FAIR 2016 – DAY 1

The Fair is FUN! The Fair is FUN!

Truly, today was a great day! Not having the weight of the newspaper to write for was such a gift! Yes, it was one I gave myself but I am so grateful I realized the passes and free parking and mild recognition were not worth the toll the obligation was taking on my full embrace of FUN and all things FAIR. WHOO HOO!

Before we even left the garage, I was already smiling big at my decision because my Fair Swag Bag was so much lighter! Without my mini laptop shoved in there, I barely noticed I was carrying something on my back. I twirled around next to the car as Rob looked at me with that “I love that she’s so goofy” smile he sometimes (often) gives me as I sang, “I feel so light! I feel so light!” I meant it literally but it turned out to be a true statement about my spirit as well.

GLIPMSES OF TODAY:

Easing into things
Without a need to start writing before we even left the house, we ended up arriving in the hinterlands of the parking pasture about 40 minutes ahead of schedule. Instead of our typically panicked trot to the Yellow Gate with our soon-to-expire free passes in hand, we casually strolled to the more popular Green Gate, pausing to take a picture and enjoy the 5 volcano view. How novel to arrive at the Fair on opening day without anxiety and mutterings about slow people in front of us!

Though not visible in the photo, we were able to see Mounts St Helens,
Hood, Rainier, Jefferson, and Adams!
Quite visible in the photo:  Happy Toni!

New and old
We took a preview lap around the grounds to take an inventory of what was new, what was gone, what had moved. We were excited to see both the Racing Pigs and the Dock Dogs have returned. Hogs and dogs running fast for treats. I understand that. They might be my spirit animals. Dang bum knee.

We spied a new Mac n Cheese place, a potato-based vendor offering poutine, and an annex of my favorite Deep Fried Heaven Truck. The main truck is in a new and better location; we congratulated Eric when we saw him behind the counter. I truly think he recognized us from the last two years. If not, he was savvy enough to fake it, suspecting we might be lucrative customers. Smart Eric.


Friends, chats, and hugs
Throughout the day we bumped into all sorts of friends. That’s one tradition I love about the First Day. Since you can get in free until noon, it’s Fair Day for a lot of people – those people who confuse me by thinking they can do all the Fairing they need to in one day. So the first day is usually the day we see the most people we know. And most of them ask me about food. That makes me happy.

Today I loved having several meaningful, personal, heart-sharing conversations with some friends over corn and chocolate covered bananas. I was excited to see Dave within our first 15 minutes. He and his wife Linda are at the Fair every day, too, for years and years and years. It’s really not a day at The Fair unless I see Dave and/or Linda. I also had a blast getting hugs from a gaggle of kids from our Youth Group, several of which we hadn’t seen since our summer hiatus began almost two months ago. Getting excited hugs from teenagers is an honor I don’t take lightly.

Friends! I didn't want to interrupt the conversation
with a selfie so this is the best pic I got

Music to blog by
I noticed on the schedule that a pianist that I was pretty sure was at the Fair last year was back. We wandered over to his show and it was indeed Nick Superchi!

We settled in and I was so relaxed and content listening to him play crazily intricate pieces without any music pages. His fingers were flying over the keyboard; more than a few times with his hands crossed over each other. If he had been Bugs Bunny, his hands would have ended up in knots.

My fandom was building and was then solidified when Nick played his own interpretation and reworking of “Lovesong” by The Cure. He may as well have dropped the mic. I was all in.

When his show finished, we went up to buy his two CDs. I told him that I remembered him from last year and was excited he was back. He then floored me by saying he recognized me and thanked me for writing the review of him last year. Whaaat?!? Nick read my newspaper blog last year?? To be honest, I’m still a little giddy. And relieved that he had read the words that I was suddenly too tongue-tied to speak.


I can’t even thread a sewing machine without consulting the instruction manual
Our only Fair Appointment for the day was the 5:30pm 4H “Fashion Revue” which started right on time at 6:15.  Fair Time.  Eh.

The Fashion Revue is a two-part competition involving clothes and modeling. In the first part, the 4Her sews the outfit they twirl and pose and strut in. For the second part, the kids buy and assemble and accessorize an outfit with an eye not only on fashion but also on value.

