Today is Wednesday, Day 7, the downward slide, only five days remain….vendors are seeing the end in sight, but for me….I usually just think how much I have left to do and see and how little time there is left!  This year, as I walk through the fair with friends & family, following their agendas, grateful for the company,  I’m able to let the urgency of the usual to-do list slide.

Earlier this summer, when the requests for volunteers were being sent out for the fair, I decided I’d better not sign up.  I worried about how hard it would be for mom to manage parking cars, sleeping, seeing all the family, getting safely to and from the fair and getting through her anniversary date, all without dad. I decided that my full-time State Fair occupation would be the care and keeping of Carol Jo.

As hard as this State Fair is, I find peace knowing Mom didn’t have to go it alone.  She was never truly alone with all us kids and her friends and family, but the loneliness without dad was palpable.

This year, I’m less concerned with seeing stuff, buying stuff and eating stuff (although I am eating …and drinking plenty) and more concerned with spending time with people. Enjoying the fair with people who love it as much as I do, and laughing, remembering and crying together!  I am so grateful for all the people who have continually spent time with me and supported me (more than once) this year.  Today was no exception!

Today was forecast to be a weather winner and the clouds were parting the sun was breaking out as I walked through the gate around 9:30. It was going to be another record-breaking day.  I had a couple of missions to accomplish; find the bench that my friend Joan got to remember her mom, get today’s recipe card, remember to take a picture of historical markers as I walk by and see the 4-H Llama show at 6 pm.

I stopped by the Alphabet Forest because I did some recon to find out when he’d be here and got a hug from my forest buddy Tom!

On my way up Cosgrove, I ran into Gayle and her friend Joey and I invited myself to tag along  They graciously accepted me!  Gayle did not know about the Viking penny smashing deal, so we stopped and smashed another one.

Joey got reeled in, hook, line and sinker to the Anderson window sales team…we weren’t sure if we’d get her back.

I ran to grab the recipe cards, Joey made it out alive, and we went to visit their friend Sharon who is a National Park Ranger and had a lovely chat about the Roseate Spoonbill’s recent appearance here in Minnesota!  You never now what you’ll learn at the Fair!

We shared the amazing art that we discovered by youth, submitted through the schools.  Just amazing talents.

Joey was freezing and needed to arm up, so I suggested we zip through the Annex to grab hot soup….and frozen wine.

I took them to see the Tinker toy exhibit too.

We had to check out some creative activity entries by friends and this one I had passed by a few times, but had looked at it, never really seeing it. A camera lens captures the illusion that your eye can only see from a side view.  Pretty amazing.

Fairchild was gleaming in the sun this morning as we made our way down to the Bazaar.

I still had a sore tooth and needed be cautious with hard, crunchy foods, so I stopped for some Island noodles for “breakfast”.  This particular batch had more crunchy broccoli than any I had eaten before…

The vendors here have not really changed over the years.  I did notice a booth with beautiful dishware and it resembles the Polish painted pottery I love so much.  I failed to get a picture, but I’ll go back. I asked the vendor if this was Polish too and he told me it is Moroccan.  I wonder which culture was influenced by which?

The Midtown Global Market vendors changed over this week and the new food offering from Mama D’s is a BBQ Split.  I didn’t want to try it, but a lady let me photograph hers.

You decide.

We stopped by the Russian booth, I always like to see the Matryoshka Dolls.  They had a Trump doll and I wondered if the little one inside his big head would be Putin…  It wasn’t.

They have Winnie the Pooh, The Beatles, Owls and cows!

Ran into these to friends from church  Janet always celebrates a birthday during the fair.  It was today!

The Burrito Mercado booth has new stuff that looks inspired by the movie Coco.

There were lots of beautiful mittens which Joey wished she’d had earlier in the day!

We exited and went down to the animal barns, passing by Steichens General Store.  A little known attraction, if you needed batteries, a lighter or bug spray.

Gayle & Joey needed to see chickens  I already had, but there were some new varieties in attendance today!

Champion Tom

and a goose that wanted my drink!

I ran into these two kids, Megan and Jordan.

