Saturday, August 5, 2017

FAIR 2017 ~ Day 1

Oooh, doggies it was a hot day today! A weather station near the Fairgrounds said it got to 98 degrees, which actually was about 7 degrees cooler than it was a few days ago. Hello, record heat wave!

The air quality has been miserable, too, due to some really big wildfires up in British Columbia. Rob keeps having flashbacks to his days as a kid in the uber-smoggy Los Angeles of the ‘70s. Yesterday was apparently akin to Stage 1 Smog Alerts of his youth. He was wistful; I was horrified. But at least my eyes didn't burn.

Either way, we were both delighted and grateful when a breeze appeared out of nowhere (well, ok, the northwest) this evening and started ushering out the smoke and cooling things down a bit. Too bad The Fair was already pretty empty by then.

Yep, I’m gonna guess that this year’s Opening Day of The Fair was one of the least attended in a number of years. Between the heat and the icky air, lots of people seemingly stayed home. The lack of people certainly didn’t get in our way of enjoying the day. But it did make it seem a little less festive and celebratory. I'm hoping things stay cooler and a few more people join in the fun.


A few changes
As we do, we spent a good chunk of the day taking a meandering tour around the fairgrounds to see what's new, what's old, and what's missing.

Among the new is deep fried chocolate dipped marshmallows at the Deep Fried Heaven Truck. YUM! I think. I hope. I will be reporting on them in the days ahead.

Also new is a donut truck. It was pretty lonely all day cuz really, sweat and maple glaze don’t mix well. We will definitely give them a try when temps cool down.

My biggest disappointment of a favorite that is missing is the delicious grilled cheese sandwich booth. When I get a Smasher drink from the booth that has been next to the cheesy goodness, I’ll ask Stan the Smasher Man if he knows why I am being deprived of the ooey gooey Rancher grilled cheese sandwich. BOO!!

Looking…eventually…beyond food, I am also sad that there’s not a big draw on the west end of the Fair this year. Past years have had a seal show, a monkey show, and the piratey parrot show. This year there’s a large patch of dirt and a guy who carves Sasquatches out of tree trunks with a chainsaw. Don’t get me wrong, that does sound mighty intriguing and we will be checking it out. But the guy looked really lonely and I didn’t see any show times listed so I’m not sure if it’s a show or a showroom. Stay tuned.

Either which way, without a clearly lively attraction down there, the west end of the Fair felt sort of abandoned. I feel bad for the vendors on that end. Time will tell if I eventually feel bad enough to sympathetically buy a Seahawks flag or pay $20 to jump on a trampoline or find out if I’m going to Heaven.


Life lessons from goats
We ended up spending a couple of hours hanging out with the Goat People. That’s not unusual for us since we have some good friends that were in 4H goating for years up until this year (hi, Ramona!). But now that Natalie and Kyle have aged out of 4H, we were relieved to discover some other friends are just starting their goat adventure. How awesome that as one goat gate closed another one opened! Thank you, Goat Gods!

Today was Jaiden and Xander’s very first day EVER being in 4H at the Fair…with or without goats. We wanted to be there to support and cheer them on, especially after we learned from their mom yesterday about the very tough day they had pre-Fair.

Turns out Xander’s baby goat got sick a few days ago and the vet recommended that not only that goat stay home, but Jaiden’s baby goat as well. Given the goat’s age and the sudden digestive issues and heat, it was really in both animals’ best interest to skip the Fair this year. You can imagine the disappointment and tears. Jaiden and Xander were pretty upset, too. All that hard work and preparation suddenly for nothing. No Fair, no fair.

But then Xander…who is one of the wisest 12-year-olds I know…rallied after a few root beers. He lead the conclusion that there was still much he and his older sister could offer their fellow goaters. Even if they couldn’t show their own goats, he and Jaiden could help show other goats and help keep the stalls clean and help get goats prepared for showing. And maybe even in the process, they could learn a few things about how 4H works and what it’s like to be in the show ring and test out if this goat thing is really something they want to do.

