Oh goodness. What a day. We came home at about 9:30pm. I dumped everything on my new kitchen counter, headed straight to the shower, and then crawled into bed. Beyond exhausted.
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| My version of the First Day of School photo |
Talking to a few other Fair Folks and 4-Hers, Fair Day 1 was
a circus for a lot of people. There’s always the First Day Chaos, but yesterday
was a special version of Tasmanian Devil swirling. We all assume Day 2 will be
better.
Rob and I spent most of the day making sure the Gazebo was
running smoothly. Hence the exhaustion. We arrived onsite about 30 minutes
before the Fair officially opened. There were already parents and littles
stalking the Gazebo wanting Passports. We weren’t ready. But who wants to
disappoint an eager little Fairgoer?
The Gazebo needed some love. Not a lot had happened in it
since last year. Dirt, cobwebs, a dusty box of recycling. We managed to get the
Gazebo into shape almost in time for our official opening, but we were missing
supplies and materials. Marketing Maven Jenny got to test Amazon’s 3-Hour
Delivery service. It worked! Yay for ink pads!
By the time we closed up the Gazebo at 8pm, it was mostly
under control. I walked a few miles over the course of the day tracking down more
Beanie Babies and Passports since we were plowing through both at record speed.
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| Snacking in the Gazebo! |
Shoehorned in amongst the Gazeboing was a little bit of Fairing. We visited our friend Katelyn and met her quartet of cows. Little Apollo is just 3 months old and stared at me with a plea to take him home. He’s got a long 10 days ahead.
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| Poor little Apollo |
I ran into friend Hannah in a restroom. She was with 7-year-old
niece Isabella. I learned that Isabella is in 4-H as a Cloverbud (brand new,
not judged, just being introduced to the program and learning LOTS of rules and
expectations). I was THRILLED to hear that Isabella is embarking on her 4-H
Goat Career! It’s been a number of years since we had Goat kids to root for in
the show ring! We got to be there for Isabella’s inaugural Show Ring
Appearance!!
Rob and I got prime seats, chatted with Isabella’s family, and were totally impressed by how well she and Grace the Goat did. Isabella maintained control of Grace, she was attentive and listened to the judge, and hours of practice paid off as she danced around Grace with grace to keep the animal between her and the judge. We are now officially Isabella Fans! Mom Melissa has been instructed to alert us of all Isabella appearances in the Show Ring. This year and all years going forward.
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| Isabella walked Grace like a pro! |
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| More typical Cloverbud behavior Dawwwww!! |
In the 6 o’clock hour, I snuck out of our shift in the Gazebo
to watch rock star and neighbor Karoline participate in her very last 4-H
Fashion Review. Karoline just graduated from high school (valedictorian, homecoming
queen, drum major, president of multiple clubs, and heading to college next
month to start her path to becoming an ER doctor – ROCK STAR!). This is Karoline’s
last year in 4-H. I know I am not the only one terribly proud and terribly sad.
Karoline modeled the outfit she sewed herself. She made a jeans skirt complete with pockets, belt loops, and gold stitching in all the right places. She paired it with a pleated blouse with a beautiful row of buttons, a collar, and ties in the back. AND. AND. And she made the burgundy pleather purse as an accessory. People, Karoline MADE A (FAUX) LEATHER PURSE! It had lining and piping and handles and a sturdy zipper. I was astounded. I hinted she should open up an Etsy store and sell them. I will buy one. This young woman is simply extraordinary.
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| Karoline did not make the shoes, although I wouldn't put it past her |
I also got to eat a few things. I started slow. I drank a
lot of water. Still had a headache and popped an antacid when I called it a
night. Day 2 will be better.
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| Breakfast of champions! So buttery! And happy I packed dental floss. |
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| Corn dog from the booth across from the Lions people. Fine, serviceable corn dog. |
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| Strawberry Mango Smasher! I had about 5 refills of water in that nice big cup. |
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| Strawberry Blueberry milkshake. A new combo for me. Highly recommended! Lots of fresh LOCAL fruit (sadly a requirement these days). |
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| Chicken Yakisoba from the Noodle Palace. Pretty good! Chicken was moist, noodles were a little too soft, but it was Day 1. Also, sauce was a little too sweet for me but livened up with a big swirl of Sriracha. |
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