The Wild Granny

Yes for those of you not familiar with The Maryland Renaissance Festival, that is what we call Mom - The Wild Granny. She's actually Keeper Of The Rum on the (virtual) pirate ship The Polly Dodger.

Mostly she just has fun. She dons garb, totes her mug, parks it at The White Hart (a pub with a stage inside the festival) and waits for visitors. You'd be shocked and amazed at how many people stop by to see her when she's there. She missed last year due to her stroke in October but the year before (autumn 2006) it was a steady stream of people until she decided she was just too tired and needed to go home.

Sadly - little did we realize then - that year was to be her last year. I can't forsee her being able to attend anymore. She can barely make it outside. She's been so very weak since her stroke. In essence she basically goes nowhere anymore. That is truly sad.

Today is her 71st birthday. After last October at times I wondered if we'd make it this far. Now I wonder if we'll make it to this milestone next year.

Enough of that: for this evening we hit Outback Steakhouse for her 2 favorites: steak and Death by Chocolate Martini. She'll come home to an icecream cake that she'll be too full to eat and will probably have some for breakfast tomorrow morning.

It is difficult to watch the passing of time knowing full well that you need to make your memories now because the tomorrows become more uncertain with each passing day. I will worry about that tomorrow --- for today we celebrate !

the picture above was taken summer of 2007 at the Virginia Renaissance Faire