Saturday and Sunday I signed up to volunteer the afternoon shifts at the Alphabet Forest. I spent Saturday morning helping Jack get ready for a camping trip and resting my tired self before heading back in. Arriving at the gate around 1:30 to find more long security and ticket lines. I timed my entry and learned that it’s only about a ten minute wait to get from Snelling through the gates.

It was very humid and raining on and off. Not enough rain to deter the crowds though. So far attendance records have been close to pre-pandemic numbers, but no records set yet. The weekend weather predictions might keep the numbers down a little.

I’d eaten a good lunch before leaving home, but there’s always room for pie!

I walked through the AFL-CIO carts and there’s lots of giveaways. Pencils, pens, can coozies, chip clips, key rings….but the only thing I grabbed was a fly swatter. The Steel worker distributing the goods told me it could be helpful for swatting things other than flies! Today I might need it to get through all the people!

I’m always looking for sunscreen, although I might not need it today, and the last cart had individual packets. Nice to have and lightweight to carry!

I had a little more time so I went to see what the DFL was up to this year. You can get your picture with the President & V.P. cut outs, there’s lots of new buttons and t-shirts and if you scan a QR code and get on a text list, you can get a bean to vote on why you’re voting. These are all the voting choices, and they’re all very good reasons to vote, but I put my bean in “protecting voting rights”. I figure without voting rights we can’t do anything about all the other things!

I got a new button too 💙🤍💖🏳️‍⚧️

I made my way up the hill, donned my first red apron and took my post greeting people and welcoming them into the Alphabet Forest. When I was teaching full time, many of my families would come and find me here. I’m grateful for the ones who still come back and say hi and get hugs! Thanks Sloan Family💙

The kids had fun and earned their blue ribbons!

I finished my shift and was just heading out when another incoming volunteer said “aren’t you a friend of Carole’s?” Sure enough, it was Karen. We’d met ages ago, but it sure is a small world reconnecting here of all places!

I walked out to the street to see this loaded truck. My first thought was the Grinch and his sled! I wondered, with all the staffing shortages predicted and realized this year, how the sanitation situation would be out here. So far, there are a lot of hard working people keeping our fair as clean as they can! I’m grateful and I say “Thank you” every chance I get.

In search of food and good music and needing a refill on my water, I walked down Cosgrove to the Culligan booth. I sat for a bit on a bench and watched the people. Some earlier rain showers may have sent a few people home, it was crowded, but not insane. People were still struggling with the water dispenser sensors. I had to help one guy. “Don’t touch it, just hover over it….don’t touch it….don’t touch it…” as he kept tapping the button making it go on and off not understanding that it wasn’t ~touching~ the sensor that made the water flow, it was his act of ~releasing~ his touch….🤦🏼‍♀️ I reached over and placed my hand an inch from the sensor and his cup filled right up. He didn’t thank me, just stared at me like I was magic. Maybe I shouldn’t have stepped in, but I couldn’t watch it anymore.

Elysia found me on the bench, after walking halfway to where she though I’d be, and back again. Mike & Kathleen messaged to say they were on the west end, so we connected in the middle at Demitri’s! Gyro for dinner.

You can see the gray skies in this photo. We knew ~weather~ was moving in, but hoped the storms would hold off until after the two concerts we wanted to see tonight. We got great seats in the Bazaar to hear the Belfast Cowboys. We were there early enough that everyone got a turn to grab beverages or a bite to eat. Mike got the new jerk chicken pizza from West Indies Soul and gave it two thumbs up! Kathleen hiked over to French Meadow, and while it’s not far, she had to navigate through the insane Sweet Martha cookie lines, that stretch across the street. She returned holding a vegan ginger apple cake with a plant based caramel glaze. I’m not sure how they do it, but it was delicious! We settled in as the concert began.

We listened to the band full of great entertainers but kept one eye on the sky. We were checking radar regularly and getting messages from home, but when the state fair blue shirts came to close up the sound booth that was our cue to get moving. Elysia had already left since she didn’t want to be waiting for a park & ride bus if everyone was evacuating.

Mike wanted to catch a little bit of Caitlin Smith, performing at the Leinie stage so we stood at the back and listened to a song. Kathleen was keeping a close eye on the storm timing and encouraged us to move quickly. Just as we headed towards the gate we heard Caitlin say that due to the weather the concert was ending early. I guess she played one more song, but we were already halfway back to our cars when the rain started.

Instead of staying put and waiting it out, we decided to drive home. The deluge started a few blocks into the drive. Lexington Ave was quickly overwhelmed with wind and water and made for a slow, wet windy drive. Kathleen was messaging to say there were tornadoes being reported so no stops on the way home.

Once safely home, I was getting reports and videos from friends who were still at the fair. Everyone was sheltered safely and no one was injured.

