This photo appeared in the St. Paul Dispatch in 1966, my first fair.

The first time my parents shared their love of this amazing experience with me.  Today marks my first fair without them both.  We all knew last year would likely be Dad’s last fair experience, which made every moment more valuable and laden with purpose and sadness.  Dad read every blog entry which made it impossible for me to finish last years blog entries.  I may get back to it someday….We did not however ever imagine it would be mom’s last fair.

Today before dawn, using all the courage I could muster, I drove to 1347 Simpson St.  I knew the house was empty, but one light shining in the window made me think for a split second that Mom & Dad were there waiting for me.   The tears started and I wasn’t sure I could get out of the car.  I knew there were hundreds of people pulling for me, praying for me and reminding me that Mom & Dad would ~not~ want my love of the fair to diminish and it’s up to me to keep their memories alive and remember.

I had made plans to walk over with my friend Andrea ( accompanied by her friend Shannon).  Andrea lives just up the street from Mom, so she was my accountability to actually walk in the gate.

We arrived at about 5:55, with the gates opening at 6, and I have never seen such a long line.  As the people, who are all so well trained to ~line up~ , began snaking around the corner, backing up onto Snelling and down the road towards Como, the gate managers created two lines.  I’m not sure they have ever had two ticket gates working at the opening bell!

Andrea had never been to the fair when the gates opened and was curious what you can actually ~do~ at that hour.  I told her “nothing, really”.  Buildings open around 8, there are some food vendors operating, but for the most part, you can just walk around and see things.  I told her I enjoy taking in the green grass, the beautiful flower arrangements, before people have spent the days sitting on the them and using them as trash cans.  One fun thing Dad and I used to do is the Historical Walking Tour.  Andrea and Shannon were following my lead, so we headed to the first Tour marker in front of the 4H building.  On our way we found the yarn bomb sculptures that adorned the grandstand last year, tucked in the Creative Activities annex courtyard.

We grabbed our brochures and we started punching our cards.  Shannon was intrigued by the actual ~history~ and had to read each sign!

We stopped by the new gardens outside the Eco Building and stuck our faces in stuff!

We hiked up to the north end, stopping at the Giant Wheel selfie spot and attempting a pic!  The skies are so hazy due to all the fires burning our west and in Canada, so the to photo quality is marginal.

So much new construction on the north end!  Beautiful new bathrooms,  The Hangar is an amazing new venue, (formerly the Pet Center).  It used to be an actual airplane hangar back in the day of airshows, but is now a beer garden, food vendor and music venue.  The goal is to redistribute people and alleviate crowds  It might take a few years to get the job done, but the facility is top notch.

The Pet Center and the X-Zone have swapped places and I’ll be back to check out the pets when there are actual pets in place!

Last year this was just a temporary structure, and now it is the largest Sweet Martha’s location on the grounds!  Nice to know people who park on the north end can get hot cookies home!

Hazy skies, but nothing is moving yet and awesome views….

Hazy sunrise over the West End arch.

Andrea had not been to the animal barns in years, majestic horses clopping down the streets, pigs, sheep, bunnies, and the largest boar and she even petted a cow!  

I enticed Shannon to have a seat in the pig chair!

Stopped at DNR fish pond and got a stranger to snap a photo op!

We kept hiking and returned to the South end of the grounds to complete our punches for the walking tour and find our family bricks.

We walked 8000 steps by 7:30 am, we were hungry!  The food vendors would be opening soon, so we were on a mission to try the new Nordic Waffles in the West End.  Despite the fact that we has just walked the circumference of the fair, we left our Leinie Reclinies and started hiking again!  We arrived to find a line serpentining its way through half the West End….the line for waffles!  As we walked down to the area Shannon mentioned she needed coffee, but as we walked by the Java hut she commented the line was too long and we’d stop back later.  I told her, the deal with lines like that is….they just get longer.  If there is something you want, we’ll stop and wait.  We followed that plan with the waffles!  As we stood in the half hour line I overheard a person behind us comment the exact same thing, when their fair companion commented they should come back later….

The waffles were good, really, good, but the line might not be worth it.  The Lingonberry lemonade is a pass.  

The operation was a smooth one, the wait from order to pick up was efficient and fast, its just the volume of people.  I was impressed with the waffle iron set up… Mom would have LOVED it!

I was reluctantly determined to find Mom & Dads bench, knowing it would be a very difficult moment, but also knowing I ~needed~ to face it. As we were looking we bumped into Karla & Steve. (I realize I don’t think I got a picture of them today!)  They were with me when found the bench, and we shared a good cry and some memories.  

Karla & Steve and I made plans to connect for the parade at our usual rendevous spot and and Shannon & I had not yet eaten!  Shannon wanted ChilieQuiles from ElSol, so we headed back up towards the food building and I had my eye on the prize breakfast….PIE!

