Waterloo Faire: I

[vakkotaur]

I'll have a few posts about the faire this past weekend, split up by day and nicely tucked behind lj-cuts. And now part one of three, at least:

Left work as usual but didn't go back after lunch this time. jmaynard had loaded the car with about everything already, so there wasn't too much to do. I had managed to forget to pack a mug strap, I later discovered. Also had to put a new cell in my pocket watch (a timepiece I don't mind stuffing into a pouch). We stayed around until I had the new cell in place - it was not an easy to change thing, much to my annoyance. I hope not to have to do that again for a few more years. Also hung around to get the mail in. It arrived and... Cock & Dragon still hadn't gotten my new tights to me. I figured they'd likely arrive Saturday when I wasn't around. (Nope. *grumble* I'm Not Pleased with them.)

We were finally on our way, with a quick stop at Babb's Barbecue in Blue Earth for lunch. Yummy stuff. The drive itself wasn't bad, especially with XM's old time radio channel. Well, there was the wind. Lots of wind. It was easy to imagine a dustbowl and it's a good thing it wasn't more dry or that's what it would have been.

Arriving in Waterloo we eventually got to the Grand Hotel, despite a lack of clear directions and a parade setting up. The hotel was less grand than its name. Not truly awful, just not quite what it wants to be. Things looked up when wireless networking was mentioned. Free promo, even. But that means nothing if you can't log onto the network... so much for wireless.

On our way around town we again saw signs for the Grout Museum, named for a fellow by the name of Grout. That's the real story, but it sounds like a place that Cosgrove would take Freakazoid...

Cosgrove: Hey, Freakazoid, wanna go to the Grout Museum?
Freakazoid: Do I!

Once somewhat settled and unloaded we discovered that a phone number given us wasn't working. Fortunately there's more than one way to make a call, so we did eventually meet up with Billie & James Jones AKA Concentio Agnorum. We all decided to have supper at the Ground Round and so made our way there - after a an exchange or two. Jay found a book, a curious thing explaining Feng Shui with Winnie the Pooh which one Billie did not have. Billie & James gave us both a packet of the new Altoids breath strips - the cinnamon ones. I haven't yet tried them. And I gave Billie a bag of almond M&Ms and James a bag of mint M&Ms.

Supper was good. Much talked about, computers, faire, bad movies... the usual assortment of curiosities. The food was quite good. Coconut shrimp may be a new rarely satisfied addiction. I've had it before and knew what it was, but forgot how amazingly good it was.

Billie & James needed to stop at Wal-Mart (Billie's second home...) and so we all went there since we were close. They got their stuff, and I picked up a couple cheapie plastic plates - good enough to reuse, cheap enough not to care much about, and some film. Then it was back to our respective hotels.

Upon returning and looking things over, it could be seen that the Grand was at least trying to do more than it seemed. I wouldn't object to staying there again next year, but I also wouldn't be upset by going elsewhere. Oh, and I finally read Douglas Adam's and Terry Jones' Starship Titanic with the remainder of Friday night.