We arrived at the Fair at about noon and had an unintentionally very musical day. The fact that the theme of this year’s Fair is “The Sounds of Summer” is purely coincidental.
Love me some old timey old timers
There’s something about a banjo and Dixieland Jazz that just makes me happy and breathe a little deeper. It makes me imagine simpler times and slower paces and life without a little screen in our hands that distracts and commands.
The Fair has a Dixieland Jazz band comprised of Really Old Guys who are super talented. They have several gigs each day scattered around the Fairgrounds. Smart men they, they are always in a shady spot or near the AC.
Although I suppose I could consult the daily schedule for their tour stops, it is infinitely more fun to happen upon them and sit a spell.
We were just leaving the 4-H Cat Barn…where most of the cats were shedding and/or sleeping due to the heat…when my ears perked up to the sounds of a jazzy clarinet. I spied a comfy-enough bench nearby and tapped my foot while the Old Guys played their instruments with skill and finesse. No music sheets needed, only a few words exchanged between them to agree on their next song. They have clearly played together for a looooong time.
I soaked in The Fair as I sat in the shade listening to The Really Old Guys. Red, white, and blue bunting was on the building above their heads, families and teens were laughing while strolling past the milkshake barn nearby, and people of all ages slowed down to hear the music just a little longer. A number of people danced and wiggled as they passed by, confirming that Dixieland is a bit infectious. I leaned into Rob, grateful for Fair.
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| Rob and I are pretty sure we remember there being six guys in past years. We were afraid to ask if we were right. |
Their house must sound incredible
Although we don’t have kids, Rob and I love supporting the kids we know by attending their events and cheering them on. We love it even more when they have some actual talent. I don’t know how some of you parents do it when the kids are trying so very hard but are just sort of utterly cringey. Oy.
We have a set of sister neighbors – Makayla (16) and Karoline (11) – who are very active in 4-H and blessedly gifted in a number of areas. No cringing here!
Today we hung out and watched the girls perform in a musical competition. Makayla played the flute; Karoline played the piano. Both played songs I recognized. By that I mean I not only knew the songs they were trying to play (Hallelujah and Pachelbel’s Canon); I recognized them as they played them. I am here to tell you, that is not always the case with young performers.
We last heard Makayla and Karoline play their instruments almost exactly a year ago. Rob and I were blown away today by how much both musicians have grown over the past year…and we were pretty dang impressed with them before today! We weren’t the only ones with our jaws hanging open. Both girls walked away with big, impressive ribbons and titles. And directives from me to let me know when they have performances at school. Because wow.
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| Rock on, neighbor girls! We'd like to be your groupies, please. |
Zebuuuuuuuu!
Unbeknownst to my non-Christian kid self, there is this cartoon series called Veggie Tales that tells key Bible stories and parables – with some songs thrown in -- from the perspective of a crisper bin of vegetables. Key amongst them are Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber.
Rob and I were indoctrinated into the Wonders of The Veggie Tales a couple of months ago on our last night of Youth Group before summer. The teens picked a few of their favorite episodes and sang along with laughter to their childhood equivalents of “Schoolhouse Rock.” I was enthralled and immediately smitten. The cartoons are adorable and the accompanying songs hysterical and imminently ear-wormy.
I was particularly taken with a song about a cow-like animal called a Cebu (also spelled Zebu). The poor thing has a cold and achoo-moo-moos all over the place. I giggle every time I hear the song, which I have orchestrated to be quite often as I made it my ringtone. Yes, the indoctrination was quite successful.
So imagine my GLEE and uncontained GIGGLES when we were wandering through a cow barn today and discovered a small collection of…. Miniature Zebus!! And not only were the Zebus on site, two of them were hanging out under a sign that said, “Please pet us!”
OMG!
I’m a rule follower, so I gently pushed a few small children out of the way so I could squat down and snuggle with a super duper soft, brown Zebu. OMG! He was SO sweet! As I petted him and talked to him – stopping short of singing to him because I, unlike my neighbors, do not have any musical talent – the cuddly Zebu began to understand my adoration and leaned into me and sniffed my knee.
