Day Ten, Sept 6th, 2010

The last day!  This is traditionally dad's day with Stella on the Midway.  Since we had opened the door earlier on the Midway, the "need to ride" was not as great this year....except there were dark gray skies that created a different sense of urgency!  Breakfast was first order of business, Randy got a foot long and Stella got pizza. :)

We stopped by the AFL-CIO booth, answered questions and got a canvas bag!

We walked through the Ball Park and ran into some friends and then off to Ye Old Mill!  I had to do some research for my cousin Brian at the Tom Thumb donuts booth. I just took pictures, but Randy thought it would be best to do some in depth research.  According to Randy, a good value and tasty!

 We all got wet seats in Ye Old Mill, and the "panoramic views" ( really sort of scary little cardboard things) inside are fewer and farther between.  Still a must do tradition!

 

Off to find a turkey sandwich for Mom ( yes Christie...I had another one!) Randy and Stella had never tried it, so I ended up only getting half a sandwich, but that's OK it left room for one more go at the fried bacon cheddar mashed potatoes on a stick!


I took a picture of Monty's traveling Reptile show simply because this was the first time in 12 years we did not have to go see it!   Funny, I sort of wanted to and Stella said no. 




I went to the coliseum to utilize my extra coupons for butter toffee nuts! I had to walk by the baby animal barns and see if there were any more cows in labor. My plan was to let Randy and Stella head home later and I would just sit with a book and wait for it.  As I walked into the barns the whole labor pen was full of calves.  There were no more cows ready to deliver.  The biggest blow however was listening to the announcer say "you will notice the two calves that are separate in the main pen.  These were twins born yesterday."  Darn Dog. *sigh*

We stocked up on tickets and made our way into the Midway!  The skies were growing darker so we moved quickly to "get er done"  Randy is not a fan of being in the Midway when it is lightening out!

While Stella was riding I needed to find a restroom and found this little gem in the middle of the Midway!  It is a trailer port-a-potty, but once you get in, my is it swanky.


Stella rode every single ride that she wanted. She really loved it when I took her picture too, can you tell by the faces in the photos?










I could not have embarrassed her more though than when I rode the Tilt-a-Whirl with her! 

We all rode the Big Ferris Wheel and Randy did his best to embarrass her too!    Great View from up there!

 I rode ....the Magnum!  Not sure what I was thinking, but it was my last ride

Stella decided to try the Kamikaze (upside down and swinging).  As she was riding it I was telling Randy how Michael likes to hang out under this one and collect money!  Just as I said it, Randy turned, pointed and said "like that?"  and there was a quarter laying on the pavement!

After that  the spinning little Octopus put her over the edge.  I have never seen Stella get ill from rides, but she was not herself!

It was starting to rain so we headed to the grandstand so Randy could get more shirts and I could run a mission of mercy for a friend who needed a new food chopper! On our way up the ramp we saw Amy waiting in line to get a signed football from Chuck Foreman (Vikings Running back from the 70's)  I told Randy I would wait in line for him, but he declined!  I wonder how long she waited! We got into the grandstand just as the rain kicked up so everyone else moved inside too!

We got our shopping done and filled the handy cart I bought on day one!  Stella was starting to feel better after relaxing in the hammocks!  The signs all say "adults only",  but nobody questioned the almost 6' tall girl!  She has always wanted to sit in one! We needed to get up to the pet center so we could get the new dog tag for Bailey.  Randy offered to take Stella up in the Sky Glider, but I had the cart so I walked as they rode.

We met up at the Pet Center and got the new engraved tag, a hot pink bone.  (Now,  I'll need to get some double stick tape so the tags don't make so much noise as they jingle!)  We looked at thet dogs, but it was quick.



I went in search of the Harlequin Romance shirtless cowboy that Amy recommended to me day one.  The guy that was giving out books today was not a hunk, sort of a puny guy in a cowboy hat. He was in fact not shirtless either ( Thank goodness) since it was quite cold and raining!  I took a pic, but did not have the chutzpah to pose with him for one.

