Borrowing a newly-learned term from my horse friends, we hauled in with just about 12 minutes to spare before our free tickets expired. That was mostly planned. There did seem to be a conspiracy of red lights, fire trucks, slow moving vehicles, and strollers, but maybe that was just my imagination.
The day did have a few mishaps.
Sometimes it takes a day or two to get in the groove of Fair
The first was when I was getting in our car in the garage. My sprained knee from June is healing so well, I sort of forgot I still have to be mindful of it. So when I got into Rob’s car the “old” way, my knee wiggled just enough to remind me we aren’t quite done yet. It took most of the 35+ minute drive to the Fairgrounds to shake off the rush of adrenaline. I’m relieved to say, though, that other than figuring out how to navigate picnic benches and bleachers, my knee was a champ.
I also had a zipper break on my Fair Swag Bag early in the evening, putting my valuables like my cash, my phone, and my ChapStick at risk. Rob did his best to fix the zipper but I think I’ll have to resort to Plan B as soon as I figure out what that is.
I brought an old camera that is a little finicky since I dropped it at last year’s Fair. I thought it wise to use it instead of its replacement in case I, you know, drop it again. Brilliant planning, except that I missed any number of shots today because the camera’s zoom was doing that funky in-and-out thing again while reminding itself it really does still work. So it is going back in the closet and the more reliable replacement shall be enjoying the rest of the Fair with me instead.
And, most embarrassing Rookie Move of the day: I forgot to bring a sweatshirt. Although the day was rather warm, we actually had to leave the Fair about an hour earlier than planned because the wind picked up and I was getting goose-bumply. Leave the Fair early cuz I was COLD? Really?? Good grief. You’d think I’d never done this before!
Friends, friends, and more friends!
Aside from all THAT, the day was very familiar and very comforting. We walked all over the Fairgrounds, doing several loops over the course of the day. We ran into all sorts of friends. People from church, neighbors, my Zumba instructor-turned friend from that one ill-advised and highly modified affair I had briefly with the back-unfriendly fitness craze, and a young friend briefly home from college summer school who surprised me near the Milkshake barn. Welcome home, Kailey! And of course, we got to see our friend John whom we met last year. He runs a tourism booth for Mount Hood and last year we discovered a shared love of all things Fair. After being only Facebook friends for a year, it was so fun to see each other in person again!
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| Many thanks to our friend Brian for knowing how to take a selfie with his phone |
Because everyone should take a computer to the Fair
Throughout the day, I paused in whatever shade I could find to write several short blog entries for the newspaper. I say “several” because I have already lost track of what I have written. It’s a fun way to write – on-the-spot as the mood strikes me. And apparently, as soon as the mood has been captured, it is forgotten. Age much? In any case, I just checked. I posted five entries from the Fairgrounds today, plus one recap of the food. Huh. More than I remember. I hope they were entertaining!
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| I may not yet know how to take a good selfie, but I am VERY proud that I have figured out how to use my phone as an internet hot spot. Old dog learning new tricks right here! |
They aren't kidding around
We spent some time hanging out with our friends at the Goat Showmanship ring. Although in theory we were there to watch the Pygmy Goat Fitting and Showing, we mostly just chatted and got caught up on all the dish of Life with 4-H Kids. Trust me, it is not without its drama. Perhaps it’s because it is filled with teenagers? In any case, I do know that this goat won.
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| I am inspired by how confidently this goat is owning her salt-and-pepper hair |
Those who can, can. Those who can’t, take pictures
Late in the afternoon, we wandered into the Exhibit Hall to see how my entries did. I usually like to wait a few days, to let the suspense build. But that has back-fired in prior years when friends notice my entries and comment on them.
I was absolutely THRILLED when I finally found my two canned entries and both of them had blue ribbons!!! Yes, ME! I got blue ribbons for something I did in the kitchen!! Hold on while we wait for the world to start spinning again. Yes, my “Zesty Tomato Salsa” and my “Pickled Jalapeños” both got me blue ribbons and some amount of cash that I will find out at the end of the Fair.
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| WHOO HOO!!!! |
Before you think I need to ditch my Disaster in the Kitchen title, though, I do need to point out that my entries were judged on looks alone. The judges did not open my jars and actually taste my Zesty Salsa (which was actually disappointingly mild despite the lofty heat promises in the recipe). Nor did they taste the jalapeños which are honestly a little mushy the longer I wait to open them.
I’m guessing my carefully chosen jars were instead judged on color, attractiveness of ingredients, how well packed they were, and head space. And by that I mean how much room was left at the top of the jar between my creations and the lid.
I am very proud that I thought to consult my Blue Ball Canning Bible before culling through our pantry to remind myself what a “half-inch” headspace looks like. I unspun every ring to find the closest example I could find of each. Good thing I did because I can now officially brag that I have Award Winning Head Space! Take that, Mensa!
In other news, apparently my photos still suck. So disappointing. Since I actually have to lay out cash to print the pictures in big sizes and properly mount them on special foam board, I think my Photo Entry days may be over. In a statement that is bound to stop the world again for just a moment more, I think I will stick to canning entries from now on.