I want to be like Xander when I grow up.


Not their goats but they both did a fantastic job first time
in the ring.  From my vast experience watching such things
while sipping on a cold beverage.


There's more to judging than judging
While we were waiting for Xander and Jaiden’s first ever turn in the show ring, we got to watch a judge and an apprentice evaluate several other classes of goats and their human handlers. Some were experienced, some were brand new – both the animals and the 4Hers.

Although I couldn’t hear what she was saying, I was so dang impressed by how the judge interacted with the kids. She introduced herself, shook their hands, maintained eye contact, treated them like adults.

But she also smiled easily and laughed when the baby goats dug their hooves in the hay and had to be dragged around the show ring. (Soooo dang funny and adorable! The dragging, not the judge.) She bent down to chat at eye level with the young kids and gave them high-fives when they answered questions correctly. She was encouraging and supportive and I’m betting a lot friendlier than any of the kids were expecting.

I can only imagine how terrifying it must be to be a young kid in a show ring with a judge. I get pretty freaked out as a middle-aged woman largely providing comic relief in open class with llamas. But this judge seemed to know exactly how intimidating she was and worked very hard to put the kids at ease and make the experience more positive and less nerve wracking.

Oh, if only she judged llamas, too.

High five, judge lady!


Bench Friend
After several hours of heat and sweat, we finally flopped into the Big Air Conditioned Building for some cold water and our favorite bench. The wooden bench sits amongst the quilts and faces the main entrance. It's a great place to watch for friends wandering through.

The bench was already occupied by an older lady but she kindly offered to share. We chit-chatted for a bit.

She has come to the Fair every year except one since 1954. She used to live right next to the Fairgrounds and wandering around today brought back lots of childhood memories. She is sad to see things like quilting and canning and sewing give way to more commercial things but understands that’s the way of our world today. She had already had a milkshake and was suitably impressed by the photo I shared of our afternoon snack (see Fair Food Feast Parade below).

She offered to show us what she had purchased along her day; we of course eagerly said yes. She produced a metal art wall hanging of some eagles, a quilted set of potholders with bears on them for her brother who hunts, and a lovely flowery throw pillow. When I asked if she knew right were she was going to put the eagles and the pillow, she smiled sheepishly and said no. She just bought them because they made her happy. And I suddenly got the sense she might have been sad for a while.

I didn’t get her name and I don’t know if I will ever see her again, but for those few minutes on the bench, I felt like I had a friend and that I was being one.

This is why I love coming to the Fair multiple days, to allow space and time and openness for random connections and conversations.



No fashion sense
As is our tradition, we settled in for the 4H Fashion Review at 6:00pm. It became a fast favorite years ago as soon as we discovered it is a fashion show of 4H kids in clothes they make and outfits they buy and put together themselves. Watching mostly awkward kids do their best runway struts is adorable and highly entertaining.

I am always amazed by the sewing these kids do. I can barely hem Rob’s pants and most certainly can not hem them without a few saucy words being expressed with gusto along the way.

This year the kid creations included a prom dress with some sort of sheer, embroidered overlay; a vest with faux pockets and a cinch belt; and several dresses involving ruffles and things cut on the bias. Now, I’m not entirely sure what cutting something “on the bias” means, but I get the sense it’s pretty advanced and frustrating work. At least from the murmurings from moms nearby.

All the clothes you see were made by the kids wearing them
except for the two boys -- they didn't make their white shirts
and the older boy didn't make his pants.  Nevertheless... WOW.

I’m still a bit confused by the winner of the Put Together A Purchased Outfit competition. The winner paired a faded blue sleeveless denim top with green camouflage pants and black sandals. When I first saw it, I wondered when the girl was going to change out of her “I’ll just wear this to the Fair because it’s clean” clothes and put on her competition outfit.

When I saw her modeling this hodge-podgy ensemble on stage, I decided it would be a good learning experience for her. Perhaps it would inspire her to start shopping a little earlier next year instead of just grabbing what sort of fit from Goodwill the night before. Going home ribbonless is always inspiring. Trust me.