We also drank our fill of Ocean Spray Blueberry juice while Stella raked a cranberry bog!  The new Veggie/Fruit juices are good, but I want to get a good look at just how much juice and how much sugar are really in them!

We began our walk towards home and ran into Giggles at his grill.  He and I used to be the big tent event party throwers back in the 80's and 90's, when I worked for Leo and he called me the wristband girl!  We chatted for a bit and then I got a pick of him hawking his new chicken friend bacon.  We did not try it.  I thought Randy showed quite a bit of restraint!

I also found the Joe Mauer photo booth and Stella grudgingly took a photo with him. A guy walking past said " How can Joe be here if they are playing today??  Dude, it's the fair...cardboard cutouts are as close as we get! 

Nothing to see for Randy in the Hall of Technology, but we did get a picture of him under his street sign!  Randy is short for Randall which is his family surname on his Mother's side. His Great Grandfather Eugene Wilson Randall was the Secretary of the State Fair, back in the early 1900's.

William George Hendrickson bought much of the northern portion of the State Fair grounds back in 1860's and built the homestead called the ComoDale house right about where the water tower is today.

Laura Hendrickson, his daughter, (Randy's great grandmother) married Charles Chamberlain Lyford, and their daughter Stella Lyford married Frank Eugene Randall, son of Eugene Wilson Randall.  So there.  Confused yet?  I am.  Eugene Wilson Randall, was also the Dean of Ag College at St. Paul Campus, Hamline University Dean and later the President of Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance.  His great nephew was William Brewster Randall the Ramsey County Attorney who tried the famous Thompson Murder case back in the 60's.  Randy had charts and graphs and photos if anyone is interested!  The ComoDale house was still there in the 1950's, not sure when it became State Fair property.

Randy has no interest in Fine Art, so he found a bench and a malt, while Stella and I checked out all the art!  Stella's favorite was the Hippo!  My favorite was a bowl of colored pencils.  There was also an amazing painting of a State fair scene with the giant slide that looked almost like a photograph!

As were heading home I remembered that we never got the sock monkey hat that Stella liked from day one!  Randy showed me the radar and he and Stella high tailed it back to the folks, as I ran all the way back to the  grandstand to get it!  I made it in and out with my purchase just as the clouds opened up! As I was running out of the grandstand, everyone else was running in. As I hiked up the street and out of the grounds traffic was light as everyone else was seeking shelter.  I was just wet.

I did get my arm stamped as I left just in case!

When I got home, I put on warm dry clothes and sat on the couch.  I never got up and went back.

I have plans for next year already!  I hope Becky and the kids can come earlier so I can spend a whole day with them, I look forward to cousins and family traveling from great distances who I will be glad to take on the grand tour, I will do some French Fry taste testing and I will pray for the ability to take more time off, or get a new job!  LOL  I will see a calf being born, even if I have to wait all day one day!

So here ends Heather's State Fair Adventure's for 2010. 

Stats:  Does it matter?  It's all over now and what is done, consumed, witnessed and walked is irrelevant...until next year!
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Day Nine Sept 5th, 2010

Got up early to get the car back to Mom, but instead of sitting at the Fair with a book waiting for a calf to be born, I came back home to get some things done  ( laundry, dishes,etc,  none of which has been done in 11 days!)

I was getting the blog updated and noticed it was too quiet....No Dog!  She had run away.  My wonderful neighbors and I searched the area. I went driving to make sure she had not been hit by a car before I got Stella up to help me search.  We came upon a couple police officers and I asked if they would keep an eye out and the officer asked me,"is she a friendly dog?" and I said " Yes! to the point of irritating!" I told Stella that driving around was not going to be productive so we should go home and make some fliers and get those out. I also told her I needed to be at the fair by 4 at least, and she looked at me in shock and said "How can you even THINK of going to the fair when the dog is missing?"   (ummmmm.....Does this blog not explain anything????)  After two hours, we figured she had to be with someone, and my smart and wonderful neighbor suggested I check the humane society to at least let them know she is lost and to keep an eye out for her. As I was posting on the lost dog bulletin board I was on the phone to them too.  As I described my dog she said " I do believe I have her right here!"  PHEW!  She is micro-chipped, so note to pet owners, they can't always read the chip! The dog is now a registered offender with the St. Paul Humane Society, with her chip linked to my cell phone.  Hopefully she will not be a repeat offender or we might have to move!.

