they ever expand Cracker Barrel into Canada I'm going to weigh 400 pounds.
In Closing
Maryland was a lot of fun. It was awesome to spend time with my sister & her hubby, as usual. With any luck, next year we will be able to get down there more often. For sure, I'm going back for Renfaire, and we have a number of other things we want to do there too.
And I need to get a Renfaire costume. Oh yes. Yes, I do.
But First
... first I wanted to say that the new Blogger interface and templates are the shiz-nit.
If the TARDIS Was a House
While in Maryland we stayed at my sister's place, which is a semi-separate downstairs house, part of her in-law's house. This house, I have become convinced, is constructed in defiance of the laws of temporal space and physical causality.
It has at least two to three times the interior volume that you would expect given its outer appearance. It is filled with rooms, closets, storage areas and other spaces which clearly cannot occupy as much space as they do without venturing into the area obviously otherwise occupied by still more rooms.
Upstairs there are bedrooms which have these odd narrow hallways connected to them, door-width but maybe six feet long, and at the end of those hallways are yet more rooms. I don't know what to say about a house whose rooms have their own rooms.
I Love My Car
We got from Ottawa to Maryland on one tank of gas. More impressively, we filled up before leaving on Monday morning, and we were able to drive all the way to Ottawa and still have a quarter tank left, which was enough for me to do my work commute Tuesday and Wednesday, finally filling up again this morning.
My brother in law is contemplating a new vehicle, given his exciting new job and the large quantities of travel that will entail, and he seemed interested in the hybrid. I heartily encourage him in that regard. Once you own a hybrid, you realize that you really don't want to own anything else.
Plus it has a 110V adapter in the center console! Who doesn't love that?
Renfaire
The Maryland ren faire is something that just has to be experienced. They have a complete town that stands year-round and covers 25 acres. It has taverns, restaurants, games, and shops. You can get swords, mugs, works of art, armour, clothing and more.
They have jousting. And by jousting, I mean six guys on horseback in full plate, lances shattering, the whole nine yards.
I bought an outstanding wood mug made out of walnut and some other wood that starts with a 'w' that I didn't recognize. It will serve me well at future Oktoberfests, and future Ren Faires.
They have these giant turkey legs! Smoked!
Lots of people dress up. You get your people dresssed in medieval styles, knights and ladies and itinerant beggars and so forth; more fantasy-oriented people; girls with wings and fox-tails; and cosplay types, everything from Ghostbusters to Drow in Klingon armour to Tim the Enchanter. Lots of women dress borderline-inappropriately, God bless 'em.
We were there all afternoon with four or five thousand of our close personal friends. I took lots of pictures. My lovely wife rode an elephant and we went down a giant wooden slide.
I'm going back for it next year, and by God, I'll have armour on.
Beer!
Lots of good beer this weekend. I did want to share one amusing beer related moment in particular.
One of the places at the Renfaire offered chocolate covered bacon. I considered trying it but decided that discretion was the better part of valour, but then it was observed that I was turning down bacon, so I manned up and tried some.
It was, as you might have suspected, God-awful.
I took a hearty swig of beer to wash away the taste, and my sister asked for a swig for the same purpose. At that point she exclaimed that it was excellent (Cherry Wheat!) and asked her husband if he'd tried it, because it was really good.
At that point I mentioned, casually, that it was brewed by Sam Adams.
My sister, you understand, loathes and despises Sam Adams and all his works, and is convinced they make no good beer.
It was a moment I can only describe as delicious.
Haunted Farms
On the Saturday night we attended Markoff's haunted farm. It was characterized by a lot of waiting, due (one suspects) to a turn-out well in excess of their high-water expectations, but once you got into the woods it was very well done. Lots of scary stuff, some vertigo-inducing bits, and quite a few startling moments.
Well worth the trip, even if I didn't get my cider.
American Food
Awesome! Cheap! If they ever expand Cracker Barrel into Canada I'm going to weigh 400 pounds.
In Closing
Maryland was a lot of fun. It was awesome to spend time with my sister & her hubby, as usual. With any luck, next year we will be able to get down there more often. For sure, I'm going back for Renfaire, and we have a number of other things we want to do there too.
And I need to get a Renfaire costume. Oh yes. Yes, I do.
1 comment:
You had to include the Sam Adams story...
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