How this girl not only got a ribbon, but the First Place ribbon confounds me. And several of the parents, too, who seemed to be engaged in a very pointed conversation with one of the judges afterwards.

Ahh, seemingly arbitrary judging criteria. In other news, I did not enter any photos this year.

Can I say that outfit was a hot mess?  I mean, it was
90something degrees...


STATS

Number of miles walked: 4.0 miles or 9,579 steps

Re-entry stamp animal: a very inky pig that quickly replicated itself on my sweaty thigh. Twice.

Number of friends we saw: 26 plus the fluffy-hair gal who twirls the sign for Little Caesars on the main corner of our town. Although we don’t technically know Fluffy Hair Girl, she feels like an old friend since we see her so often and occasionally wave.

Number of times we saw Dave and Linda: Dave and Linda are the parents of a friend we go to church with. They are at the Fair every day, too. Linda enters tons (almost literally) of canned goods as well as flowers and plants. Dave smiles a lot. They love the Fair and they wander and sit, sit and wander. We only see them once a year…multiple times per day for 10 days. Today we saw them 3 times, stopped and chatted with them once.


FAIR FOOD FEAST PARADE
Just in case there are any new readers this year, here’s the deal: During the year I have lots of self-imposed food rules. I try to eat healthfully without putting my marriage at risk. I try to forego fattening stuff, fried stuff, desserty stuff except for special occasions and vacations.

But the ten days during The Fair, all bets are off. There are no food rules. Everything is allowed, without guilt and with abandon.

I’ve had a few years that have gotten off to a bad start. Something about pacing?

So this year I tried my best to start slow, to gradually introduce grease and fat and sugar to my system without it rebelling in shock. Although I invite you to judge how well I did, my gastrointestinal system is the ultimate judge. So far, we’re still friends…but it might be giving me the cold shoulder. Or at least a hot throat.

My favorite kick-off to every Day 1 Parade:
Corn dog from the Lions booth.  It was
even better this year.  The hot dog was better --
like all beef and not scary beef parts.

Corn smothered in butter and salt!  This was a particularly
squirty ear.  My master photographer managed to capture
the moment some corn juice squirted in my eye.  YAY FAIR!!

Over-exposed pina colada-strawberry slushy
from the place across from the milkshake barn.
Tasty but it was so hot, the ice melted really
fast and it was more like a juice than a slushy.

My friend John shared some homemade banana bread his wife
sent him to the Fair with.  OMG.  My great-grandmother's
banana bread recipe is my gold standard for banana bread.
This tasted just as good and was even fluffier.  Michelle, I bow to you!
And I sort of desperately want your recipe.

Pineapple-mango-peach smoothie from the
tent just outside the grandstands.  It stayed
colder longer than the slushy and was thicker.
The flavors were fine but I think I might try
the strawberry-banana one next.

Oh, yeah, and it produced a touch of brain freeze.

"Let's get a snack."  This brick of curly fries doused with
nacho cheese sauce and fresh bacon chunks ended up being dinner.
We weren't going to finish it but we sorta almost did.  It was the
best brick of fries we've had at the Fair.  They were cooked all the
way through and were not overly greasy.  Much to our surprise, the
cheese sauce dripped all the way though so even the last fries had cheese
on them.  From the Roadhouse BBQ stand outside the Food Court
south of the Columbian Stage.
Very tasty!  Only problem is...

...I needed two Tums about a half hour later and a third one
a couple hours after that.  I still sort of feel like a brick of fat
is sitting in my stomach.  Mostly because it is.

I had to buy the Tums because I arrogantly thought I didn't
need to pack them in my Fair Swag Backpack this morning.
The little truck selling Tums also sells candy and well...
NERD ROPE!!  I do love me some Nerd Rope!

Trying to help my tummy along a bit more so I gave it a salad.
A Caesar salad with fattening dressing and croutons.
In non-Fair life I give all my croutons to Rob.  Tonight I
ate every last one.  YAY FAIR!!

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