Monday's Weekend Recap...

Friday was a fun day for us!  We went down to Ft. Meade to the Alafia River Rendezvous which is an annual event down there that usually finds 1,500 participants in a week-long 1840s camp reenactment.  This year, they told us there were about 500 fewer participants because of COVID, so some of the vendors were missing and it wasn't as populated as in previous years. Our friends Randy and Teena have been participating for about 25-30 years.  Teena is our barber, incase you recognized her name.  A couple from our church, Linda & Bob, who are also in our small group from church, also participate.  We looked them all up and had good visits with them as we walked through the campers and enjoyed a sunshiney day out in the fresh air!!  Here are some of the photos I took:

 

Linda and Bob, from our church.  Linda is in the Praise Team, playing the piano.  

She also teaches Latin in the school system.  Special friends.

Me (with my wind-blown hair!!) and Teena.  

I didn't get a picture of her hubby this year.

This is Teena & Randy's campsite. They have a real bed and
other furniture to make it more comfortable, including
a wood-burning stove for heat. The open space is the common
area where they eat and share space with friends.

This is across the 'street' from Teena's camp. The middle building is a blacksmith shop.

Joe and Elaine sitting by the firepit at Teena's camp. 

That is Jim in the background talking with Teena.

Of course, I had to snap a picture of this sign!! 

These folks were demonstrating spinning cotton.  Very interesting.

And these two ladies were playing some great music for us!

This man is a mounted policeman in real life and was also working as 'security' in the camp.

I got to love on his beautiful horse.  The horse is BIG.

People were demonstrating skills from the 1840s throughout the camp, all designated by signage.

Not a Conestoga Wagon, which was in the 1860s, so we were told, but this one is more

like a chuck wagon of the 1840s.

There is that huge, beautiful horse again!

Teena took our picture by the wagon. Jim, Elaine, me, and Joe.

More views from the camp...

Indians were also in the camp and these two were telling history with songs and dances.

I'm glad they had good weather for the event this year. There have been very rainy weeks and also very cold weeks but they always muddle through.  You really have to like that kind of thing to stay primitive like that for 7-8 days.  There are porta-potties scattered around behind fencing and there is a shower shack... but still.  Not for me. I'm happy to just visit on the public day.  We enjoyed it.

Back in Lakeland, we went to dinner with Jim & Elaine, at Glory Days Grill for their Friday Fish Fry. It was yummy!

Elaine and I continue to walk, by the way. We get out most days for the one-mile walk around Mas Verde. It only takes us about 20-30 minutes, depending on whether we stop to talk or peek at the pool, or pick up our mail, etc.

Saturday evening, we went next door for a yummy dessert made by Elaine and we played Back Alley Bridge.  Sunday, Joe and I streamed church then went to the grocery for a few things.  He was working in his office so Elaine and I did our walk. We are going to the pool today!!

Still waiting for a call from the Health Dept. with news of our vaccine appointments. 

Peace & hugs!!