It's Wednesday and things will really ratchet up starting today. I will be out at Fort Ouiatenon* much of the day every day until The Feast concludes.
So guess who is not feeling well? Yep. Me. What timing. I've taken some Tylenol and am hoping that that will do the trick.
Wednesday set-up in the Voyageur camp, 2022.
I have to go out to the fort this morning. Rick is dropping off my tent and tent poles around 10:00, and Local Son Curt and Craig are setting it up for me after he does. (Cowpoke Lukie is in kindergarten so this year we will be without his help. Which was actually really good last year despite his age!)
After they do that, there are two carloads of merchandise to unpack and set up, although I do have some wiggle room in the timing on that. We can set the tent up today and then close it up, leaving the merchandise inside the tent to unpack on Thursday or even Friday if I get really sick.
The grounds will still be quite open today as many re-enactors will be arriving (they come from all over the country) and setting up Thursday or Friday. But by 7:30 Saturday morning, all cars, trucks, trailers, and vehicles must be off the grounds and all you will see are tents and booths side by side everywhere you look. Suddenly you are in the 18th century. It is really a cool transformation.
So, despite feeling ill this morning, I am in good shape. Setting up early allows me to have that wiggle room if needed. Plus, it lets me do some visiting with long time friends.
Mary, of the Potowatami Nation. She is a neat lady and she is excellent at teaching children dances and games from her culture. A year or so ago she also represented her people in the Miss Indian World pageant at the Gathering of Nations Pow-Wow.
If you have to get sick, three days before the event opens allows you time to recover, too. (I do not think this is Covid but I will test just to be sure.)
The next couple of days are going to be a whirlwind. I'm a little concerned about feeling unwell, but as long as it isn't Covid, I will be okay. Wish me luck!
*Wondering how to pronounce the name of the fort? "Wee-AH-teh-NON" with accents on the second and last syllable.
