Seven days late.
I am seven days late; It is cold and rainy, after a very beautiful time (so far) in Minnesota; autumn has fallen, and fallen HARD. Seven days late. Life… It’s been hectic, more so than normal.
The stuff that’s happened the last seven days will have to go into October’s journal. I’ll explain why I am so late, so stressed, and so tired.
But in this journal -
We began the 2009 season of the Minnesota Renaissance festival. Minnesota… I like each fair we perform at; for different reasons, in different, but important ways… But when I want to impress someone with how wild our show can be; I tell them to come to Minnesota. We’re encouraged to be wilder here, the crowds are bigger… these people are crazy.
From the get-go our amazing fans were here for us in very crazy ways… we even had a show where we got four, one-hundred dollar bills in our hats… Nice!
We’ve kissed boys, girls, and all the permutations in-between. Ahhh, Minnesota.
Our social calendar has also gotten quite the work-out
We were invited to a very nice party on Nicollet Island – an Island
*** Wait, I have to interrupt this journal to apologize to my wife, and agree that I AM a dickhead, and that I am sorry that I forgot where I hid the alarm clock, or even that I had… and then threw a childish fit when I was convinced Scarlett had misplaced it… Sorry honey… ***
(Back to the journal) …An Island in the middle of the river that bisects Minneapolis. It is an address both funky, and way outside my pay-grade. The party was really quite cool too… I’ve been doing these silly festivals for 21 years or so… and there were folks at the party who made me seem like a puppy. Smart, funny, quirky people… good conversation. Wine, friends. The party was charming, and our host was a peach.
We returned home to KC.
Eventually, we’ll have to settle down somewhere… I think. The two front-runners are Charlotte – it makes the most sense for many reasons, and KC. Kansas City is geographically awkward, but every time I am there I say “I could totally live here. We did the standard things, photo shots, dinners with friends, too much drinking… Killingzombies in Africa, good times
The Three day weekend in Minnesota, also saw the launch of the Blue-team in Boston
We didn't dress formally at Robert and Stephen's
Zoo trip crew
Tortuga on a tortuga
We'd make a lovely gay family
I want a Japanese garden!
Our second-generation Twins began their first independent run at the far-away King Richard’s Fair outside of Boston. Already we’ve heard some stories… those naughty boys, we’ve chosen well. I couldn’t be more proud. I miss the guys… especially my young padawan Jon/Lucio… it will be nice to see them again in a few weeks.
We get to connect with old friends
Our dear friends Robert and Stephen prepared an amazing dinner at their eclectic, baroque, beautiful house. They are a wonderful and wonderfully committed same-sex-couple and have been dear friends for years. They pulled-out the stops, good food, ouzo, and wine… the nice crystal and china. We had to return the favor with a return trip where Heather made some of her specialties (Korean barbecue, bean-sprouts and her amazing crabby-poufs). It was nice to hang out with such lovely people.
A multi-family trip to the Zoo, and some yummy Turkish food.
Heather is in love with zoos… and visits one at (just about) every city we visit in our season. Just a few miles down the road from where we stay here in Arden Hills, is a quaint little zoo, Como Zoo and Conservatory. We invited our great friends Byron and Arlene, and Scarlett’s “Little Brother” Malcolm.
There were lions, and tigers, and snow leopards (no bears… sorry) There was turtles to ride plants to see, children to alternately chase, and carry – Byron and I seem to enjoy being daddies.
I probably enjoyed the Japanese garden more than the zoo itself… but we regrettably didn’t leave ourselves enough time to see everything. Ah well… next year!?!
We were eventually joined by Jeff Schiltgen, of the German Brothers – and for a brief time a member of our Blue Team. Jeff, his lovely wife Erika, and their daughter Kendra joined our band of six for a foray just down the road to a funky Turkish café. Again, good food – and cheap! And it is kind of cool to hang out with other couples with children… some of our childless friends just don’t understand out priority shifts now that Scarlett is here – though some (like Ann and Bob in KC, Do)
We’re actively shopping for a new RV.
I love the floor plan of this trailer we live in. I picked this one out of a huge selection at one of the country’s biggest RV shows. But with a third Bauman in residence, the place needs a space for Scarlett to call her own. But even that – we could probably find a “work-around” for… but since I have owned this trailer, just seven short years, I have put had four different black water tanks, and two each of the grey water and the galley tanks.
That is absurd. We finally got the tank replaced (again) here, only to discover that there was still a leak (now repaired… I hope!). We want out of this trailer as soon as possible.
Heather Deux comes to town, we go to dinner with friends
Daddy - fending off his daughter's admirers
H2 was there too
Scarlett and Inari's new game
I'm a kayaker!
Minnesota Meet and Greet
We really like Heather Nance, Riki’s girlfriend, “H2” to us. We arranged our schedule to meet her, Riki, the Dehkes, the Halls, The Breece’s all at one of the other touchstone restaurants for us in our yearly visits here – Mediterranean Cruise. Scarlett charmed the sons of Bruce… and I spent most of my evening alternately chasing her around the building, and trying to fight-off the boys. It was nice to hang with our friends, and nice to spend a little time with H2.
Scarlett discovers a new game.
It is interesting to watch all of the developing going on in my daughter. I LOVE it when she wakes me up by saying “dad? dad? dad???” even if she does follow –up that inquiry by peeling back my eyelid and making SURE I’m awake – my life has become a cartoon! But my little darling has created a new game… she crawls over to the dog-food bowl, pulls-out a piece, crawls into the kennel-crate when the dog goes in after the food, she shuts her in, taunts the puppy, lets her out… and the whole cycle starts again.
I lose my Kayak cherry
So you remember when I wrote that I carried a Kayak across country, even took it to a lake, and never put it in the water? Well that was Byron’s boat and I had to return it. His plan was for me to fall in love with Kayaking, be forced to buy one so we could go kayaking together. His plan was foiled by my sheer laziness. He tried a different approach – we took his boat, rented one for me… and we went kayaking.
I loved it just as much as I thought I would… a nice work-out, nice conversation, great scenery. Don’t be surprised if I report buying myself a boat before long.
Meet and Greet
Another great time was had at the Minnesota Meet and Greet, Lesbians couples, dog grooming rivalry, tattooed babes, Old friends, new friends, borrowed friends, (Blue friends?) cheap drinks, and roller girls!
It wasn’t my favorite venue… but we really enjoy getting to spend time with our fan club outside of the hubbub of the Festival.
Well, it’s time for me to wrap-up… I have a three day weekend ahead of me and still have to make sandwiches and get my costume ready for our very early departure. It is rainy, muddy, and a cold – Friday doesn’t look like it is going to be fun.
Next Time
We’ll have to tell you about the last seven days: Kansas City comes to Minneapolis, Drum dinner, and our life gets more hectic because of this damn trailer.
Big Kisses!
