So, showing up for work on Friday the 11th, none of us were quite sure what to expect. The Honor Guard had to arrive early as we were being filmed by CBS for a feed for the Early Show (which they ended up not needing us, though they used the footage in other places). After our close-ups, we switched to go to the dedication ceremony for the Jamestown postage stamp (only the third triangular stamp issued, and it’s been a while since the last one was out apparently). It was getting a bit warm by that point, so a lunch break was welcome before spending a few hours at our assigned sites. Friday was my day out in the tent in the parking lot doing military drills (most of which I’d never done before, let alone lead a demo in it… such as fencing). However, our tent was probably not in the best location, so we spent most of the afternoon giving people directions to the shuttle buses and marveling at peoples’ dedication to stand in line for a cancellation for their postage stamps in a very hot and very sunny parking lot. Later that afternoon, I was whisked away by the rest of the Honor Guard to do a salute at ceremony at Historic Jamestown. Then, we hopped the shuttle back to the Settlement for a quick bite to eat and a thunderstorm before joining the Fort’s volunteers to march over to Anniversary Park for a big salute on their main stage. Though a 15-hr day, it was indeed a lot of fun, but we were thrilled to get home and hit the sack before the next morning.
(photos: Don't ask, it was early -- Jack actually is helping me button my cloak; the standard hurry-up-and-wait; the Honor Guard at the stamp ceremony, with me on the far left; Howard and James trying to stay cool and look busy with our oh-so-bustling tent in the parking lot; and halberds marking our spots while we again hurry-up-and-wait for our big evening salute.)
(photos: Even more hurry-up-and-waiting -- they're not dead, I promise, just hot and tired; and the Honor Guard waiting for the practice helicopter landings to stop so we can get Christine's car and go home.)
Saturday the 12th, I was again up early, but we luckily had no special events planned for the day. I was part of the crew that was running the swivel gun firings and military drill demonstrations on the mall at the Settlement, which more or less meant a lot of big booms. Some of our scheduled demos that day were cancelled so that we didn’t conflict with the programs on the stage, such as the Minds in Motion ballet performance (a children’s ballet from Richmond) that did their interpretive dance of Jamestown history and cultures. Our favorite part was definitely the interpretive dance of the Starving Time. We did do an impromptu Honor Guard for the governor, since his daughter was one of the performers in Minds in Motion, but it was a fairly laidback day. After we closed, many of us changed and went over to Anniversary Park for food and the big concert of Bruce Hornsby (originally and still from Williamsburg), Ricky Skaggs (bluegrass performer with a long-winded and very religious daughter), and Chaka Khan (wearing a spandex/pleather one-piece pant suit that featured her cleavage very prominently). The food was yummy – especially the fry bread and elephant ears – and the other Stephanie and I had time to explore some of the exhibits before we all left for the evening.
(photos: Bruce Hornsby, et al concert at Anniversary Park; Kailee and Lindsay at the concert; Ashley and Stephanie also happy to be there; another view of the main stage; and Stephanie posing as Terry -- a guy that we work with as a cutout.)
Sunday the 13th was the day the President came. Those of us that were involved in the program for him had to be in early so that we could be on site and in place for the security sweep. However, there seemed to have been some miscommunication and we were moved a few times before finally being put into some holding rooms for a couple of hours until we ourselves went through security. Once on the pier, we saw the many helicopters (including Marine One and its decoys) land on the isthmus to the Island before the President and his entourage made their way to the Settlement. His visit was longer than expected since he went on the Susan Constant (much to the dismay of his handlers) and made it a point to greet/talk to every interpreter on the pier. For myself, he chatted with the interpreters on the Discovery (the ship Kai and I were stationed in front of, the second the President came to) before making his way to the next station. As he passed me, he smiled and thanked me for being there. I was supposed to look serious and tough (being part of the Honor Guard and holding a large halberd), though smiled and thanked him briefly. It was exciting, but the second thought that popped into my head was how huge his looked so close. After it was over and the press stampeded off the pier again, we went up to lunch exchanging stories of our interactions and such before preparing for the rest of the day’s events. Kai, Jack, and I were on the mall again that afternoon and did a lot of military drills and swivel gun firings, including a big salute with the Fort volunteers at the end of the day to get rid of our extra three rounds.
(photos: Somebody splurged and got the interpreters pastries the morning of the President's visit; back in the maitenance building, we weren't growing mushrooms but rather some elected to take a bit of a snooze while waiting for the security sweep; Baggywinkle aka Jeff napping; and the livlier waiting room.)
Thus concluded our final day of the Big One. After work that day, we went for a much welcomed pint at the pub…
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