Sara and gang have a nice new corner set up this year, lots more space, new ovens and as I stood to eat my pie, I looked out the door of the Food Building, and right there is Danielson & daughters onion rings, Moms ~must have~ daily supplement. As I stood there, an emotional wreck, after getting hugs and love from Sara & her family, I turned around and there was Becky & Bill.   This photo is stolen, as I realize I never got a picture of them either!  They were making sure I was OK, with offerings of rum shots to accompany the Pina Coladas from Manny’s.   They found the bench too!  

Now that the buildings were open, we had to complete our walking tour and get our prizes, so we walked up to Bailey House and we each claimed a different prize. 

It was time for Andrea & Shannon to hot the road for their Duluth Camping weekend, so we parted ways and I went looking for Grammie’s bench. (Mary Kelsey) Along the way I ran  into Tom & Ellen Ferry, but again, no pictures. Ellen is heading off to college and this is the first year in many where she is not a literal “gopher” on the grounds, running from end to end dispatched for various reasons like lost & found, supplies and food!   We shared some memories of Mom & Dad and a hug and as we walked the same direction…Lo and behold, I spotted Grammies bench!  

I’m not 100% sure she would have enjoyed the view, so I sent out a call for help to move it and connected with my good friend Gayle and her family.  We turned the becnh around and now Grammie should be smiling as she is on the parade route, near a nice clean biffy with a lovely view of the flower gardens outside of AG/Hort.

I’m a bit off my celebrity photo sighting documentation this year.  If you see me, and want to be sure to make the blog, ~remind me~ to take  picture!

I was invited to tag along with Gayle and crew, for which I was grateful. It was 9:30am and I’d already walked 5 miles….

I was hungry again…

Gayle & crew wanted Tipsy Pies, so who am I to pass up an opportunity! Pie #2

We did a cursory run through AG/Hort, checking out the crop art, walking backwards through the long line as I always do, a few of them caught my eye.  I’ll have to go back on a slower day to get a better look.

n the hallway there were more than usual political commentary in the scarecrow competition this year!  

The Spinning gyroscope floral displays are here again and this year, there is a Carol Jo purple special!  I was unimpressed with the Four Season central display this year.  I didn’t even take pictures.  Maybe another day.

Being so early in the morning, the floral, vegetable, wine and apple aisles were closed for judging.  This year I want to try and attend the Gladiola show!  I’ll be back for veggies later!

We required libations so I grabbed a raspberry wine slushie at Wine Country and we made a stop at The Ball park for a hard Cider and a sour beer something for Gayle.  

We ran after Fairchild to snap a quick selfie….truly nothing quick about it, as we all said…”no you do it, you have longer arms…”

We were trying to connect with more of the Lee family so we hiked up to the North End to check out the Hanger.  On our way, I noticed this oddity, and began singing “one of these thins doesn’t belong here…..”  You don’t get to have a yellow bench in the green zone….even if you have a color coordinating business…

The beverage selection was not as extensive as we hoped at the Hanger, so ee ended up at Giggles, resting and hydrating on his awesome back patio.  Such a fine fair day with sunny, cool, breeezy weather.  Eventually the whole family made it! 

I think this is the most time I have spent idle ( not watching a show or music) on day one.  We pulled out this years Star Tribune chap-stick and there was much discussion. Traffic Cone being neither something to taste or smell…it was determined to smell like a urinal cake.  Not something I’d ever want to put on my lips.   

Coupon books were rifled through and clipped out, I took advantage of a unmanned outlet to charge up my phone battery, State Fair memories shared and beverages consumed.  Time well spent, but we were burning daylight and I realized it was 12:30 and all I had eaten was two boozy blueberry pies…it was time for a Foot Long.

As we headed back down to the main drag, it was more apparent it would be a record breaking day, the lines for Prontos and Foot longs were blocks long.  We bypassed two and headed to the oldest family run stand by the DNR.  It was worth the walk and the wait!  Not only did I fail to get photos of people I met, I kept forgetting to take pictures of food.  (some blogger….)  This was what was left when I remembered. 

Gayle & Mark were ready to move on to other things and I had a parade date.  We parted ways and I thanked them for letting me tag along and spend quality time with good people!

I had to run through the CHS Barn and just check calf status.  It was possible I wouldn’t make it to the parade, but a calf was born in the wee hours of Day One, and the next one wasn’t due to arrive for a while.

I picked up a bag of Simply Nuts butter toffee peanuts to snack on and I watched the parade and got a text from Kara & Steve that they had a bench in our usual spot up near the Space Tower!  Just before the parade, Mike & Kathleen joined us and we all watched as the dancers and marching bands failed to avoid the piles of horse poop accumulating on the road before us! 

Prince & Duke must be officially retired, the American Cream Draft Horses that have walked this parade for 20 years,  These guys are beautiful, but also the end of an era.

Post parade, I was fading, feeling a bit dehydrated and sun smacked, after walking over 8 miles, so I decided to walk back to Moms and take a nap.  Mike & Kathleen headed off to start their first fair day and Karla & Steve would see how long they had to wait for Kory, who decided to tag along this year.  On my way “home” I ran into my water guy!  I was so happy to see him, last year he was pretty sick, but it was good to see him.  He’s working part time, but still has the Shtick!