Gayle & Joey went over to see baby animals while I was chatting, and on my way to meet them I found the Llama trucks bringing in all our buddies for later tonight!

Gray checked in from college to let me know their final dorm move was going well (one that I hoped they could manage so I could opt out of, due to the fair!)  They sent me a dorm picture and I sent them a snapshot of me living the dream, having a margarita and looking at horses!

These are the new Wells Fargo Family Farm horses at the Minnesota Zoo.  I asked about Duke & Prince, if they were still with us, and they are. completely retired living their best lives out at the zoo farm.

Gayle & Joey are active Pokemon Go friends and I have been slacking for the last year, due to other family, work, school and puppy issues, but they helped me catch a few new pokemon today.  This one is known as “Drunk Panda”  Gayle suggested it was my State Fair spirit animal!

We headed to the West End to get beverages, I tried the Frozen BudLimearita, and it’s a malt beverage, not my favorite, but it’s something that’s not~ beer down n the west end.

We ate some bull bites from Lulu’s ad then chatted with Sarah @ i like you, and Joey bought a couple awesome t-shirts.  I told her maybe next year she needs a shirt that says “Here’s the deal…”  i like you has the best t-shirts at the fair! (and a great coupon too!)

We strolled through Dan Patch park and I said hello to one of my favorite children’s authors David LaRochelle.  He was there with a walk through version of his new book,  “Isle of You” and lots of other fun activities for kids of all ages.

We decided to check out the Grandstand, so we walked up the ramp ( my suggestion as I wasn’t sure how well I’d navigate the steps…) and we wandered looking at all the booths that seem to be the same.  There are some old standby vendors, the cooler guys, the extension cords, the Spectacle shoppe and others, but there are a bunch of new “Minnesota” vendors that, to me, seemed to have all the same merchandise, just marketed differently.

The one that stands out is Adam Turman.  At the top of the ramp his booth and art is prominently displayed. His “Abbey Road” art wall has made for fun photo ops!

I bought a couple of dish towels and postcards.

In the center there is a new vendor called Vintage Tin and he takes old suitcases and makes them into speakers!  I’m going to see if I can give him a bunch of old suitcases!

The aisle getting past the “Speakeasy” food vendor up there is too tight so we went around and found the Rainbow Cloud Roll.  A new, ultra sweet, child’s dream concoction this year!  Our teeth hurt watching them make it.  ( Mine especially!)

As we were headed out to the “Veranda” we ran into Allie and her mom Betsy!  What a treat!

They Veranda, after its debut last year has been improved greatly!  It’s a welcoming space with flowers, umbrellas and cute adornments!

Gayle & Joey connected with another friend up here!

We needed sustenance and I wanted pie!  There was a stop for water and bacon at Big Fat Bacon and then to Tipsy Pies where I bought a round at Sara’s for the gang.

I’m blurry…in more ways than one, but this is Sarah’s fun Snapchat filter!

Then Sue wanted to try the Farmer’s Union BLT, She said it was great except for the bacon…I told her maybe she should have saved the Big Fat Bacon and out it on her sandwich!

As I rested on a bench outside the Union, I ran into a volunteering buddy Bree.

She and I have found ourselves working together for the Alphabet Forest and Lyngblomsten, and I first met her volunteering a shift for the Foundation working with dad!  Today she off to volunteer at the Little Hands Farm.  She loves the Fair just like me… she even has ink!

I then saw Laura & Trina, dear Alphabet Forest friends!

I needed to consume more than pie & margaritas, so I parted ways with the group and found a foot long hot dog and made my way to the Midway to find my brother Mark and family.

They were having a lucrative adventure in the Midway!

I also was sitting on a bench where my dear friend Jeannie found me!

Andrea was back on the grounds tonight and stooped for her favorite pretzel dog

and joined us for the standing around, trying to get moving to the Llama show portion of the evening!

The weather was beautiful, and I reminded myself to relax and enjoy the scenery!

Allie showed me the cute water bottle she found in the Grandstand earlier  She did not know the Sloth was our family mascot!  And this has a very good reminder message for me today!!!

There were many tickets to use up and the best way to guarantee a win, is if everybody sits down at the same game and fills it up and gives the prize to whoever wants it!

