It’s Monday, I’m not volunteering today, but I knew some friends would be on the grounds I needed to find. I had a morning agenda, but also knew there was much blogging to be done. I decided to go for a while, early, and see where the day goes.

Walking over today, there weren’t too many neighbors out parking. Another slow day I bet. I did find this doggo curled up by the fence and was amazed that he was sleeping so peacefully. I know it’s slow out here, but wow! As I took the picture a voice came from the yard…”can I ask what you’re doing?” I’m sure she thought I was nuts, but we chatted for a minute and I learned the dog was deaf and blind. No wonder. I’m not sure she was convinced I’m not a crazy person, but is anyone?

It’s day five and I’ve only had three blueberry tipsy pies, something does not add up here!

Serendipity led me to connect with one of the friends I was looking for as we both decided that pie for breakfast was a great idea!

My agenda had me headed for a recipe card and the Education building at 10am so I started walking. I was noticing many more wheels today and my observed demographic had shifted slightly older. It wasn’t until I picked up the daily schedule that I realized why.

I got lucky and the recipe cards had been placed on the stand inside the door early, so I was ahead of schedule. This is one I really wanted by a Springerle baker that I know from a Facebook cookie group. This will be attempted before the holiday baking season is in full swing!

I had a harsh reality check when I stopped to spin the wheel at the Allina Health pop up and was asked if I had any pressing Medicare questions…😝. I did win a laundry stick which might come in handy out here one day soon!

Into the Education building I went to find more people than I’d encountered before. Bart & Sonja gave me excellent directions, so I made a beeline to the back corner snd grabbed my cute Bemidji lumberjack bag and the pop up fan next door.

By no means was the building crowded, there were just a few more people than the usual none so far. I didn’t want to linger, but stopped at Minnesota State colleges booth and got to choose from a plethora of giveaways. I chose a lanyard that is a phone charger and I decided it will make a great mask clip so I don’t fling and lose another one!

Next on my agenda was to see the artists working on the murals so I headed towards the Midway. I found another chair E & I might need to try!

I looked up the grandstand ramp to see if I dared make my way up and into the building, but all I saw was a line. A line for what? I did not know. I got in the line and learned it was a Mystic Lake “Clinko” giveaway. I would have liked any of the prizes except the koozie or drawstring bag…I won the bag.

Turning into Carousel Park I saw lots of tents and the one with the Pride banner drew me in. It turns out today there is Mental Health Awareness Fair here. It’s the second time it’s been here, I must have missed the first. events like this just help to remove the stigma of mental health and make it OK to not be OK!

It was full of the state fair free stuff we’ve all come to love and collect, lip balm, chip clips, fans, pencils, bracelets, but this group also had fidget spinners, squeeze stress balls and special this year, masks and lots and lots of hand sanitizer!

There were also buttons, lots of buttons. I’d started clipping a few buttons to my purse strap, but after today, I can officially say, I’m collecting them!

In order to really have a collection, I need to find an official 2021 State Fair Button. I don’t even know if they exist this year!

After my mental health detour I found one artist at work. I’m sure he appreciates his shady location this morning!

It was almost 11:00am, the sun was growing hotter and the crowd was also growing. I was wearing my mask all the time now a bit sweaty. I’m actually glad for the mask since I needed to reapply sunscreen and I failed to bring more. I have also investigated almost every medical stand out here and no one has sunscreen packets. Due to Covid the sun lotion dispenser buckets are no longer here either. Bring sunscreen!

The fanny pack giveaway at the UofMN building was three minutes away so I got in the line. Contrary to every other day so far, today there have been a few lines.

I got my prize and decided that I needed my own mental and physical health break so I headed home to possibly return later.

I asked the stamp guy at the gate to stamp me up high so I could wash my hands well. He told me he had a better solution! I’ve never been given one of these! Now I just can’t lose it!

After putting my feet up, having a little respite from the sun and catching up on three days of the blog, I got a message from Liz wondering if I was at the Fair. I decided, I sure could be! Jack wanted to come for a shorter trip, so off we went!

There was plenty of space at 7pm. I’m sure the early morning seniors have long departed. Walking into the sun, we headed to the Ball Park for dinner.

Nate was just getting off work and this was the first time I’d managed to see him!

Plenty of empty tables to choose from, we sat and enjoyed a cheeseburger basket. Liz joined us and we just relaxed and chatted for a bit.

I don’t drink beer. I’m quite allergic to most of them. I tried the red wine last night at Giggles, but it was not to my liking and I actually dumped it. Not sure if it was the ~plastic~ cup, or the wine itself, but tonight I wanted an adult beverage. I needed to forget my feet for a bit. 😉

My drink of choice can only be found at Cafe Caribe, and while it was busier than I’ve seen it this far, there were only two people in line ahead of me.

Liz had not seen the art installations, so we wandered that way and found the same artist from this morning, in the exact same position! This time however he was signing his work that was now complete!

The only other progress of note was on this one.

Liz and I wanted to attend the Eagles Tribute Band concert in the Bazaar, and our water bottles needed filling so we stopped in the KARE Barn. It’s so strange to see it devoid of people. I’ll take a picture tomorrow. We took a quick maskless group shot as we rehydrated!

We walked up the empty back road to the Territorial Pioneers building, looked around a little with no one to get in the way. Jack wanted to see a little more of the Ag/Hort. Walking around the outside to find the best entry, I saw a sad sight. Now I know where the gladiolus go….after the show.

Since we’d cruised through so quickly on Thursday, I wanted to see what I missed in crop art. There were only two other people looking at art with me the entire time. No lines, no queue, no ropes.

This one has been all over Twitter, Art at the fair, critiquing itself!

Someone else asked me to explain this one:

It’s an excerpt from the poem Amanda Gorman wrote and recited at the inauguration “The Hill We Climb”. It took Jack, who overheard someone else talking about it, to see that it’s an ear inside the flag. The title of the work is “Listen to One Another”.

The Bazaar looked rather crowded. I say that, using the word “crowded” defined as “more people than I want to stand around with” and if I need to wear my mask amongst them outdoors. The fair is ~not~ crowded in the usual sense. We decided we could hear them just fine, sitting on a lovely bench on the hill outside Ag/Hort.

Somehow through his transition, Jack has grown taller. He’s officially 6’2” according to the clinic. It’s fun that he’s happy being in pictures again, now that he’s happier in his body!

The last things that we wanted to do were a Giant Wheel ride and procure cookies for Randy waiting at home taking care of the animals! Millie, our anxiety and fear filled rescue pup has trouble with men, and it’s taken lots of encouragement and reinforcement to get her to go outside with him. Jack didn’t want to ride and instead hiked up to Sweet Martha’s of the North.

I was relieved to get these messages as we waited in line (yes there was a relatively long line) for the Wheel.

The queue is a rather long ridiculous serpentine but it keeps people apart until they get closer. It was about a 15 minute wait.

All the times I’ve taken a ride on the Giant Wheel, I’ve never gotten a blue car! Tonight was the night for my favorite color!

I was super excited to ride, until I tried to take my selfie…

Now that I see the “blue hair” I’m not surprised the guy asked me about Medicare earlier today!

The views are fun at night, the ride is short, but it was breezy and cool on another warm, sticky night.

Liz had a long hike back to St. Anthony Park, where she’d found a street parking spot, so we parted ways and I walked to find Jack on a bench on Cosgrove, the street devoid of people once again.

We all got home safely, took showers and I fell asleep sideways on the bed, snuggled up with my dog, who misses me just a little these days.