Mom had filled up the yard again with cars so she offered to come and get me!  We headed over at about 4:30 and needed some dinner! Mom got some onion rings and I got a Gyro...#3? .  I never had time to make fudge today so I bought some on the main floor of the grandstand. We went up to the second floor of the plaza and got in line for the talent show finals.  The gates don't open until 6:30, but you need to be there early to get a good seat!  We join up with a group of people, most of whom,  I only ever see this one time every year!  They are a fun group! We wait in line with lots of people, some of whom are not so patient, and actually get quite surly!  The funny thing is most of them are older with wheelchairs and scooters (I know some day, I too may be one of them), but they are so indignant about people getting in ahead of them.  The irony is my friend David always has his nephew along and once he gets through the gate he runs ahead of everyone to grab us a block of seats!  Maybe if he makes the track team we could get in line much later!  We had excellent seats again this year!

Once in the grandstand we have an hour and a half to wait for the show to start!  The run for food begins!  I don't like to sit that long or I get cold so I offered to run.  The requests were for a turkey leg and corn.

I headed to the turkey leg place outside the west end of the grandstand and they were out!  Must have been a busier day than I thought!  I ran over to the Turkey to go booth ( where they are better anyway) and had to wait there for 10 minutes, they were running out too! I got a free soda while I waited, so that was nice!

The girl working the Turkey booth was ready for the fair to be over I think but I found her very entertaining!  As I stood waiting for the leg I listened to her.  A customer came up with a hand full of quarters to buy a soda and the worker said " I'm sorry we don't take quarters...  just kidding!" she added as the lady got pretty mad.  I thought it was funny!  The next customer asked for turkey sandwich and she said "oh sorry we don't have turkey here", this customer was just confused.  I was laughing so hard I almost spewed my free soda!

I finally got the leg and as I grabbed it and ran I realized half a block away just how hot it was!  I was looking for napkins but no one just leaves them out anymore!  I played hot potato with it in my hand and I ran towards the corn.  The lines were crazy long, but you just gotta know how to do it!  I snuck in to the right along side of the long gator line and scored two tickets in 2 seconds, then edged around the right end of the corn.  A few people in front of me and one lady to my left....the poor lady to my left stood there with her ticket as the others in front of me got their corn.  she said mostly to herself "I must be in  a black hole..." I stepped up and the kid handed me corn, and I pointed to the lady to my left and said she was here first!!  She looked at me with thanks and then when I got my corn, and realized I was out of hands, the waiting lady graciously offered to grab me a stack of napkins!  I took a minute with my cup in my mouth to reconfigure  my hand hold on all the hot food so I could navigate my way back up to the grandstand.

The others had returned from their foraging too, and they had mini donuts, and "World's Greatest" french fries (there is a question as to which are the best, "Fresh" or "World's Greatest"....I see a taste test in the works for next year!) Thank goodness we all sort of share the treats, since David went for the bucket of cookies! Sweet Martha's at Sunset!

  It was a beautiful night for a show, but sort of windy up in the stands.  We were ready for it though with extra layers.  Mom got all her layers on pretty early, and was so cozy she fell asleep for a bit!  LOL



Michael joined us for most of the show,  His first comment was about the big huge distracting lit up Guitars!  Cindy said that they were rather appropriate since it seemed to be all guitar players that night!    

