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Out and back again – returned from Sutter’s Fort

(Catching up with this post, since I started it but didn’t complete it when we got back from Sutter’s Fort.)

We returned to the 21st century on Wednesday 28 December, driving back with both girls and their good friend Mikaela. We stayed overnight on Monday at a homeschoolmate’s brother-in-law’s house in Sacramento. Thanks, Dylan! With you and your three, we made 21 souls in the house that night; 22 if you count the dog, and some there certainly would have.

Got up extra early that day and while all slept, I posted one Dev Fu entry (Develop in the cloud – what Red Hat and Amazon team-up means for developers) and readied another (Developer version of Fedora 8), then helped the house get up, into costume, and out the door.

We found the crew waiting for the wagon, and before we knew it they were off through the streets of Sacramento. Actually, I dropped off my daughters and zipped to Sutter’s Fort, all the while listening in on a Fedora Project Board meeting. We quickly stowed our camping and other gear, to have it all hidden before the pioneers arrived.

The day was long and wonderful and tiring (bad boots!) We did get a dose of real Fort life, working and relaxing, writing in journals, cooking dinner in the authentic kitchen and over the fire, music around the campfire, and people sacked out all throughout the fort wherever a bed roll looked good to lay. Kids stayed up for a while to lead night watches with broomstick rifles. Next day we scrambled to clean up, make a good impression, and be out the Fort gate’s by 9 am.

I could write on and on, and I may come back and post some more when I see other pictures I want to highlight. All agreed it was a unique, enriching, and fun experience.