There are several demonstrations going on throughout the day. We watch the potter throwing clay on the wheel, making clay pitchers and ink wells. We watch the blacksmiths at work with the fire and anvil and hammer. We see the tin smith crafting such things as candle molds and reflective sconces.
There are two things I want to see: the printer's office and the school. We find the school first. It may seem ironic and somewhat counter-intuitive to have time off from school to seek out a schoolroom, but it's kind of interesting to see all of the wooden benches and to stand at the teacher's dais. This classroom, moved from another location to this living museum, would've housed students from grade one to eight. Piece of cake. Plus, it's so quiet at Sturbridge, my sister and I are the only ones inside the school for the entire ten or so minutes we are there exploring.The other place I want to see is the printer's shop, where a printing demo is going on. We walk into the building, explore the front room, then move on to the back room where the printer is working. There are a few others in the room, as well.
Suddenly, I smell something horrid. It's not the ink nor the machinery that smells. It stinks like someone pooped his or her pants. This is something that happens when there are children around, except that there are not any children around. Only adults. So, one of the adults pooped his or her pants. Or cut a fart. A really bad, baaaaaad fart. My sister and I exit quickly, booking it (so to speak), but not before I announce a little too loudly, "Someone shit their pants!"
Oh, well. At least I got to spend some time in the school. That, and the fact that my sister and I are keeling over laughing. This is important, too, maybe the most important thing, capping off a perfect day.
