Well, it's Áine here, reporting on the goings on of our own dear MMario at the Scarborough Faire today . . .

Of course, I was an hour and a half late to the Faire, so I missed meeting up with him at the appointed hour/place. I walked around for another hour and a half looking for him -- he said he'd be wearing brown, beige and black -- do you realize how many guys wear that same color combination at Ren Faires????? At last, I decided to grab a drink and a turkey leg, figuring that if I got some really big pieces of black pepper and white meat between my teeth, I'd be sure to meet up with him. And it worked! I wandered into one of the 'pubs' to sit down and eat, and there was himself, as big as life!

We had a quick snog and several big hugs, and listened to a wonderful woman sing by the performing name of 'Bard O'Neill' (if you get a chance to hear her, take it -- she's got a voice that'll shake your scabbard and great stage presence!). I got to meet many of MMario's 'Faire Friends' (in and out of costume) and it was really nice to see how much he's appreciated by his peers.

It's really too bad that he wasn't one of the Faire performers, because he's a much better singer than most of the guys I heard out there (no brag on this fellow 'Cat, just the fact). However, our dear MM did break into a couple of beautiful songs, and I had a hard time keeping myself from jumping up on a table and yelling, 'Now THAT'S a singer, folks!'

The best part of the day was when he presented me with a beautiful crocheted shawl that he was finishing before my eyes, and which I was praising for his workmanship and saying things like, 'whoever gets this is sure a lucky lady!' MMario then achieved the (almost) impossible -- striking me speechless -- when he put the finished shawl around my shoulders and told me it was mine! What a treasure -- both the shawl and himself -- just shows to go what kind of great folks you Mudcatters are.

He's promised to call me before he leaves for Houston next week and give me the 'lowdown' on the 'unofficial pub thing' that was supposed to happen tonight at the Faire . . . Hopefully, he'll get a chance to share his beautiful voice with the folks there.

He's supposed to go to the Emerald Mist to see Eammon's Kitchen, and he's really excited about hearing them. And 'Spaw - I'm sorry, but I forgot to tell him about how much Tristan liked his pressie . . . but I know it'll make him so happy when he hears about it!

Oh, and another thing, 'Spaw -- MMario and I both were comparing notes on you (and your 'complete (compleat?)oral rehabilitation' -- be afraid, be very afraid . . .)

That's all from the Ren Faire Front for this reporter -- Well, except for the bit about MMario's new pair of tights and his thing about eating mudballs . . .

Slán, Áine