The Rapalje gig saturday was great! Check my gallery for a bunch of photos. Eva also put some video bits on Google, see: Rapalje playing, Rapalje & Annemarie doing Caledonia & fans playing music on the field
Ingrid picked me up from my parent’s place at around 2:45 and we went on our way to pick up Eva, Judith and Mellien before going back to Ingrid’s place to get some stuff she forgot.
After that, we were finally ready to head to Nieuweschans where we arrived roughly 3:30.
We took a stroll across the fantasy market they were having and it was fun, I was tempted to buy some mead but decided against it. We lounged about for a bit until we met up with Renate, a colleague of Eva. We had just gotten comfortable on the grass when all of a sudden, the fenced of part of the terrain (reserved for the concert) needed to be enlarged. As we were sitting right were they were going to pass with the fences, we hastily made way.
After that had happened, the market soon drew to a close and the concert was near. Everyone had to get out and come back in so it could be checked that everyone had their ticket and the complimentary Rapalje beakers could be handed out. Fortunately, we already had ours so we were back in pretty soon with a shiny new Rapalje beaker.
We found ourselves a spot on the grass behind a bench so some of us who wanted to sit on the bench could while the rest lounged on the grass. Ingrid went to get Fyndlings, the coins used to pay for the food and drinks on Rapalje fests and we all went lazy and gave her money to get us some coins as well. 😀
Cooking Highlander was there to cater, as usual, with their kick-ass three tier barbeque and soon we we’re standing in line to get some food. I had a very tasty chicken leg, yummy! My first drink of the night was a simple coke but later I decided to get some mead and, while I usually don’t like alcohol, I’d found out during an earlier event do like mead. And this night I found out I really like mead so I had another.
Shortly after we’d gotten food, the concert started and it was great as usual. David Myles was there to accompany them. He’s an amazing bagpiper and I adore his playing. I hope to one day be as good as he is.
As this was a fest to celebrate their 10 year jubilee, they’d invited musicians that played with them in their first years and played with them again. There was also some dueting with a very good singer called Annemarie whom they apparantly sometimes play with. Her voice and Williams’ mixed wonderfully!
Rapalje played three sets spread over the evening and in between there was a jam session opportunity for the public. Annemarie and some of her friends played and some others as well.
The evening ended around midnight and then we still had to get back home and drop all of us off at where we belonged. All in all, I was in my bed at 1:30, not a good time if you have to get up at 7:30-8:00 (on Sunday morning…).
That was since my folks would be at my door at 9:00 to pick me up to go to the birthday party of my aunt and uncle, two hours away. I was quite sleepy in the car and may have dozed off even. We arrived safely and the day was lots of fun as the party was at the special needs daycare centre my cousin works. It completely took care of the kids who loved all the play opportunities as well as the snuggle room that had a waterbed and moodlights and stuff like that. I had great fun as well, playing a bit with the kids, taking photos (and some movies as well) of them.
We had brought the dog with us as well as we had no sitter for her and she enjoyed herself as well, the terrain was fenced in so she could walk around freely and me, my mom and an aunt of mine went for a walk with her that afternoon.
She did nick a cheese sandwich when we got back 😀 They had been placed on a low shelf, right at dog mouth height and we got back in from walking her and she just went straight for it and grabbed one.
At first I didn’t quite see what she was doing and went like “Tessa? What’re you doing?” She glanced back guiltily with the sandwich in her mouth and I couldn’t help but laugh. I sent her outside and quickly put the sandwiches up higher. Funnest thing was, she did it again later… 
Only this time she nicked a sandwich from someone’s bag…
Ah well, she didn’t end up with any nasty side effects and neither did the person she nicked it from so, all’s well, end’s well.
Went home with the parental units and slept there for ease. Was glad to be back in bed that evening, two busy days had me pretty beat.
