Well, the holidays are fast approaching - time to set some plans in motion for family and also for fun! (not that the two can't go together) Thanksgiving will find Marty and me traveling to Dubuque to be with my relatives. It is also the first meeting to plan the 2009 Dubuque Renaissance Faire. We are meeting with the director of the Dubuque Museum of Art to set a few things in motion and to discuss the budget and entertainment options. December 6th will bring a fun spin on performing for us. Marty and I are part of the cast working at Christmas by the Lake at Clear Lake, Iowa. Instead of Ned and Cate, we shall play Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. (this IS a Victorian/Dickens event) It will involve improv, meeting up with friends like Ian Richard Sharpe and hopefully a good meal or two before we hole up at a romantic bed and breakfast for the night. Sunday I am hoping to do a bit of antiquing as we make our way south again to Ames. The actual Christmas holiday will probably just be Marty, his daughter Anna and me. (oh and a spaniel named Devon) Nice and cozy in front of the fireplace. Let the snow fly as we watch classic Christmas movies on TV. A holiday open house at our home in Ames is in the works for the weekend following New Years. Should be great. I'd love to hear how my friends will be spending their holiday season. Drop me a message or an email. Perhaps we can link up for a cup of cheer!

What  a great experience, travel is!  The flight to London was fine - long, but fine.  The hotel was nice - shared bathroom, but FULL English Breakfast - yummy and filling.

Our first afternoon we got to our hotel, napped for a couple of hours, since we hadn't slept since Sat night and it was now Monday - and then we took the tube down to the Thames - got off to a view of Big Ben and the river and the London Eye.  Attended evensong services at Westminister Abbey as it was a way to get in for free - what a bonus!  The boy and men's choir was glorius, and as it was the feast of St. Edward the Confessor, any "pilgrims" wanting to view his tomb, could; so we got to go back into the tomb area of the chapel - another free bonus and very special - candlelit, reverent, too special to describe.  THEN, we got invited to attend a wine reception for a young priest who was going into the British Army as a chaplain, in the nave of the Abbey.  They must have thought we were somebody, because we were stopped and asked to remain especially.  Coming out of Westminister Abbey, we saw a full moon had risen - again, very beautiful.  There was some sort of protest going on outside of Parliament - a bit unsettling to see men with machine guns standing guard.

We have been loving pubs so far - the Sherlock Holms pub in London, the Four Ashes in Takeley and Polly Magoos in Tilburg, the Netherlands.  Great concert last night - my favorite guitar/vocalist, John Wesley, actually spotted me and Marty in the crowd standing in front of the stage and nodded and smiled a big smile RIGHT AT US and it thrilled us - actually made me blush.  (John Wesley has met us several times over the last year, but it was cool to be recognized. 

Ive got a cold I'm fighting, but it should run its course by the weekend, leaving me in good shape to enjoy our last days.  Interesting to try communicating with a Dutch pharmacist to get some drugs to help me breathe and sleep.

More later and to all our friends, we miss you and keep seeing things to tell you about - particularly Hollie, Jennifer, Skylar  and her family, Wes and the Revelers and SO many otheres.  You are all here in our hearts and minds.

Love from over the pond, Lynne

 

Who:         Cast members of the 2008 Des Moines Renaissance Faire (paid & volunteer cast - lets                    try & keep this to cast members only)

Date:          Saturday, November 1, 2008

Where:       Sleepy Hollow Sports Park Ski Lodge, 2nd floor
                    4051 Dean Avenue
                    Des Moines

Time:          Potluck begins at 6:00 PM

BYOB:        Alcohol for those of us over 21 only - lets keep this fun and legal, folks!

Food:        Spaghetti Party!  I will bring POUNDS of cooked spaghetti and one sauce.  We need more sauces - red, alfredo, pesto, vodka, mushroom, etc.  AND garlic bread, salad items, and DESSERTS!  (There are plenty of outlets for crock pots)  For those of you who hate to cook, bring plastic plates, forks, knives and spoons, napkins and cups.  The 2nd floor of the Lodge will be open from 5:30 on, so if you want to come help me set up, GREAT!

Clean-up:        In exchange for using the Lodge at no charge, we need to pick up after ourselves.  I'll take all the help I can get!

For Fun:        Anytime after 7:00 PM cast members can purchase half price tickets to the Scream Park Haunted Houses.  To do the entire thing usually costs $25 and our cast members can go through for $12.50, thanks to the generosity of Rick and Mary Flatt.  Smaller packages are also available, at even lower prices.

Organized by your friendly "cruise director" aka Queen Cate or Lynne Melssen, Community Relations Director.   Please RSVP to me by October 26th, so I can give the Flatt's an idea of how many of us will be using the Lodge.  I hope many of you can come, especially those of you who couldn't be with us for the postponed final weekend.  Let's laugh, catch up, share ideas for next season and then go scream our heads off at the Haunted Houses!

First of all, thank you to all the cast of the Des Moines Renaissance Faire.  Everyone worked really hard to pull together a great show and this year was better than ever.

Opening and Closing Gate show folks - you were amazing - the crowds laughed in all the right spots and really enjoyed what we were doing.  It will be hard to top that next year.

The Royal Wedding show was GREAT!  Our crowds numbered over 120 most days and thanks to our friends for their interruptions and thanks to Brian Parrish for playing a wonderful Archbishop.

THe Fashion Show and Weapons talk was terrific as well.  Great audiences who stayed all the way to the end - just goes to show you that Jennifer in her underwear and sharp pointy things really make people happy.

Met some new friends at faire this year and strengthened old ties.  Looking foward to a bigger and better show next year.

Speaking of next year, it looks like I'm being promoted up from Community Relations Director.  I'll still be doing that, but will probably take over the Entertainment Director position fully.  So anyone wanting to audition for me, let me know.  I plan to audition early and get contracts out for many folks by the end of 2008. 

Please pass my name along to anyone you know who wishes to be consider for lane work or stage work at the DM Renaissance Faire 2009 season.  Have them message me here, or through Myspace and we will work something out.

Cheers, and May Life Treat You Royally!

 

 

Today is first of all, our birthday.  We had it first, we just want everyone to understand that first came Catherine and Molly Mayrose, that chit of a pirate wench.  Tis also International Talk Like a Pirate Day!  Do you think the organizers it KNEW I have a weakness for pirates?  Hmmm.....alright, who blabbed?