Tuesday, my favorite day!

Although I didn't "sleep in", I certainly took my time in getting over to the fair today!.  After rising at 6:30, coffee, blogging, breakfast, coffee, a shower, rousting the teen around 10:00, and one more cup of coffee, we got a text from Grandma wondering what our ETA was!  Decided we better move it!

What? No baby?

Arrived and once ensconced in a street parking space, since you can plainly see the Simpson Street parking lot is only allowing Rovers and Beemer's to park...we again took our time getting onto the grounds!  Stella's boots needed a little repair, there was freshly homemade carrot soup to be had for lunch, and we got word that Margit and Linda were coming too.   


We started off just as the rain started.  Once on the grounds, Stella wanted corn!  I fed the bear...

I had to go check in on "Cookie".  I was so happy to see him sleeping away and Sweet Martha was still there with him!  Last year I heard the farmers talking about why the mothers are hand milked and then the baby is fed the colostrum from a bottle instead of allowing it to nurse. Well, the answer broke my heart.  Since these are working dairy cattle, if the calves are allowed to nurse, the cow stops making milk for human consumption and just makes it for the calf. It slows down production :( so the moms and calves are separated very soon after birth.  There was another cow in about the same state of readiness Sweet Martha was when I came yesterday. I didn't even ask, but I am sure Stella would not have entertained the idea of sitting with me for another five hours!

Our one goal was to get through the International Bazaar today. On our way from the CHS to there, we had to detour through the dairy building.  since it was raining, the crowd was too deep to see butter heads, so I will return later for that. The lines for ice cream were not too long, so once again, I fed the bear....and mom too!

Leaving the building we got to see the Armed Forces (not sure which branch) band rehearse for the parade. Stella pondered asking to ride on an old firetruck, but decided against it. *sigh* I think those days are over.

This is the first time, however, she has pondered entering the Haunted House! I think enough time has passed since 1986, when I punched the guy for grabbing me and was escorted out and asked to never return...that they would now allow me back in.  My picture with the red line through it, is no longer posted in the ticket booth (ha ha).  I, however, choose NOT to.  She will have to find another companion for that visit!



We finally made it to the International Bazaar, where Stella told me she made her first purchase at the fair without consulting me first.  If she had I might have told her not to, but it's her dough!  They are magic beans! Seriously, they are some sort of liquid beads that grow in water creating the look of marbles in a planter, or vase. Stella just thought they would be fun to play with.  The guy told her they are purple, but as you will see later, they look black!

We ran into a host of people in the Bazaar!  Who knew it was the place to be!  We ran into my cousin Carolyn, her husband Kim, and her son.  We connected with Christie, Matt and "no nap" Isabel!  She was two hours late for a nap, but you'd never know it!  A true State Fair kid!

Stella had to peruse the shark booth, but showed restraint and did not buy any more teeth!




I scored and found a funny hat to put her...and her finger in!




We were off to find honey sticks to feed the bear again when we ran into more family, Alexia, Nate, Emma, Nick and Tom and Ingrid! I told them to stick with me and I'd find them free stuff to do and eat!  Walmart was giving away free smoothies outside the Ag/Hort at 3:25, and later, I did in fact find FREE BEER!  They were on their way to see the free 4H Art-In production of It's a Jungle out there.  Stella had no interest, so I told them I might meet them up there is Stella grew weary of me.

After I attempted to engage Stella in getting a photo taken with Roller Girls in Fan Central, which she emphatically declined,  she asked if she could plug herself into her iPod and tune me out.  It was OK with me, until the concern over a broken cord on the ear buds seemed to ruin what was left of her day.  I'm not sure if she decided, or if I suggested she head back to Simpson street until a possible return later on in the evening.  On the way out she found a goat to pet, and then was on her way "home"

Continued the journey up to the 4H building for the Arts-In show. Along the way finding Tom and Ingrid again and then we joined the rest of the bunch who had saved us seats!  Linda and Margit even made it! Linda got cut off the picture, OOPS! I was looking through the viewfinder, into the light filled windows and as you know I don't see well out of that left eye!We left the 4H building and Tom said, "every time I walk outside there is a new weather system!"  He was right, it was now chilly and windy, but the rain had stopped for a bit! The Kelsey clan headed off in search of Giggle's Campfire grill and I headed back down the hill.

I found this odd couple hanging out by a bunch of square dancers outside the Education building on my way out.

A little bird told me I needed to check out some prize winning Bee products in the Ag/Hort, so risking life and limb I entered the Bee wing of the building as they were again doing a bee demonstration.  I snapped these pics of three Blue Ribbon winning items entered by my friend Cindy K! As I rounded the corner to see if the other honey booth had my candy (they did not) I had to run as the bees seemed to be swarming the place.  It might have just been one or two, I tend to exaggerate, but just one could be the end of me!

It was upon exiting the Ag/Hort that I discovered the most excellent of free offerings today!  Leinenkugels was offering samples of the summer beer and Oktoberfest!  I texted the gang and hoped they were able to imbibe, in very small quantities!


 

I decided to see what I could in the Merchandise Mart on my way back to Moms.  The only thing of note I may have to show Stella are the no tie headbands. I am enamored by the trunk/car organizer, but my guess is it will end up in a garage sale with the rest of the fair stuff I thought I could not live without!

I walked by an unusual site, a stroller covered up with a  plastic bag and a small hole ripped in the front for the kid to breathe. ( REALLY?!?!)  I wanted to let the mother know that her kid was squeezing the air hole shut tight, but then I started thinking about natural selection and walked on by.



Walking home I saw this sight...bummer for someone.  A long, expensive day...even longer and more expensive!








These are pics of the liquid expanding beads Stella purchased over the course of two hours.  The instructions say four hours to complete the process.  We will see later if they are in fact purple or black!


Lisa called and tempted us out of the bubble for dinner, so we all enjoyed a nice sit down meal at Snuffy's!






No eye issues other than Stella trying to show me things on my left side that scared me as they flew toward my eyes! Oh and cutting people out of pictures! I see the doc tomorrow for a follow up and hopefully I am healing well!  I will have my eyes dilated at 9:00...hoping to be back at the fair by 12:00!  Rodeo tomorrow night!



Day six STATS;:
Distance: 3 miles
Food Consumed: Corn, Malt and cone from Dairy Bldg.
Free Stuff: beef sample and BEER
Funny hats:  Sombrero for head and finger!
Calf count: Fair still 7 and me one!