Back home and Recharging

(photo by John Massey/Rufio at Casa Bardicci; left to right- ?, Joanna Abel, Me, Kari Merlina, Bonnie)

Pennsic was really really fun!!!! It always takes a lot of preparation, but I tried to reduce my workload by sewing very little for myself. what I did sew, I didn't even wear, but I'll have it for upcoming performances.

The Folkloric show was fun! Low key - very Folkloric in it's presentation and very refreshing. Doing something a little less formal was great, especially since the show was the same day I arrived. I did my cane dance, which is always a fun prop to work with.

The Unique Combos and Layers class went wonderfully! Thank you, Mishka for drummimg! I'm so happy she's in the area!! Looking forward to future collaborations! (Mishka is Daveed Korup's apprentice and only 40 minutes from Morgantown! How lucky am I? and so is the Morgantown Belly Dance community!!!) Sold some DVD's, got a workshop proposal for Rochester, NY. Very cool! I only allotted an hour for the class and since the class was so big, I had a ton of material "left over", but I expected that. I prefer to have more than enough anyway.

I have to say that the Lowty Totey party at Casa Bardicci and the party at Vlad's on Tuesday night were the highlights of my Pennsic War night-out-dancing experience. At LT, Ocean, Nevik, Donavin, Sedo, Kazuki (Sado and Kazuki had their beautiful daughter there with noise cancelling head phones on- she slept right through it. so cute!) and a bunch of other musicians and drummers played some incredibly amazing music!!! The energy was unbelievable!!! I had so much fun especially interacting with Ocean and Nevik! I thought my voice would be hoarse from all the rock concert screaming I did that night. My throat was kind of sore when I woke up. So worth it! My goal at Pennsic was to _have_fun_ and blow off steam. Mission accomplished. :)

Next year, I'll get to stay longer and since Angelo will be a little older, I hope it won't be so hard chasing him next time. This time, I left Pennsic on Wednesday to do some laundry and head to my parents' on Thursday in enough time to help Mom prepare to bring Dad home on Saturday.

It was a homecoming with mixed emotions. We're all so glad to have him home again, but because the rehab hospital took him as a charity case, he's home about 4 weeks earlier than he normally would be. So, while he's made progress, he's more dependent than he would be should he have gotten that month of intensive therapy. I've shown him how to dress himself (I'm an Occupational Therapist) and set him up with some activities to do, so that will help. There's also the possibility that he'll get some free home health therapy (Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy once a week) and that will help too. It is hard on me and the kids (Angelo and Dana doggie) to be away from home so long, so after 4 days, we came back to recharge. There's no place like home.

My husband, Eric, had the house clean by the time we got back and that was wonderful! Between the "Post-Pennsic glow" and a clean house, I'm inspired! I have been designing Halloween and Faerie Con costumes in my head today. Faerie Con is in Baltimore, MD (only 3.5 hours from here) and a week after my birthday!!! So, Happy Birthday to me- I'm going!!!!