Michael had to go find a taco.  He shared his disappointment with the taco's at the fair.  There used to be a taco place outside the DNR where the spin art is now and since they have gone, we are still in search of a better one.  If you have suggestions of what to try  (I have heard El Sol is good) let us know we will "research" it next year!  Michael said "it's the fair, it should be the best damn taco ever for $5!"

I was so happy to see my talent show favorites sing again in the pre-teen division, Marley and Mariah.  Michael liked them too, sadly they did not win.  Little dancers did.

The show was great.  As we waited for the results Cindy said we should just leave since we are disappointed by the results every year.  LOL  We were a bit shocked to see a group of 5 jugglers win the teen division, (there must be some influence of "America's Got Talent" ) But the Open division winner was a beatboxing kid who was really talented!  He was the only one to get the crowd going!

There was a great fireworks show and quite satisfied with another great talent show experience we headed home!

Day Nine Stats:
Walked only 3.3 miles
Food Consumed: Gyro, corn, turkey leg, cookies, fudge, butter toffee peanuts, french fries, coke, taco, mini donuts.
No free stuff, no cows.

Day Eight Sept. 4th, 2010

The whole family at the fair today for ZUBAZ-On a Stick Day and Cousins, Cousins Cousins! As soon as Randy got home from golfing and I from work, we headed to Moms.  On the way in, there were $25 car parking signs just down the block!  We were grateful Mom saved us a spot in the garage for today!

On our way into the fair, Stella was a bit upset to find as we were entering the gates that in fact "everyone" was not wearing Zubaz.  (as I told here they would be) and she wanted to get them off as as soon as she could! Got a message that Mom and Dad had scored a table at the Ball Park for "Zubaz on a Stick", where people were circling like vultures to watch the Twin's game. They were very glad to see us finally arrive to fill some of the excess chairs!  We all enjoyed a tasty malted beverage and some garlic fries and Stella had a cheeseburger, while reminiscing and swapping "where did those Zubaz come from" stories! Dad was wearing his limited edition "wedding Zubaz" which Dan had made as a gift for the male portion of the wedding party almost 19 years ago! Greg was wearing his very limited edition; half Vikings half Packer pants.  I think they should be called "waffle pants"! Stella, headed straight to the mile long line for the ladies room to change.  She noticed some kids in baseball hats and thought that would be OK, so Dan graciously gave her his last one. Mom thought she'd like a pair of Kim's line of spandex Zubaz wear!  Dad said "Not without the boots"

Whole Family!

Wedding edition on left

 hat happy

Spandex!

"waffle pants"!

Stella left us to find the cousins up on the north end of the fair. As the crowd grew louder as the twins were winning, Mom and dad decided to retreat from the most crowded fairgrounds I have seen yet!  Randy had two goals that afternoon before he left the grounds, one to find a type of dog he saw on the news...all he knew was it was about a block away from the Channel 9 booth and it was not a pronto pup and not just a corn dog.  We found the place and it is called a "Poncho Dog".  Randy got one....pretty much a corn dog.  Goal number two was head up to the Grandstand to find his annual supply of new polo shirts.  He went his way and would head home after, and I went up the hill to find Stella.

Still...yet...again...cell service was terrible out there!  I walked as fast as the wall to wall people would allow and despite trying to call each other unsuccessfully for 1/2 hour we ended up exactly a block away from each other when we finally did get through!  There we found a gaggle of cousins, but half the contingent was on its way out, having had enough of the crowds.  We continued with Becky, Kathy the girls and Eli was along this time, and Becky's cousin Alyssa.

Straight to the Kidway where Stella got to ride the Bumble Bee with Riley.  Camden and Eli went together and Camden made sure her brother did not touch the bar so they would NOT go up and down.  around and around was plenty for her!  The two little ones ran off to a couple other rides and Stella told Riley she would take her on the Ferris Wheel.  As we were about to go to the Big Ferris Wheel, Kathy said you'd better check which wheel Riley has in mind.....turns out it was the little one with six cars that only goes about 30 feet off the ground!  Stella was twice the height limit!  LOL We watched and Riley made a friend in line, Emily, who went with her.