The next morning I got up early to watch the news and see the damage reports. Kathleen was correct and tornadoes did touch down on a path just a few miles south of the fair. Other than flooding, lots of puddles and a few branches, it sounds like the fair fared ok. All the concerts, including the Grandstand Show were canceled though.

I spent Sunday morning catching up on the blog and laundry, heading over just before my shift at the Alphabet Forest. My parking host, Sonja, was headed in too, so we walked over together. We discussed our storm stories on the way.

I have not yet made it through security without setting off the sensors. Today was no exception. I guess I’m glad they’re sensitive, but I can’t figure out what is setting it off. I have removed a back up phone battery, EPI pens, and sunscreen with zinc. No definitive answers yet.

We both walked up Cosgrove, with time to sit and watch the parade. Today a new parade unit is the Aurora Mascot. I’ve never seen it before!

The roller girls were present for the first time this year

A cousins cousin’s kid was marching in the Crookston band. I think he’s in there!

I’m still wondering where all the horses are….

As I suited up in the cabin there was discussion about the storms and a crazy thing I learned was that there were lots of reports of screaming when the storm started. Some of the screaming came from the people stuck on the Giant Wheel! It takes around 45 minutes to unload a wheel full of people. Apparently nobody made the decision to close it down, which I would think should happen at the first sign of lightening!

Today is oppressive, with more storms in the forecast, and 90% humidity. You can see I’m already drooping. My volunteer buddy and State Fair Co-junkie Bree, was volunteering at the crown box station and I was her replacement.

I donned my red apron, stashed my stuff and just as I was taking over, two of my favorite kids arrived!

I grabbed one of the favorite books we used to read together when they were my toddlers. Now they can read along with me!

The girls had lots of fun in the Forest and made a side trip to the Glamping spot next door and returned with these beautifully decorated faces!

My heart was full with the big hug I got before they continued on their fair adventures.

Mike & Kathleen had been out all day and stopped up to say hi after they waited in long lines for the pickle pizza. They really liked it! Mike said you could tell the crust was made with a little love! As they were getting close to the purchase point, a lady walked up and offered to pay for their pizza if they bought a slice for her. She was at the end of her day and heading out with her kids and couldn’t wait in the line. Mike figured it was a win-win and totally helped her out.

Since Day One, Randy has been hoping for sweet treats to appear when I return home. The crowds, lines, timing and weather all but made it impossible.

After my shift today, I was hot, sweaty, tired and smelled bad. I thought it was best for everyone if I went home! Despite the weather, it’s still a weekend day and the fair was busy, but I decided I would attempt a treat run anyway. Elysia was on the grounds with friends and texted me the north end Sweet Martha report…”it’s busy”.

Trying to fulfill Randy’s cookie dreams I decided to attempt navigating Sweet Martha Alley AKA Carnes between Underwood & Nelson.

Tipsy Pies was on the path so I stopped for my daily pie! Sara has a new one this year. It’s called Minty Magic Tart and it’s like a grasshopper in a pie shell with cream and Andes mints on top. If ever I was to forgo my usual blueberry and try one, today was the day. It was a yummy, cold, refreshing treat before walking into hell for cookies.

Sara took this picture of my haggard self with the pie!

As I ate my pie, I learned about the confusion in the food building the previous night. The storm hit just as the building is supposed to be closing. Staff people were closing the big garage doors, as fairgoers were trying to seek shelter inside. I know the announcements at the Leinie Lodge instruct people to go the Food building or Ag/Hort. It’s lucky this storm wasn’t worse! Might be time to revisit the plan!

Feeling a bit cooled and fortified, I walked down the hill and didn’t get far before I took a quick picture and retreated. Getting cookies today was a big NOPE!

I turned and saw the lines for donuts were much smaller so Randy would have to settle for a bucket of minis.

Randy was happy enough with the donuts, and I promised to bring cookies home on a less crowded weekday.

I don’t usually blog anecdotes that I didn’t participate in, but a story from Mike and Kathleen’s fair day was too funny not to share!

They told me that earlier they chanced upon the WCCO live broadcast of Esme Murphy interviewing Governor Walz. They sat on a bench right behind the stage to listen. Mike had half a cup of cold coffee that he decided to dispose of. He walked to the closest trash barrel and knowing (from experience) that liquid in trash bags just makes them heavy and leaky, he poured the contents on the ground, (most of it pouring down the side of the white barrel) before tossing the cup. The entire time Kathleen is watching Mike do all this, ~live~ on the huge TV monitors, oblivious of the circumstance. Mike sent me the video clip of the interview and told me to fast forward to see his Forrest Gump impersonation! I took a screenshot of the incident, laughing the entire time. Kathleen is sitting on the blue bench, hidden behind Esme. I’m sure her palm is planted firmly on her face!

I spent some time blogging and headed to bed late as the next round of storms fired up, hopefully bringing with them the promised cool front for the coming days.