Trips to Lake Anna
- sarahwilk24
- Mar 12, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 17
The Blue Heron Retreat
2,061 pieces | Funwhole: F9013
Assembled by Mike Alfare, January 2025
Interaction Rating: 3 / 5 (interaction with the set is okay, but only with help from an adult)
March 12, 2022
On a morning of unseasonably late snow for Virginia, Hunter and Sarah packed to take a spontaneous trip to the lake house co-owned by Hunter's sister, Rachel, her husband, Steve, and another couple, Jesse and Sarah K. It was Hunter and Sarah's first time staying the night together. She met his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, Andrew. There were a total of three kids under six at the house, creating a fair bit of noise and chaos. They hadn't quite been dating a month by then, and it was probably too early for them to be introducing Sarah to his family, but they liked her. Rachel pulled Hunter aside while Sarah was in the bathroom and told him that if it didn't work out between them, she would still "keep" Sarah. They stayed up late talking with everyone, and Hunter drank a couple of glasses of wine, the first alcohol he consumed in front of her. When it was time for bed, Sarah and Hunter tried to figure out how to share the bed, making the fatal mistake of attempting to stay cuddled up all night. Unfortunately, the next morning, Sarah woke up to a flare of her chronic bladder condition, which was her body's way of telling her that she was overstimulated by being at the lake house. Sarah stayed to herself all day while Hunter split his time between being with his family and checking on Sarah. She was feeling better by the early evening, when everyone else departed the house. They watched a little TV together before driving back home. That weekend was important for their relationship, even if it wasn't according to plan. By pushing the bounds and taking a risk together, they grew closer by miles.
Virginia Renaissance Faire
1,247 pieces | JIE STAR: JJ9050
Assembled by Mike Alfare, February 2025
Interaction Rating: 3 / 5 (interaction with the set is okay, but only with help from an adult)
May 11, 2024
On a trip to the lake house in the spring of 2024, Hunter and Sarah went on an excursion to the Virginia Renaissance Faire near Lake Anna, where they were staying. Hunter's sister, Rachel, and nephew, Andrew, joined them. Hunter had visited many Renaissance Faires before, all over the country, but this was Sarah's first one. They didn't have costumes with them, so they went in plain clothes and admired the elaborate costumes they encountered others wearing at the faire. They watched Andrew, age 6, get knighted by the Queen in front of a crowd of other children, all waiting their turn. Andrew had a little meltdown shortly after because he said he didn't feel like a real knight. So Hunter and Sarah went on a quest to find him a wooden sword that might help him get into the spirit. Evident in the photos below, he was delighted with his new sword when it was presented to him.
Other highlights included wandering around the entire faire in search of a working ATM so Hunter could purchase a turkey leg from a cash-only food vendor who was unable to accept credit cards due to an internet outage, only to discover that the ATMs wouldn't work without internet either. Rachel was later able to scrounge enough cash together to get one of the last turkey legs at the entire faire for everyone to share while they watched Andrew watching the armored men and women jousting each other on horseback. They hope to attend the Maryland Renaissance Festival soon, as it is considered one of the best in the country. Sarah can't wait to wear her Ren Faire dress again (it's the green one she wore in their engagement photos!).
Hunter and Sarah's nephew, Andrew, with his wooden sword that they bought for him, so he could feel like a real knight. He was transfixed by the people wearing full suits of armor and jousting each other on horseback.
Photos from various trips to the lake house, including LEGO time with Andrew and couch cuddles with Sarah K. and Jesse's dog, Kiko.