Leps at Palmetto

Danny, Feargal, and Miss Scarlette all came with me to the Palmetto Tatting conference. Friday morning, Danny wanted to tell me something, but seemed to be having trouble getting started. Finally, as tactfully as he could, he said, "We've already seen all of your class projects. Instead of coming to class with you, could we explore on our own? We promise not to get into any trouble." Leps not get into trouble? Especially with their history of diving into the thread bins in the vendor room? Needless to say, I was dubious until Scarlett promised to keep an eye on them. Sure enough, I did not hear any reports of misbehavior. Well, there was a rumor of leps swinging from the flower arrangements, but Danny said, "Not me!" and Feargal said, "Not me!" and even Scarlett said, "No, ma'am," so I had to believe them.











At the banquet, if the boys started to get too rambunctious, Miss Scarlett had only to raise her eyebrow or shake her head, and they would settle down immediately. Amazing. So I had to believe they had been good boys.







It was just the three of them at first. Fergus was feeling under the weather and had to stay home. Ciarran was there, but was staying off campus and they kept missing each other. Finally they were all together at the same time and place.




















What a sweet reunion!























Danny knew all along that it would be time for Feargal and Scarlett to move on to their next visit. As they went away with Ciarran, he smiled and waved goodbye, and I pretended not to notice that his chin was starting to quiver a bit.

Danny's Visitors

(copied here from Martha's blog entry 8/12/2010)


Danny was surprised by a visit from Feargal and Miss Scarlett. They had timed their visit so they could travel with Danny to Palmetto TatDays. "You are going to have so much fun!" he said. Since they were tired from the journey, at first they just sat and talked. Danny enjoyed hearing all about their Grand Tour and getting news of his cousins. (Miss Scarlett noticed how he especially perked up when they were talking of Maebh, but she didn't say anything.)

Then Feargal was ready to unpack and show off his skateboard. Danny tried hard not to look envious. Then he showed them around the apartment, and suddenly Feargal stopped and said, "What is That?"

"That's the book stapler," said Danny. "You have to jump on it real hard to staple a book. I can do it, but it may be too difficult for you." (Leprechauns are naturally competitive, if you hadn't noticed.)

But Feargal's eyes took on a strange gleam. "That's not a stapler, that's a skateboard ramp! I can skate down that, turn a flip in the air, and land."





"Oh wow! I've got to see that," said Danny, now obviously awed by his elder cousin.

"You musn't," said Miss Scarlett. "It's too dangerous!"

"It will be great!" said Danny.

"I can't look," said Miss Scarlett.

"Here goes!" said Feargal.



Feargal skated down the ramp at great speed, but what came next wasn't exactly a flip in the air. In fact, it was nothing like a flip. Suffice it to say, it's a good thing he is a magical being, so he was not injured in the fall.

Danny said, "That was awesome! Can you teach me how?"

Boys will be boys....