Vermillion and Blue Beads

Rendezvous was outstanding! I can't wait to do it again next year. I wish I didn't have to work this weekend, otherwise I'd still be up there.
At first, I was concerned that I didn't have anything 'period appropriate' to wear. But then I remembered my white cotton skirt.(Which I had worn to Noelle's birthday party) and a burgundy blouse with tiny floral prints. I don't know if it was coincidence or fate, but Jim's rendezvous shirt was very similar in color and pattern. I wore my turtle shell pouch, which Jim got for me from last rendezvous.
As I was headed out the door, Chico rushed up to greet Jim. Jim asked if I wanted to take the boy with me. Would it be kosher? "Sure, people bring their dogs all the time. You got his leash?" Yup. And we were off.
When we got there, James and Christine were already there in their pole tent. Jim affectionately calls them 'blackskinners'. I've never asked, but I took it to be a play on 'buckskinner'. ANYway, they were recently married at a Bloody Lake Rendezvous, and this rendezvous was their honeymoon. Christine got Chico to play with her, after much finger sniffing and hesitation on Chico's part.
Jim played fetch with Chico while we waited for Tim to arrive with the wall tent. Deb's daughter, Jillian had her little boy, Brekken with her. Brekken got passed to Jillian's husband, and then to Jim while they put up their teepee. Then Jim passed Brekken to me. I've never really held a baby before. I wanted Brekken to be comfy there, and was worried about whether or not he was. He must've been content with the way I had him situated, because he didn't squirm or cry. Just stared down at Chico, gripping some of my hair. He eventually started squirming and his mother said he was probably tired. By then, their teepee was up, so we could lay Brekken down inside for a nap.
Then Tim arrived with the wall tent. A couple hours and several curses later, the tent was up. So naturally, we had to bless the tent. Sage insence was lit(among other things) and we then decided to head out for a walkabout.(See who was here, what kind of shops there were and what they had, etc.) What was so nice about it was that it was so leisurely. There was just something indescribable. Jim in his buckskin pants, printed brown shirt, belt with red sash and his hat. I in my white skirt and burgundy blouse, barefoot on the blacktop. I went both days completely barefoot. As a matter of fact, I forgot to grab my sandals last night and they're probably still there. Of course, don't forget to add to this picture a wee little 10 pound chihuahua following us, darting in between our ankles as we walked. Everyone crying out: "Oh look at the cute little puppy!" Chico definately stole the show those two days. And Chico really could've done without it. Although, I must admit, by the second day he was seeming more used to it. I think by Sunday he may not have wanted to leave. There's always next year.
Jim got himself a new hatchet. A really nice one. I got a couple strings of glass beads. Blue beads, no less. We were quoting Mountain Men nearly all weekend. I was all giggles most of the time. Friday afternoon we were both feeling kind of tired(coming down) and Christine commented on it seeming odd.(Jim wasn't chattering/joking around, and I wasn't giggling.) But we warmed up again and many more jokes were told.
Boo teased my Friday morning: "Somebody's gotta go back today," he said in a sing-song. Grr. I had been asked by Tim and Boo both if I was enjoying Rendezvous. I said I was absolutely loving it and wished I didn't have to work so I could stay. I said something to Jim about doing this again next year. "You having a good time?" He asked. "Oh yeah!" You couldn't get the smile off my face. I just wish the batteries in Jim's camera hadn't died.(Or that I'd brought my own camera) Deb took a couple pictures.. maybe she'll send copies along... On our last walkabout Thursday night, Chico was accosted by a little toehead. It shocked Chico to say the least. So I calmed Chico down and then I got a tap on my shoulder. Jocelyn? Small, small world, non? There was some brief chit-chat and she took her son back with her to their tent. She invited me to stop by. Tim, Boo and Jim were with me, and Tim said we'd swing by on our way back through. And we did. I held Chico to calm him so Scotty could pet Chico. Then, as we stood there, Tim had already struck up a conversation with someone else there in the tent. I was so fried, which made me quiet. Then Jim put his arm around my waist, I rested my head on his shoulder. I worry that maybe my quietness was misinterpreted as being anti-social. But that's just how I am when I'm fried. Quiet, taking everything in, and when something strikes me as funny, I laugh my fool head off.
ANYway,
I saw all sorts of dresses and blouses that I loved, but the more I thought about it, it occured to me that I could make my own. Jim agreed--He'd made his own buckskin pants. I said I'd never worked in leather(Whether or not I could fashion a buckskin dress or a possibles bag) He said it's just like regular sewing only you need a more serious needle and leather strips instead of thread. They're projects for me to try for next year.

It felt weird to come back to the house last night. Sleeping on memory foam, as opposed to the canvas bedroll. Having coffee from a coffee pot and not boiled over an open fire. And this was after only 2 days. I loved it out there. It was so relaxing and so much fun. Like Jim had said: "My worst day at rendezvous is better than my best day at work" Amen.