I’m not crazy about the part of the year when school’s in session. We all seem so tied up with the various work and school responsibilities that there’s comparatively little opportunity to spend fun time together and to do those things we really want to do. (A note to Emily’s teachers: ease up on the homework a little! Sheesh!)

I did, however, take the kids down for the opening day of the Texas Renaissance Festival on Saturday. We had been last year and had quite a good time. I was mildly disappointed that many of the shows were using the same scripts and that there was no fire show as part of the closing ceremonies. However, it was all worth it for the sight of the three guys dressed in Star Wars Stormtrooper costumes and the varied reactions they elicited from the knight, faeries, ladies-in-waiting and jesters around them. Funny stuff.

After an excellent church service on Sunday, we played some Lazer Tag around the house. (I found Lazer Tag guns on clearance at Target, so we’re up to 7 of them now. Who’s up for a game?) I had a gig at Cheatham Street later that afternoon which was well-attended. About half the people there were from some sort of German group, and would occassionally burst into German drinking songs in the middle of our Texas music. With the counterpoint of the passing trains which run about 30 feet from the stage, it began to sound hilariously like “Charles Ives Sings the Blues” night. We had a lot of fun.