Adventures and Date Night (part 2)

W and I have this - ummm what to call it?? - agreement is as good a term as any other.  Most of the time we go "dutch" when we go out.  BUT in our agreement one or the other can invite the other one on a "date"... in which case the invitee pays.  

A couple of weeks back I really wanted to go and see the Buskers - so I invited W on a date - to see the Buskers and go for dinner.  We had a delightful time  walking the main street in Kingston  - in sunshine - and had dinner in a delightful restaurant.

This past weekend W invited me on a date to go and see the 75th Anniversary of  the Fort Henry Tattoo.  There is a whole long history on military tattoos - but what we went to see was a show of various marching military bands - drums and pipes.  
 
Now where as *my* date was held on a nice sunny evening in downtown Kingston - W's choice of date involved being in the Old Fort - exposed to the elements - sitting on bleachers in a parade ground of an old Fort.  (btw - I LOVE the old fort and W and I have been to to it on many different occasions - one - if memory serves me right - involved my flashing W for photo purposes - anyway I digress) 

We decided to have dinner at the Fort and try out the show night Barbeque.  It sounded like a good idea at the time.  However - despite arriving at the suggested 5:30 hour...... there was already a long line up for hamburgers and hotdogs and salads.  Only to discover there really wasn't enough seating - visitors who were not having dinner had taken over the picnic tables to sit and chat while they waited for the gates to open for the tattoo (at 6:30)

As W and I balanced dinner in one hand - drinks in the other - and squeezed onto a picnic bench to consume our meal - I watched as black clouds rolled in over Lake Ontario.  BIG BLACK threatening clouds I might add.

At 6:30 we filed into the parade grounds and found a seat on the top level of the bleachers (good for picture taking).  By this time we had the rain coats on ... and finally I gave in and popped the umbrella.  

I could not resist teasing W about his choice of date night - sitting in the rain, huddled under an umbrella and promised I would "bitch" about it on my blog.  (cheeky grin)  I do love to "poke" the dom.

I leaned around W and shot this picture of the "nuts" like us who by hook or by crook were gonna see this infamous Tattoo.

The show started on time at 7:30 with the Town Crier (yes Kingston has a town crier who actually shows up at City Hall regularly to announce the news)

The clouds were breaking up and we were all praying we had seen the worst of the rain.

And then we were entertained by drum and pipe bands from various Ontario cities - with varying degrees of fame.

By far the most entertaining band - was the Junior Naval band.  They consisted of young people between the ages of 14 and 18 and had only been together for 3 weeks.  Their band leader was full of enthusiasm and energy and boy did it come across in the bands performance.  Those kids looked like they were having fun!!!

Then there was the Pipes and Drums from Hamilton I think, with their Scottish dancers,  By this point the sun had set and picture taking was more difficult...AND the rain had returned -  but the young girls were charming to watch.

And finally - what I had been waiting for - my favourite band - The Old Fort Henry Guard.  More historical than the other bands - they went through their paces with finesse.   

All the bands came back for the grande finale - the flag was lowered to taps - and then there were fire works that were loud - very loud!!  

 As much as I have had fun teasing W over "his date night" It really was good fun and one might say almost romantic.. the two of us huddled under a big black umbrella at the top of the bleachers in the far corner ............. hell if we had been teenagers we might have even done some "necking".