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First of all: kudos to my mother for braving the unseasonably hot Wisconsin weather this weekend to help build a Habitat Home. Yea, Mom!

This weekend was for me an absolute luxury. I feel re-energized and ready to face a new week of work. It should be slightly less hectic, which makes it all the easier to face. Although there is an institutional Advancement Meeting on Wednesday morning, I don't foresee a lot of last-minute scrambling like I had to do the last couple of weeks.

Whew.

The post cards are being delivered as I type; the OK'd proofs for letterhead, envelopes, and crack-n-peel labels are being sent to the printer. The banners for the sites are going to be delivered to day. The new website will launch today after we give the final OK (I've seen the beta site; considering they whipped it up in about a week, it looks pretty darn good!) I think everything is in order. Feeling this settled about the name-change project is unsettling!

My much needed weekend was eventful in a low-key kind of way. Saturday Jon and I went with Mark and Beth (my favorite couple!) to King Richard's Faire (yes, they put an "e" on it. They add an "e" or a "y" - or both - to everything they possibly can). It is as cheesy as the website looks, and should perhaps be more accurately called Dungeons 'n Dragons R Us. Or Grown-Up Fantasy Make-Believe Land. People in costumes adapting silly accents - a woman selling stained glass hangings (they were beautiful) was dressed as a hobbit, complete with fuzzy feet and pointed ears. There were elaborate gentlewomen dresses and plenty of "ladies of the night." Teenage boys reveling in their swords, battle axes, and cloaks. Women wearing fairy wings, flower garlands and men in kilts.

And, of course, lots of meat on a stick. I had an ear of roasted corn which was excellent.

You could get your picture taken with a large yellow boa constrictor, or pose with the staff in costumes. There was a most entertaining nun.

We watched the Sturdy Mudbeggers perform; they were ridiculous but highly entertaining, as was Etienne the juggler. And Etienne was from Paris and had an adorable accent.

If we go again next year, Beth and I have vowed to rent costumes. What's the point if you're not going to go all the way? This year we consoled ourselves that the costumes must be very hot. But I still wanted a big skirt and corset to give me proper medieval bosoms!

And then if that wasn't enough dress-up, that night Jon and I went to see the midnight showing of Rocky Horror at the Harvard Square Theatre in Cambridge. I highly recommend going at least once. It was quite an experience!

Oh, and, thank you his Jedness for presenting a very convincing anti-Wal*Mart argument to my September 1st post. I feel much better now.