I was pressuring the group to get moving so we would have time for a food and beverage stop before the Llamas, but this family does not move as rapidly as I do.

We did finally make it to the Llamas and they did not disappoint!

We learned from last year, it is better to sit outside the gates watching them enter, than to be inside, where you can’t get a good picture.  As we were there, who should walk up, but Ian Leonard, wearing his Pantini Pants!  Channel 9 meteorologist, but better known to this family for his Bad Pants Open!  Ian is a huge supporter of Minnesota Special Olympics and the Leonard and Kelsey Families have bonded through their involvement over the years.  He stopped to talk and share a moment with Alec and Allie until his camera man summoned him with a job to do, covering the Llama show!

We didn’t stay for the whole show, there are three or four heats. but we walked over to where the next group was staging

and then walked inside to see another group preparing!

The end game was food at Dino’s for Mark, and he was in the slowest moving part of the group, so Andrea & I found Kim and we started walking up to Dino’s.  We stopped for a rest on a log behind the DNR and Andrea took a moment to climb the ranger tower!  There was no way, after all the standing around and knee tortured stops and starts today I could make it, so she took a couple of pictures for me and of me!

As the three of us made our way out the DNR courtyard, there was a two-man, street clearing, fist fight occurring.  The police were on their way, and we didn’t stick around to get the whole story, but we witnesses some handcuffing and resisting of arrest..   I don’t think these guys will be in the Mini Midway jail…these guys are headed to the county lock up!

We made it Dino’s, with the crowds pressing in and very little space to move or eat.  Mark was so hungry and eating rapidly, accidentally made his own street pizza!

I left the family on a planter curb, promising to connect up at the Hangar later, and Andrea and I went to say hello to Mary and her friend who had just landed.

As I hugged and caught up with them, I got a message that Bart & Sonja had a table in the Ball Park to begin their 20th Anniversary State Fair celebration!

I had to get a picture of them sharing the 20th Anniversary with the Ball Park Cafe, not truly believing that it’s been here for 20 years already!

I found an old neighborhood and high school friend Troy and his wife enjoying the Ball Park too.  They had two friends along who had never experienced the Fair before! I hope they left with nothing but good memories!

Michael & Kathleen has just landed on the grounds and stopped by on their way to food  beverages.  Bart & Sonja were off to enjoy their evening together…and I had no idea where Mark & family were.  I sat on a bench, just watching people for quite some time.  My knee hurt, my feet were sore.  I’d put on over 100,000 steps in the last five days.

I knew (hoped) the family was heading to the Hangar so I slowly made my way up to the north end.  I thought about looking for a trolley, but I would have had to walk out of my way to catch one and they run intermittently and end service altogether around 9. Mike & Kathleen appeared behind me as I walked and we all made it the last set that Kim’s friend Billy Johnson was performing. Mark was making the best use of the Midway winnings

The lines were long and really slow, even at this time of night, but we did get some brisket sliders and had a beer before we all made our way home together.

On the way, we ran into one more couple from church and added them to the list of friends at the fair today!

Tired, filled with love, support and wonderful memories, we headed back to the house.  None of us went inside.

I spent the day traversing the fair, ened to end to end again and failed to find Joan’s bench and get the remaining photos for the historical markers…a task for Thursday.

Woke up early because….well…puppy.  I’m not sure I’ll sleep in again in 2018.  Gray (my youth) was supposed to arrive from St.Olaf via the Northfield bus.  They missed the early one and was now scheduled to arrive around 11.  I took the opportunity to get the blog started.  This is a time-consuming process.  I’m a slow, error prone typist who struggles with coordinating Google photos, photo editing and collage apps.  I made blog headway, and retrieved the youth from the bus stop in the pouring rain, returning home to continue blogging and prepare for an afternoon at the fair, rain or shine.

While unattended, the puppy decided to dig a hole to China in the newly rain-soaked back yard.  The mud was overwhelming, but with help from Gray, we cleaned up the dog and the house and departed for youth shoe shopping, lunch, a dental appointment and rain poncho purchase prior to arriving at the fair.

Michael started out to the fair early today and sent out news of his triumphant victory at Machine Gun Alley!  He won a drone!  

