Me and Gloria

I took Gloria to the Faire today. I was going to buy her some shoes and a little hat, and possibly look at a chemise, but that wasn't so important.

She spent the day sitting on my basket. A few people stopped to talk to us while we were walking in, and I made sure Gloria knew that was going to happen all day. We met Fox at the gate, who had with him a choice of two Tall Toad hats that Fae doesn't wear anymore. Though her dress is mostly green, Gloria took our advice and went with the blue hat that brought out the color of her eyes. (Fox, you never told me how much you want for that, and I forgot to ask!) Then it was a quick stop to pick up something for my mother, drop it off at dad's booth, and grab some lunch. More people stopped to talk to us and take pictures with us. Then we went to the shoe store, Medieval Moccasins, so she could get a pair just like mine. The owner knew at a glance that she would wear a size four. After that, it was down to Tall Toad to show off her hat and shoes. And more stopping for pictures. We went by the booth where Fox has been working, Lloyd Studios, and the lovely proprietress gifted Gloria with a little dagger of her very own. After that, we went back to dad's booth for a length of leather cord to tie as a belt, and then off to Unicorn Clothiers for that chemise that she now had to have. Fox had to work a couple hours, so Gloria and I caught a couple shows and did a little shopping and stopped for more pictures before going back to pick him up. We stopped for more pictures (Gloria was really being a trooper about that, she wasn't getting annoyed at all), double checked dinner plans, and then planted in the pub for Pub Sing. Gloria had a great day, and she was so tired she slept in the car while the rest of us had dinner.

Sorry if that picture up there is a little blurry! People seem to have a hard time keeping still for the amount of time one must be still while using my camera. We didn't get a picture of Gloria's dagger or chemise, but I'll be sure to show you once I get it all straightened out and properly fit and all that.

I knew this would be a hard day, because I knew my arm would be in the same position all day, and I knew I'd get more ventriloquist practice than I do in a general week. But it was great practice for me, and a whole lot of fun. At about 1730, I had to switch arms. Gloria complained every time someone called her a puppet or a dummy. We also found out she's ticklish on her feet. The lady at the shoe store first picked up a size three before the gent who worked there said it would be a four, then broke down laughing because he had just "sized a dummy." He had to go to the back room to calm down! The lady was worried about getting the shoes on the matched feet, and tried not to tie them too tight. Gloria squirmed quite a bit, and even snatched her foot away. The things they do that we don't expect! At the end of that, the gent came back out and said he had been having not a very nice day until we came in. That made all three of us feel good (you know, Gloria and Fox and me). Adults tended to be more receptive, which surprised me a little. There was one lady who pulled me aside and asked me to speak to her young son. There is a performer there who has a sheep puppet by the name of Juliette. He is not a ventriloquist and doesn't even try. I was happy to run into him, though, so Juliette and Gloria had a nice little conversation. I hope I can bring her again sometime, but I know there once was a patron who came with a monkey puppet and the Faire powers that be asked him not to bring it again. I'm not worried, the first trip was to buy Gloria things, the second will be next year and to show off her garb to the wonderful shop people who helped with it. And if anyone asks, I really am an employee and have a pass to prove it.