The Revue has become a favorite due to several repeat participants. We can always count on the young Christenson girl to sew something pedestrian like a fully lined rain coat or a backpack or something on the bias. Miranda is always a show-stopper as she sashays around the stage throwing her hands on her hips and occasionally blowing kisses. And Mikayla is a favorite neighbor who is really annoying me by growing up and looking all adult-like even though she’s only 13.

I don't *think* she made the boots

Please stop growing up. Thank you.

Work it, Miranda!

Delicious irony
Overheard while eavesdropping on one tween 4-H girl to another: “Don’t judge me!”

Isn’t that what the Fair is all about? Isn’t everything Fair about judgment and competition? Any guesses what color most of her ribbons are?


Ignorance really is bliss
We decided our last event of the evening would be our favorite hypnotist’s first show of the Fair. Knowing how popular Jerry Harris is, we arrived early while the show before his was still in progress. It was a band of 5 aging rockers. And by aging I mean they were probably about our age or younger.

They were having a blast wailing on their guitars and drums. It wasn’t hard to imagine them 30 years earlier in one of their parents’ garages doing exactly what they were doing on stage, same head bangs and facial expressions and coolly-in-the-zone lip bites.

As the time for Jerry’s show inched closer, the crowd swelled and was starting to overflow to the side bleachers. The band, however, did not realize that the crowd was there to see Jerry. Instead, they were stoked, man, that their music was drawing in people off the midway!

One guitarist tried to convince the time keeper (unsuccessfully) that they could do two more songs instead of the allotted one. Another band member suggested (unsuccessfully) that if the audience demanded an encore, they would have to abide our wishes.

As the rockers’ set came to a close with enthusiastic applause – because Jerry was next -- one of the guitarists couldn’t bear to leave the stage without taking pics on his cell phone of the biggest crowd they had ever played for. These were followed by selfies with us waving as requested in the background.

The band promised they would be back next Friday night. I suspect they will have a similar experience. I’m sort of hoping they don’t figure out that the fandom is Jerry’s not theirs. Their bubble of excitement and joy and wide eyes would be a horrible shame to pop.

Rock on aging guitar dude, rock on

STATS:

Walked 9,661 steps or 4.0 miles. (The most I’ve done in one day post-op! I’m icing as I type. So far so good).

Re-entry hand stamp = adorable pig

Tums = 2 on the way home



FAIR FOOD FEAST PARADE:

As I usually mention at least once every year, I am typically a pretty healthy eater in the off season. Lots of salads and fruit and chicken and Greek yogurt. Hardly any butter or potato chips or donuts. Never any sour cream or mayonnaise or whipped cream.

But once every year, during The Fair, all rules are abandoned and everything and anything is Fair Game for my tummy and salivating taste buds.

Unfortunately, once I take the brakes off, I have been known to sort of careen off into a deep fried canyon of acid reflux and dry heaves and bloating (hello First Fair Night last year). So in the interest of not being up all night tonight and losing my appetite until next Tuesday, I did my best today to ease into the eating frenzy I wait all year for. So far I am burping mintily but not concerningly. Well, except if you are Rob. Sorry, Honey!

With that, here is today’s Inaugural Fair Food Feast Parade! Please note that unless otherwise stated, I eat and finish everything by myself.

Basic Mac n Cheese with added chicken
from the new vendor.
Verdict:  it's oddly sweet and neither of us
ended up really liking it. Boo.

Corn glorious corn!  Oh how I've missed you.

Deciding the raspberry infused iced tea was less
infused and more vaguely hinted at

 A healthy banana!  Covered in chocolate and sprinkles.
BUT it's a banana!  YUM!

My favorite grilled cheese place is back again!
This was the Caprese - pesto, tomato, and mozzarella.
Highly recommended!  For the fun cheese pulls, too.

Rob and I shared this new offering: poutine!
Actually the best version we've had outside of Montreal.
Fresh French fries covered in gravy and cheese curds.
We will be getting this again.

Capping off Day 1 with a new offering from the
Dairy Wives Milkshake Barn: Gourmet ice cream bars
This was the mint ice cream with chocolate cookies.
I'm still burping mint but it's worth it.
SO TASTY!