ANYhow, Saturday was not only Baby Day: it was the Winter Festival at Donovan's new school. I found out about the Winter Festival from Sheryl, who not only told me it was happening but also informed me that lunch would be available, there would be a tea room, taffy pulling and candle dipping. When I asked her why she knew more about my kid's school than I did, she informed me that a flyer for the event had been posted in front of the toilet at her restaurant for a few weeks.
That made me feel a little better.
Donovan and I met Sheryl and Becky there. It was great to see them but Donny was having a rough time when we first got there. He was hungry, tired and it was so busy and crowded that he just wanted Mom and no one else. Not very conducive for conversation. Becky and Sheryl went to see the marionette show (which they said was excellent) and Donny and I sat in the improvised tearoom where he had a little cry on my shoulder and then ate some of the lunch I packed for him.
This is the room that was set up as a tearoom--very lovely.The Winterfest was very nice but what made me happiest was the opportunity to look more closely at the building itself. Its an 1867 mansion that used to be a catholic school. That line of provenance means that many, many original details of the mansion are still intact, despite the fact that it is a building in full and current use.
There's just the thinnest coat of shabbiness, mostly kept at bay by cleaning and caring, but I do love things that are falling apart, even if its just a little fraying around the edges. The place doesn't necessarily feel like Hogwarts--maybe its the Victorian era Ladyschool that Hogwarts students attend before they leave home. At any rate, Donny and I got to poke around the first two floors after we had lunch in the crazy-ass lovely auditorium. The stupid camera I brought with me died but here is someone else's photo of that ceiling--a much better photo than I'd be able to take with a baby in one hand and a bowl of Pasta Fasoli in the other.
On Friday, Donny's report for that day said that his class had entertained themselves playing with hula hoops in the auditorium. Now that I know they mean THIS auditorium, well, that's even better!The main home where the classes take place also features a freestanding chapel from, I think, 1903. Its all lovely brick and craftsmanesque stained glass, very small and cozy. Sheryl, Becky, Donny and I were going to listen to a musical group there but Donny remembered how much he likes to shriek so he and I had to leave. I did manage to get a few photos, tho, before the camera shuddered and died.
After all that we caught the bus home. Turns out it was probably the last bus for the time being as the roads were getting bad. Good timing
Tonight Mike and Donovan and I went over to Mike's folks place where they feed us pork roast and let the baby run around their house in circles. Nice way to end the weekend.
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