After the rides, This group of cousins was ready to head home and get some food off the grounds, maybe even sit and have someone bring food to them!  I don't understand...LOL  Before they parted our company, we got some pictures of their activities earlier in the day when they went to the Home Depot and built boats!   I remember those days fondly. We had nine or ten boats at one time.  Big Hugs all around for we may not see them again until next year, unless we come to Nebraska for a Go Big Red Game, Camden says they are "mostly they are on Saturdays".

Stella and I began the search for Grandma thinking she had to be at a talent show we went to the bandshell where she was not.  I got a text from grandpa saying she was still at home parking cars!  The parking was at a premium for the Grandstand show  KISS.  She wanted to fill the yard!.  We looked at the time and raced back to the Ball Park and just missed the Zubaz performance of Sweet Caroline at the Karaoke stage inside.  So bummed, I guess they had the entire place going!

We did stop for a the smallest salted nut roll on record this year!  I think they made them half the size as last year, charged the same and stopped offering the coupon.  Not a good deal!  We then had to fill up our water bottles at Culligan.  First time all year!


We knew Grandma would be there eventually so we started walking up the Baldwin Park stage for the county far talent show finals.  Stella mentioned we should see Fine Art and I high fived her..of course!  still on the list!....however we got close to the stage and as we looked to see if Grandma was there we saw David and Cynthia ( talent show groupies like us) were saving a whole bench of seats and invited us to join them!  It was a wonderful thing, Grandma was bringing a chair out with her and we were sure we would be standing for most of it.

We sat down and who should pop in but Matt and Christie!  They had been all over the fair already eating turkey sandwiches, looking for Zubaz people and us,  and they stayed for one act and then moved on to find more fun stuff since they were without the baby!

Stella and I never did get over to see the art, we had a great place to sit,  we were comfortable, Grandma finally arrived and it was a great show!  The little girls I posted about two days ago, with Mary won second place so we will get to see them again tomorrow night at the Grandstand Finals!  Mom and Stella went out to fond some food and warm up a bit by walking around and they came back with something I didn't even know was out there!  Apple dumplings a la mode.  They were basically chunks of warm apple pie with ice cream on top.  Oh My....I ate almost all of Mom's!  Mom ...again forgot her regular glasses...she needs them on a leash.  This time I got a picture of mom wearing her "sunglasses at night"  (later the girls told her she was like the 80's....now I get it!)  It was a little cold sitting on the bench with the blind lady!

As were waiting for the talent show results, who should appear but Mark, Michael and Alec! Stella and Alec are too close in height!


The "plan" was to head to the arcade, but my brother is a tangential thinker so luckily none of the rest of had an agenda...we just followed.  Alec wanted a tattoo, so Mark let him get an airbrush.  I almost went for the Unicorns & Glitter, but knew Mom and Michael were waiting for us out on the street somewhere.

After the Tats, we headed in the general direction of the arcade while my brothers waxed rhapsodic about the loss of Machinery Hill.  Mark could never get used to the "Kidway" concept.

Mark and Alec were hungry (after just having left the Twins game where they consumed jumbo dogs and nachos)  They wanted pizza from Spaghetti Eddies and as we waited for him to find an ATM for more cash, we ran into a grade school friend Paul.  He told us how he "ran into" Gene Simmons from KISS earlier!  Our brush with fame for the day.

After Pizza Mark was still a bit hungry.  We were walking by the Dino's booth and he wanted to go see if "Dino" was there and get a Gyro.  I told him my place ( Dimitri's) was better, but he said knew Dino from his days at Calhoun Square when Dino was getting started and wanted to go.  I thought he was yanking my chain, so I went over with him and asked " Is Dino here? Does he get out to the booth often?"  The girl said, "oh you just missed him, he was out here singing. today at the Opah Stage".  Mark was just giving me that big brother grin.  I ate crow, Mark ate a gyro.

