Legends of the Sea

The second weekend at SRF went very well.

I arrived mid-day on Friday to move into my new lodgings.

It is a shed-type building that the mermaids use to store the tails and get ready in the morning (makeup, costumes, etc.) It is nice and cool at night :) A corner of it is mine, where my bedding and belongings stay, and the rest of it is mirrors and makeup.

I figured out what to do about a “cover up” for walking around on our breaks without being seen. I am using my usual garb along with my cloak. I purchased a venetian mask to hide my “scales” and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival along with a hooded capelet (for when it is too warm to wear my full cloak).

It was a little cool Saturday morning, but we made good time and once we were in our tails it was pretty comfortable.

I started out in the shell and took what I learned last week to improve my performance. I am figuring out what not to do with my face when a camera is pointed at me, and the best way to entertain a stream of patrons when they are going by too quickly to talk to, even if you could speak English.

Also, a group of little girls asked me if I was the princess of all the mermaids and I may have encouraged them by nodding :D

I got to see my sister and brother-in-law, who had come to see me, and met one of her co-workers.

After the first set, I met up with them and took them to see Oskar Hasselhoff. It was great. The first weapon he demonstrated was the grosse messer. (sp?) and he picked my brother-in-law to spar against!

Unfortunately, I had to cut out and run back to the lagoon to get ready for the next set before the second weapon was demonstrated.

For the second set I was in the small pool, which has been dubbed “the coffin” by the other mermaids (not really sure why)

We had two Doctors come through. Specifically the 4th doctor (scarf) who scanned my fellow mermaids with his sonic screwdriver, and the 5th doctor (celery) with real celery pinned to his lapel :D (oops! I think my geek is showing >.>)

On our second break I went with two other mermaids to watch Cast in Bronze. On the way, we were stopped buy a photographer who has taken many pictures of us in the lagoon, but did not recognize us and wanted pictures of the three of us in our mysterious, hoodedness.

For the third set, I was in the small pool again.

We were invited to Marcus’ camp for dinner and indulged in beefy beany bacony thingy. It was very good.

Sunday had a less chilly start, thanks to the extra sleeping bag Marcus loaned me (thank you again!)

I was in the shell first again and found the best way for me (personally) to interact with the patrons walking past.

So I sing :D

Well… not really singing, nor humming. It is more like… vocalizing at people.

Usually whatever song is stuck in my head at the moment. Though I do take requests from the crew :)

No one seemed to recognize the tunes from musicals, or the Christmas carols that our captain suggested, but “drunken sailor” was noticed, as was “the imperial march”.

During the first break, I found a snail in the dressing tent! It wasn’t the kind I am use to, with the long white shells. It was brown with a typical “snail shell”. It was exciting. (I know, I am so strange)

For the second set I was in the large pool.

One of the flower sellers made her way through and gave each of us the most beautiful gladiolus, or "sword lily" (my second favorite flower) We wondered who had sent them for a while until we discovered it was our captain who bought them for his four favorite mermaids :)

I wandered over to watch English wrestling with the first mate and saw Lavanya win her fight. It is nice to see people I was in auditions with happy and doing so well.

During the third set I was singing (vocalizing) “My Johnny was a Shoemaker” and a patron asked, “wait, is that you?” (I don’t know if she thought it was a background soundtrack, another mermaid, or what) and when I nodded she told me that it was beautiful.

While it got a little chilly towards the end, it was a very good day.

The drive home was nice and the night sky was so clear and beautiful. The stars were stunning and I am looking forward to next weekend.