Wow! I've been so busy concentrating on all things family that suddenly I find myself less than a month from Esco Faire! My bucket list is going well so far! :)

It's been a busy year so far with my oldest starting his second semester of college, my 12 year old making Life Scout in Boy Scouts( next step is Eagle!) and getting ready to help his troop defend their Camporee Championship from last year (Chuck Wagon Stew? Good thing I have friends with antelope and venison meat to spare!*grins*), and keeping up with my youngest as he becomes an avid reader and busy Cub Scout, as well as my aging mother! Eldercare, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, PTA, work.... oh wait! It's already March?? Arrrrghhhhh*Laughs*

Not to worry, I've realized there is very little the crew of the Black Spot needs to do to prepare for this faire!

The seamstresses in the group are busy sewing new togs for half the crew, including our newest addition Gina creating some more piratey attire for her family.

When it comes to cooking I am a lady of leisure this time around! Everyone is taking over a meal and I am only responsible for the drinks, lunch buffet and doing chicken skewers over the fire pit one lunch! Maybe I’ll do some desserts too! I can’t wait to try everyone else’s dishes! They’ve all proven to be such good cooks at our Gatherings that I’m surprised I’ve been able to lose the weight I have! We will have no problems with eating well… that’s for sure!

The encampment tent is set up in my back yard airing out as we speak. Needless to say the rain when we stowed it away made things a bit damp.

Jacquie and I have two weeks off from school and she has the first one off from her night job so we can get things all ship shape and ready to go.

The R and D gang has a new carpenter added to their midst and for this faire really only has the gallows to work on and reinforce.

This will be the group’s faire to really work on the in camp entertainment and characterization. Last faire we reached our goal of getting to know everyone better and becoming a family (boy, oh boy did we!). We all get along so well that I now realize the wisdom in the decision to have gatherings just to have fun and do most of our business in email! I tried to do business at a Gathering and couldn’t get a word in edgewise*chuckles*

We’ve added a few new friends into the mix since fall faire and our “little, new” group is suddenly busting at the seams. We gate-listed nearly 40 people for this faire! Granted we have a lot of kids, but wow! We even had the honor of being asked to do a large private party up north! We had to decline, but it was really nice to be asked!

I can’t wait for faire! I can’t wait to see everyone and to just have fun with the guild and all our friends!

Happy New Year to one and all!

Last year was a year of new beginnings and changes for so many people around me... including myself. It began with the realization that the pirate group we had been with for 6 years was no longer a good fit, with my husband making a huge positive step when it came to his health, with both of us realizing we needed to make some changes in our life and we needed to focus more on our kids and family. Due to the changes we made, including the unexpected birth of Black Spot Pyracy, we are far happier with the coming of this New Year than we were with the last.

No more worrying about the past, we spent a wonderful New Year with all our friends both old and new around us. That was the hardest part of leaving behind the old group, we felt like we were losing the friendships we still had within it. New Years showed me that everything will be ok, and that those friendships can bridge the gap between the old group and the new.

So now we have a wonderful new year to look forward to! What will it hold for us all? I have instead of resolutions, my 2008 "bucket" list . You know... a list of things I want to do before 2008 kicks the bucket*giggles* Those items as they apply to the Ren Faire world are as follows...

 I want to make more road trips to other faires outside San Diego area. Jacquie and I even pre-ordered our tickets for Southern yesterday!

I want to make Spring Esco Faire a huge success just like Fall was. Even better by getting a chance to do all the great things we have thought up to do in camp to entertain the crowds.

I want to give more attention to the Black Spot web page and renspace .

 I'd like to see Black Spot at San Diego Faire as well as Esco.

I want to keep the feel of Black Spot going... both at the faires we attend and with our gatherings. I love getting together just because we miss each other and having all the good food and conversation we do... oh and taking care of any business we need to while we're at it! I love getting the calls and emails from the other members saying "I need a pirate fix!!"

I want to concentrate on the meals at faire I am responsible for and sit back and relax again as the other awesome cooks in the group do their thing. It was such a great feeling last faire to be "taken care of" and fed the yummy spaghetti that the crew made for me!

I want to add to Blaze's costuming with the help of my awesome seamstresses. Thanks to them I have two new chemises, I can't wait to update the rest of my costume!

Hmmm... what else?

I want to see us work on bringing music into the Black Spot encampment... we have several talented musicians...I want to see them show off their talents!

I want to spend more time getting to know the Ladies of the Spot better and growing those friendships 

I want to road trip to Vegas Faire and take over Mac and Gaston's place for the weekend!!

OK, so the list is simple... but it is only the one aspect of my life after all :) Mostly I just want to have fun and for those around me to do so as well... and for us all to be happy and healthy while we do it!