These kids dress better than I do
One of my favorite events of Day 1 of the Fair is the 4-H Fashion Show. Kids compete in two different events. One is where they go shopping and put together an outfit that they model. The other is stuff they sew themselves and then strut across the stage showcasing the benefit of tailored clothing. I always look forward to seeing Miranda, a now 17-year-old whose confidence on stage I shall envy as long as I live. That and the girl can totally rock a sewing machine.
It is also adorable to see the little kids wander around the stage wearing a new outfit that may or may not have been put together with some slight oversight from Mom.
And then there are the handful of boys who are man enough to be in a fashion show. One of then won second place for his purchased outfit that he intends to wear to interviews for construction jobs. A family member from the crowd shouted out, “It was the Romeos!” (Note to non-farmy friends: Romeos is a very popular brand of mucking farm shoe. I got a pair once and they made my plantar fasciitis really mad. So much for my attempt to blend in despite not having anything to muck.)
Even better, though, is when you personally know one of the fashionistas. My good friend Mikayla is very talented with a sewing machine, and can strut her stuff across the stage with confidence and ease. She made a beautiful skirt in a just a few days and paired it expertly with a scarf I totally want to borrow. Although she didn’t win a big ribbon in this event, I want to be Mikayla when I grow up.
Siri must be younger than I thought
The fashion show ran a little late so we didn’t get to the free evening concert until after a few songs had be belted out. Surprisingly, our favorite seats were still available and there were no crowds waiting for me to figure out how to navigate the stairs in the Grandstands. While good for me, I wasn’t sure how much Kansas appreciated the somewhat thin crowd.
Turns out, the classic rock band from the 1970s seemingly had a great time, as did the fans who came to revisit fond memories from concerts past.
There is a section of seats right near the stage that you can pay extra for; otherwise the concert is free in the stands. The pay-extra section was sold out and I gotta tell you, those fans were rockin! They were dancing, singing, pounding their arms, capturing the moments on their phones. And the band seemed to feed off their energy, which was very cool. Despite myself, I found myself tapping my feet along to most of the songs. I really enjoyed the fact that a violinist is part of the band. That’s my favorite instrument to listen to and it added a richness and complexity I wasn’t expecting.
Rob knew a number of Kansas songs since he owns their Greatest Hits album. I knew two songs. You know them, too – “Dust In the Wind” and “Carry On Wayward Son.” Turns out my fancy iPhone, however, had no clue.
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| Yes, I told my phone my name is Hot Stuff. What of it? And btw, the song was "Carry On Wayward Son." |
A new experience in rebellion
So the Gas-X blessedly kicked in last night and I was able to crawl back into bed and get more sleep. I am coming back at you now at a more reasonable hour of the morning. I think I only lost a couple of hours of rest due to my body being really mad at me. Although I am probably the only one who is shocked, I am still mystified that I am only one day in and I already feel so icky!
The thought of food right now – the Morning After -- makes my tummy turn. There’s not a lot left in it and I am at a loss as to what to give it. Yes, I am a bit concerned.
Rob just gave me a pep talk in gastrointestinal care. He assures me that if I go slow and don’t panic as my stomach settles down today, I will be back in the Feasting Game by tomorrow. I do take it as a good sign that my stomach has now moved on to simply gurgling. The burping last night was not pleasant and I kept tasting hot dog and mint, neither of which I ate. I am so confused.
But rest assured, I will soldier on while at the same time trying to learn how to navigate this new world of Fair Food Rebellion. Wondering how I got to this compromised, nauseated state? Wonder no more. See the photos below (of me eating the food, not of last night’s adventure with it).
Fair Day Data
- Total walking logged on my pedometer: 3.77 miles
- Time at which we saw the first purchased Magic Broom being carried around: 4:43pm
- Re-entry hand stamp: sheep
Fair Food Feast Parade!
(Not pictured: pain medication for knee and back, two Tums, one late night Gas-X)
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| The Cordon Bleu grilled cheese sandwich from my favorite find from last year. Grilled chicken, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, and Dijon mustard. SO fancy and SO good! |
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| Conveniently located next to the grilled cheese place is the home of this refreshing fruit drink. This one is the Northwest Berry with blackberries and raspberries. SO tasty, rather healthy, and a bargain (for the Fair) at just $4! |
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| I did not pose for this picture. MMMMM.... CORN!!!! |
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| Decided to start with one of my favorite combos -- cinnamon and pineapple. Not enough syrup by the end. It's ok, they are still learning there in the giant sno-cone kiosk. |
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| It's really hard to take appropriate photos while eating food on a stick. Nevertheless, very tasty chocolate dipped frozen banana from the vendor next to the grandstands entrance |
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| This may have been when I started to fall. Excellent fried chicken from the Lions Booth but when was the last time I had fried chicken!? Like a year ago. My poor tummy. |
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| I should have stopped before I indulged in this late night deep fried cookie dough. It was SOOO good though! And Eric recognized me from last year! |
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