Rob eventually pulled me away. Something about it being someone else’s turn. I then started my campaign to have a Zebu come live at Woodhaven. Rob is giving me that same look that has thus far resulted in Woodhaven being llamaless. So I’m not optimistic, but I am tenacious. Perhaps I can wear Rob down with my horrible singing.
Zebuuuuuuu!!!!!
(Enjoy the Veggie Tales song here!)
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| The photo is a little blurry but I love it so! Don't we look happy together, the Zebu and me? I'm pretty sure he is missing me right now. I must go check on him tomorrow. I wonder if anyone (Rob??) would notice if I casually walked through the Fairgrounds and out to the parking pasture with my Zebu? |
AARP Dance Party
Tonight’s band in the Grandstands was an old favorite from the ‘70s. Well, for me anyway. None of our (younger...more country...less funky) friends had any interest in checking out a disco band. Well, their loss because KC and the Sunshine Band were a HOOT!
It took me a bit to decide I was going to like the show. I had my eyebrow raised for a spell, as it became clear KC would be accompanied throughout the show by four dancers who had moves not unlike those of strippers. So many hair flips and pole dances.
KC also started off the show telling some jokes. I wasn’t expecting a comedy routine, but I warmed up to him and his humor. Like many of my favorite past-their-heyday concerts recently, KC was endearing as he acknowledged his age (68) and stage of life (aging and achy) and physical changes (a touch of weight gain). He was just happy to be there and likely grateful we had all actually shown up to see him.
The concert was a blast! Most of the crowd would qualify to live in an “active adult community,” with grey hair, a few extra pounds, and a lot of memories of the Golden Age of Disco. KC played his hits and people all over the venue were dancing, singing along, and waving their hands in the air.
I danced in my seat, smiled huge, and enjoyed the heck out of watching a whole mess of seniors boogie their hearts out. There was a woman way at the top of the grandstands – sporting a middle-aged t-shirt and capri pant outfit from That Department in Kohls – whose grandkids would have been shocked to see dancing like nobody (except me) was watching.
I also laughed with joy and appreciation as I watched Green Gene the Dancing Machine live his very best life there on the dirt near the stage. He was probably in his late 50s/early 60s and had his own brand of dance moves. He hopped and jumped and spun around. He picked up his feet and slapped them with his hands. He pumped his arms and elbows like a choo-choo. He just enjoyed every note of every song and I couldn’t get enough of him.
At the end of the show, Rob and I agreed we need to look for more concerts of funky bands from the ‘70s. Between KC and a recent ELO concert, we think we might have found our groove with aging rock stars who just know how to entertain.
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| THANK YOU, Guy in the Green Shirt! Your joy was contagious. I LOVED watching you! |
STATS:
Distance walked: 11,201 steps or 4.6 miles. I’m not really sure how we are walking this much, but it makes my back and tummy happy. My hip flexors, not so much. Hi, 51!
Number of friends we saw along the way: 28. It does help that we know a good number of people involved in 4-H stuff…
Re-entry stamp: A very inked squirrel that needed blotting and has now been mostly showered off. Interestingly, when it was first being stamped on the inside of my left wrist, I thought it was a cartoonish snail. The stamper kid was kind enough to pretend to agree with me that the squirrel’s fluffy tail looked like a snail shell.
Earrings: Snowcones! Sadly, I didn’t get a shave ice today. I planned to but the lines were long. Hopefully tomorrow!
Best Freebie: A very plasticky pair of Ray-Banesque sunglasses courtesy of the local tribal casino. Tempting eyeball cancer…as there was no promise of UVA 400 printed on the specs…I wore them throughout the day because they didn’t make my face sweat as much as the $10 ones I bought yesterday. (Still a bit hesitant to wear my not-cheap ones today.)
