This was a very good weekend.
This past weekend was the Free Folk Festival, one of my favorite events. I didn't get to be there as much as I would have liked, or even to attend all the workshops I wanted to, but it was a great time nonetheless.
I picked up Cassie first thing in the morning and she rode her bike around the alley for a while. Then we went and picked up Dad to go out to lunch. We ended up at Chick-n-Coop where Cassie and Dad both had a turkey sandwich on white bread -- Cassie with lettuce and tomato, Dad with gravy on it. I had a Roast Beef on a roll. Both Dad and cassie did a good job of eating, both in terms of quantity and in terms of speed and etiquette. After lunch, we took Dad back and I took Cassie home so I could get some more work done.
Friday night, Rachel and I spent a couple of hours disassembling the computers in her classroom and packing them up for the summer. We then picked up Cassie and went home to unload. After that, we went to the Y, despite needing to have Cassie's room cleared out by the next morning so the workers could texture the walls and work on the floors, and so on.
Rachel also had to go to Borders to purchase (with her own money) some books for her top readers. She dropped Cassie and I off and headed to the bookstore. Cassie and I got changed and jumped into the pool. There she met three little girls (sisters) just about her age. They were Jeanette (7), Camille (5), and Caitlin (4). They were all using the styrofoam floats strapped to their backs, so I put one on Cassie and she paddled around with them all evening, mostly dunking and otherwise torturing me.
We had seen them there before, of course; they're regulars. Cassie had never quite gotten together with them before though. She had a grand time, and actually made quite a breakthrough -- she was able to put her face in the water without her goggles, and without popping up and desparately wiping the water from her eyes. She even opened her eyes under water without any major trauma.
After swimming, we picked up burritos and went back to Grilleyville to eat. Then, it was home to clear out Cassie's room. We got 90% done before collapsing for the night. We had planned to go to the Foothill swap meet in the morning, but we slept in a bit instead (about 8am).
So we finished clearing Cassie's room and went out for breakfast. We picked up Cassie on the way back home, where we dropped Rachel off to do her schoolwork. Cassie and I then went to get Dad.
When we got to Dad's floor, he was in the activities room, where some of the nurses were dancing to music to entertain a handful of residents. Cassie is, of course, a favorite of everyone's, so the nurses tried to get her to come dance with them. Well, she's going through a shy phase, so she wouldn't, unless I did too.
So I danced.
I did my best impression of Gareth from Four Weddings and a Funeral, with a little Groucho thrown in. That got a laugh, and got Cassie dancing. We danced a couple of songs, then headed out.
At the Folk Festival, we discovered that the Blues Guitar workshop with Alan Smithline had been changed due to his being called away for a family emergency. So we checked out the Appalachian Clogging for a bit, but it was too difficult for both Cassie and I. After that, I had spotted a workshop entitled "Make-a-chorus" which sounded like it might be fun for both Dad and Cassie.
It was, as a thought, a chance for us all to learn and sing some songs; what I hadn't realized, however, was that it was also an opportunity to perform those same songs in the festival cafe! Well, we worked hard, all of us, and got to the point were we were pretty decent on the first four songs. They were even harder because they were all canons (rounds) and some even had multiple parts. After an hour and a half, we were ready.
After we managed to get back downstairs (elevator access is definitely an area that could use improvement) we rushed in just in time to join in. It was actually a lot of fun, even for me, the old hand at performing. Cassie and Dad both really enjoyed it; it was an excellent experience for both of them.
After that, we went to see the Scottish dancers who were performing in the auditorium; Dad had wanted to see them earlier, but their workshop was at the same time as the Make-a-chorus. At that point it was getting a little late, so we departed to find some dinner.
Because it was nearby, had food I knew Dad would like, and I knew it was fairly accessible, I suggested Mel's, which was agreeable to all. Dad had a burger with Bacon and Avocado (yuck!) and Cassie had a grilled cheese sandwich with fries and milk please. Grilled Cheese is her current favorite, so it went over well. Cassie enjoyed coloring her menu and ended up getting a cardboard car and a balloon as well.
After dinner, I took Dad home, then Cassie. I picked up Rachel and we went out for a bit of Pizza. She had gotten her report cards done, but she still had more work to do. Still, she wanted to get out for a bit. While waiting for the pizza, we wandered over to Target, then made it back to the restaurant in time for me to kill a few mutants before the food was done.
Sunday morning was a time for bills, a bit of wiring, and some miscellaneous errands. We zipped out to Price Club where we returned the defective copy of Galaxy Quest we had got previously, and picked up a few other items.
After the Price Club, it was time for Mollie Stone, but Rachel wasn't feeling well, so I went in alone. I, of course, forgot the lunch meat. Luckily, when I went back for it, a kind woman let me scoot in front of her while she was still load items on the counter.
Then we went home, decided Rachel needed a sandwich, went back out again, came home and ate, then I left to pick up Dad. By the time I got Dad, John had checked in and was bringing Cassie over to the house. I went back and picked her up -- they arrived just after I did -- and we took off for the Folk Festival.
Cassie really wanted to do some of the arts and crafts, so we got her started on that. With the help of a young teenager named, coincidentally, Rachel, she started well on her way to making a bead lizard.
Once she was settled, I took Dad to the gym where there was a cajun dance workshop going on. He watched that for a bit, then I convinced him to go upstairs where there was going to be a Yiddish/Klezmer dance workshop. It featured music by Ellis Island, a fairly well known group. I spent my time running back and forth between the two making sure they were both enjoying themselves.
After the bead lizard, Cassie made a flower and a paper box, and then her new friend Rachel gave her a bead bracelet she had made. Cassie responded by giving Rachel the purse she had gotten earlier. She wanted to make Rachel a box, but there wasn't enough time.
Cassie and I caught the end of the Klezmer dancing and though she wouldn't join in herself, she did when I danced. She had fun, and Dad enjoyed watching her. After that, we went downstairs to try and convince Dad to eat something, but all he wanted was an apple. Cassie wanted an apple and a piece of licorice. It was okay, I guess, since that was all I could afford -- I had lost a $20 bill at some point.
We went down to the auditorium for the evening concerts where we caught an Irish group and a guitarist/songwriter. Rachel showed up just in time (having gotten a lift from John and Gemma) to see Caren Armstrong, an amazing singer/songwriter/guitarist. Unfortunately, Rachel was not feeling very good, but once Caren came on, she perked up.
After Caren's set, we took off, since both Dad and Cassie were tired. We dropped Dad off at the Jewish Home (he still wasn't hungry) and then went across the street to pick up dinner. Cassie and Rachel both had grilled cheese sandwiches; I had a burger. We took them all back to Grilleyville to eat and watch Millionaire.
After that, it was pretty much bedtime and the end of the weekend. But it was one heck of a weekend. Dad and Cassie both had a grand time.
And next weekend is Father's Day at Stern Grove.