I was feeling like I was behind in my State Fair game, but we finally got over to the grounds around 3:30.

Gray (Stellan) Quale is now 21.  I’m not sure how exactly that happened, but they stepped up to O’Gara’s to purchase their first legal beer.  A Guiness…grandpa would proud.

 

The youth had a food agenda, Michael had no agenda, and I just needed a drink.

We headed to the Ball Park and on the way I remembered to stop into the U of MN booth and visit Sarah K (my graduation assistant!) in the CLA area.  I’m an Alumna now, so I’m legit!  They have a fun photo booth set up and Gray and I jumped in!

I, of course, forgot to take a picture of Sarah!

We stopped by the Ball Park so Gray and Mike could grab a burger, real, good, food.

These two, Nate & Shelly, still smiling!  It’s only Day Two!

With a nice burger base, my two companions wanted to get corn.  I had to stop for Pie #3.  Still Blueberry, and of course, ate it so fast, there is no photographic evidence.  This dear friend Julie can attest to the fact there was a blueberry pie consumed, because I gave her a bite!  

We’re all wet from rain and sticky from humidity, but somehow it’s still a bit chilly out!

Next stop, corn.  Another one of Mom’s favorites!  I brought along dental floss and picks, and was contemplating setting up a side table, selling picks or a foot of floss for a buck, so I could buy more corn!  $4/ear this year, but still so good!  I’m surprised the corn people have not capitalized on this concept yet!  After corn hull removal, we headed over for a margarita slush, or two.  Then to the West End, where the kid wanted to try the Nordic Waffles aka Vafler!  Gray went for the classic berries and cream and it was delicious!  On this rainy day, we didn’t even have to wait!

We ran into the Sue & Andy B. from church and apparently there is a drinking experience going on with a few church participants and I coined it as Brogger Beer Bingo!  They have a chart and list of all the new beers they need to try, and I wanted to know how many it takes to WIN!!

I stopped for the fried pepperoni chips from Lulu’s, and could only eat half of them.  They were not as deliciously greasy as those that perch atop a freshly cooked pizza, which I remove one by one prior to actually eating the dough below.  They were sort of dry but accompanied by a chipotle cheese sauce that made them better.  

Mike and Gray were completely uninterested in sharing them so I dropped half the boat with Sarah Sweet at her i like you shop!  Wished her “Good Fair” and meandered out to try to make a talent show!

After all the walking yesterday, the pace was quite slow and we knew we would not get to the bandshell in time for a 6 o’clock show.  We decided to head to Baldwin Park to catch the County Talent.  We trudged up the wet, soggy, and as Michael calls it, “rained on, street pizza” path but there was a glimmer of sun peeking through!  It might not be a total washout!  There was an act on stage as we waited for the talent show to begin and we just couldn’t bear it.  It was a menagerie of trash band music,  maudlin stories, and a magic act, where the audience had to use their imagination…because it ~really~ wasn’t even an illusion.   We were too tired to sit and endure it for another half hour until show time. Sadly I feel like we’re dropping the Talent Show ball.  Not sure if we’ll ever fill Mom’s talent show shoes!

Concluding there really wasn’t anything else we were hungry for, we made our way back to Mom’s around 7pm.   A text from home requesting cookies came too late and fell on four tired feet, and went unanswered for today, with a promise of donuts or the sought after cookies tomorrow!

A meager 4 miles and 10K steps today,

and this includes walking the dog, aka my black tipped lawn shark.  Here’s Lola!

 

Walking out, I snapped a quick pic of one of the beautiful floral troughs that adorn the main gate.  I should have tken the pics yesterday, as today they are a it tattered by rain and people.  BTW, the grass is almost all gone already and it’s only #2hardday.

 

 

Ending the day at Mom & Dad’s house, without them, pajama clad, retelling the parking stories of the day, and sharing their adventures, is such a very hard thing to do.  Walking by the bedroom window as we make our way up the driveway, there is no need to “be quiet, in case Dad is asleep”  It just makes me profoundly sad.

Despite the tears and sadness, I’ll do it again tomorrow.

#12harddays

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