 We were within spitting distance of the arcade ( and bathrooms!) but the "plan" diverted us to the Giant Slide!  On the way Mark wasn't sure he could sustain his energy so he picked up a cheeseburger at Mike's.  (Where we ran into another high school friend!)  After a quick bathroom break Mark, Michael, Alec and Stella decided to make it a race to the bottom of the Slide. (Alec won, and Stella took second)  Mark learned you can't "draft" a person and hope to win.  If you lose distance at the top, you're a goner.  At one point Michael tried to put him into the wall...full contact slide!  I stayed back because I just wanted that elusive picture of Stella at the bottom....curses! foiled again.  I think the kids who work the slide must have some sort of contest going to see who can ruin the most pictures!

We needed to meet up with Morgan, Abby and Kallie and found them by the grandstand ramp.  Still withing spitting distance from the arcade we finally made it! Mom decided to head back home at this point.  We were a bit concerned with her dark glasses, but if Grammie Engevik could get home from the fair almost completely blind, we figured Mom could too!

 The girls wanted to go to the slide so they connected with us in the arcade after a bit.  Thank goodness they had a friend at Sweet Martha's and scored some cookies, or Mark may have starved.

There was SKEE-Ball and Air hockey and Mark and Mike played high res putt putt golf.  After all that exertion Mark needed a little sustenance so Morgan bought him a foot long hot dog.

I thought it might be a good idea to get out of the fair before the KISS concert let out so we began making our way to the East Gate and saw the Burke's Taffy booth!  I had to get my bucket and well Mark thought he did too.  As were choosing our flavors, the fireworks began.  WOW what a show!  It was never ending.  The Saturday night shows must be the biggest.,

With our taffy buckets swinging we made our way through the deserted Leinie Lodge Bandshell.  Michael spotted a backpack that he checked out...just full of kids toys but it reminded us of the times we would go dumpster diving after the fair as kids with our old neighbor Wanda de la Cruz. She taught us when places were empty ...look for money.  She would take us to the dumpsters behind the Education building and Merchandise Mart (or whatever it was then) and we would rake in the loot!  I'm sure she took us along  since she wasn't able to climb into dumpsters anymore (she had to be in her late 70's) she would hoist us and throw us in!
 

BART!

We saw some interesting faces! Many were painted up like the Kiss characters,.  I wanted a picture of every member look alike, but it didn't happen.  They weren't always game like this guy on the left!  And then this guy on the right.....turns out we knew him! 



I was taking Michael home and he suggested taking Como to Snelling.I didn't think it would be best but he said he usually had no trouble this time of night.  wrong   I think the traffic cops missed the"large crowd exit procedures" at traffic school.  Not sure who they hired this year, but one afternoon, Mom watched the traffic cops direct two cars into a head on collision on Snelling.  Luckily no one was seriously hurt!

It took us what seemed like half and hour to make that left turn!  Once on southbound Snelling approaching  94 all I could see were taillights. I asked Mike if he was OK with getting off this path now and he agreed!  LOL  So much for getting out before the KISS crowd!

We all had such a good time... I would do it all over again!

Day Eight Stats:
Walked :5 miles most of it very slowly!
Food Consumed: (mostly by Mark) Cheeseburgers, Garlic Fries, Beers, OH MY, Pizza, Foot longs and poncho dogs, taffy, cotton candy, deep fried candy bars, cookies, Gyros, onion rings and a salted nut roll.!
Still to see: FINE ART, Purina Pet Center and I may not see that baby cow this year.

*side note to the blog today:  The dog ran away as I had almost completed the photo upload and two hours of writing.  We spent the morning and afternoon driving, biking and walking on the search for her and the printed  LOST DOG fliers and eventually found her at the Humane Society.....(she is now a registered offender with the St. Paul Humane Society...hopefully she will not become a repeat offender!) When we returned from this saga...nothing was saved on the computer.. So this blog entry is Day Eight.2, sorry but Day Eight .1 was funnier!