FAIR FOOD FEAST PARADE:
I feel like I’ve got a good pace going, although at one point late in the evening I asked Rob, “Have I eaten any actual food today?”
Thankfully, yes-ish
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| Starting off the morning with some sparkling cranberry juice. I gave up soft drinks years ago but I still crave the bubbles. |
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| A NW Berries Smasher to start the Fairing off right! |
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| Chicken strips from the Lions Booth, drenched in a ranch dressing/sriracha dipping sauce. I had to skulk around to nab the sriracha from a yakisoba booth. Love the chicken -- moist and covered in fried crispiness! Mmmmm, FAIR! |
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| Stealing some of Rob's fries from the Lion's booth...but not really since he took the picture. The fries are our favorite - crisp and crunchy on the outside, good potato flavor on the inside. |
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| We happened to be eating nearby so we attended the 15 minute Bug Show. At the end of it, we were offered the chance to eat a BBQ-flavored cricket. I had never had a cricket before, and none of the kids who were trying them were dying, so I decided to give it a go. It was much smaller than I was expecting. I'm not sure if it started out that small or if it shrunk in the BBQing process. |
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| Verdict: I liked it! Like enough to buy a bag of them (which I haven't yet)! It was very crunchy, and a little bit (a leg? antenna?) got stuck between my teeth, but otherwise it was a lot like a BBQ- flavored potato chip. But much healthier, apparently, and packed with protein. I hear they have ones covered in chocolate, too. Hmmmm.... |
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| Caramel apple sliced by the vendor. It was still a sticky mess, but a lot less drool. TMI? ANYway, very tasty! And my new filling didn't get pulled out by the caramel that coated my teeth. Score! |
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| Working very hard at getting the thick Cookies-n-Cream with Strawberries milkshake through the straw. My favorite shake combo did not disappoint! |
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| My llama friends offered me a sour llama gummi. It was pretty tasty but I was conflicted by the fact I decapitated a llama in the taking of this photo. |
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| Potato chips! Usually a no-no but not during Fair Fair! Nice and salty but the bag was so very full of air instead of potato chips. Boo! |
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| Sort of attacking a pastrami sandwich from the Church Ladies Pie Booth. I love their sandwiches, mostly because they add some sort of mayo spread on it that I normally wouldn't allow myself to eat. |
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| My candy addiction is allowed to come out and play during the Fair. I love all things tart, tangy, and sour. Nerd Rope is a favorite and I only have it at the Fair. So grateful for the little Candy Truck of Fun near the coffee stand. |
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| Capped off the day with a deep fried brownie from the Deep Fried Heaven Truck (aka Sweet Cheeks). Rob and I shared it. It was so good! But we should have asked for a warmer one. I like them gooey. |
2 comments:
I LOVED KC & the Sunshine Band! My husband and I were in the second row & had a blast. And unbeknownst to me, my high school friend from NYC was in town to see his friend Harry Casey (KC). Upon finding out via FaceBook that we were both in attendance, my friend invited us backstage but were already home...boo hiss! And even worse, we were invited to spend the rest of the evening partying with them in Portland, but my husband had just left for the grocery store when I received the text. Dang we missed out - but it's probably OK as at 55, I'm just too old for a nightlife past 9 pm anyway...LOL But KC was sure a hoot dancing like he was in his 20's still. Plus I was shocked to find out his older back-up singer/dancer is 58 years old. How does she do it? And how does he without passing out, getting dizzy or simply falling over his own feet. Amazing! And I'm with you, those 1970's & early 1980's bands are much more fun.
OMG, Carol! What an experience THAT would have been, to have partied with KC who truly doesn't seem to act his age! I agree -- his dance moves were so fun to watch and so impressive. And my jaw is still dropped that one of his back-up dancers -- ANY of them -- is 58. WHAT?!? I have had too many body parts fail on me and require surgery to tempt the Orthopedic Gods by asking them to jump and spin and pole dance. More power to her!!
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