I got to Mom’s and the overwhelming quiet and emptiness made me super sad.  It’s so hard to be there without them.  It was almost 4pm and Randy assured me he would take care of my new puppy Lola, so I didn’t have to fight traffic and go home and back in an hour.   I sat back on the couch where Mom slept for the last year and I closed my eyes and crashed immediately.  Luckily, I set an alarm and woke up at 5pm, in time to get back to meet  Mike & Kathleen at the Talent Show at 6.

On my way back into the fair, I ran into Steve & Karla, who told me Kory was going to make his own way back to Shakopee, so they were free to head home!  (Curious how Kory made that trip!)  I also ran in the Quinn and Charlton families who were heading home too.  I hope to connect with them another fair day!

Mike & Kathleen did a fantastic job, negotiating the timing to acquire ideal, bench end, tenth row, center aisle, Bandshell seats and protected a spare seat for me, despite the crabby, eye rolling, side glancing, snotty commenting ladies who were upset that Mike and Kathleen would not move down to make more room for them, when they clearly were spread out more than necessary!   The ladies eventually left and ended up in the second row…  Mom was smiling down, I’m sure!  I was grateful!  

There were so many signs Mom was with us.  Mike went to get some refreshments and while he was gone the MC started the talent show by making a speech about honoring a “woman who was a great supporter of the talent show for years, attending the try outs, the semi finals, county fair, and never missing a final.  She passed away recently…” Kathleen and I just stared at each other as we listened and it seemed he was speaking in slow motion when he said “Carol….(different last name)…lost her long battle with cancer..”   Kathleen and I were fully expecting him to name Mom.  He asked all her friends who were there to stand up and Kathleen and I just sat and cried, sharing their pain and sense of loss.  The talent was impressive this night and Mom would have been a tough critic.  Michael came back with a tray of Garlic Fries, and he thinks we saw the kid vocalist with guitar, who could take it all.  We’ll see what the next 11 days bring!  Another crazy sign mom was talking to us, was a lady walked up the aisle and Kathleen pointed her out and then showed me a photo of the three of them (Mom, Mike & Kathleen)  from last year and the lady who had just walked past us, was sitting dead center in her year old photo.  I hope heaven has a talent show every night and all the onion rings Mom can eat.

We didn’t wait to hear the winners, people were crowding in to get seats for the headline act Tower of Power.  We planned to head up to the County Show as Mom would do, but in stopping for a beer & glass of wine at O’Garas, the lines were so long, we decided we’d miss the show and wandered so I could find something to eat.  I’d walked ten miles and had not eaten anything since the Foot Long at noon and some nuts!

On our food decision making journey, we wandered through AG/Hort…third time for me that day.  The ~only~ building I walked through (part of) today! I wanted to see the veggies and they did not disappoint.

The longest gourd was really, really, really long!

I decided I wanted a Giant Juicy Turkey sandwich and a margarita slushie.  When we arrived at Turkey To-Go, I realized they brought back the delicious turkey ribs they offered (and ran out of) last year.  They were as fantastic as I remembered, accompanied by my refreshing slushie!

We took a wistful turn all through the Midway and Mike scouted out the games of skill he’d take part in another day!  We discussed rides and talked about the evolution of the Midway.  On the way out, there was a ten by ten square space created by four low galvanized temporary barricades with cops inside and out of it.  I jokingly exclaimed “we found the Midway Jail!”  I asked what it would take to spring a friend from this jail and the cops looked at me funny and Michael says “maybe Mini donuts!….the cop replies…”or cookies?”  Maybe the cops didn’t find the donut comment funny!  LOL

Kathleen & Michael and I spent a little time at mom & dad’s bench, and as we lingered we realized that the SkyScraper ride whizzes directly over our heads at 70mph, flying 165 feet into the air.  You have to sit there and experience it!

Feeling like I had not quite eaten enough for the day, I asked Kathleen to share a Que Viet Giant Egg Roll with me….It breaks my “on a stick” rule, but it is SO good!  

Again….forgot to take a picture until it’s almost gone!

We were not ready to leave the fairgrounds, so we found a table at O’Gara’s and enjoyed the beautiful evening and reminisced, told stories and remembered.  Kathleen told me about the air conditioned bathroom at O’Gara’s that had never been made aware of!  This is important information!

It’

s a trailer style biffy similar to my secret Midway bathrooms.  These ones must get a bit more used and abused than my Midway one, they were a bit rough and not quite as shiny and clean, but were in fact air conditioned!

As we laughed, cried and remembered, the Grandstand fireworks show began.  We stepped outside to see a wonderful show full of purple displays!  Mom was still with us.

At 11pm, we headed home and I checked in on Facebook and noted that my entry photo was time stamped “17 hours ago…”

when I got home I checked my iphone pedometer…

It was a long, good, sad, hard day; full of love, laughter, support, friends, family, and the beginning of the end of an era.  #12harddays