Last Chance Day!

The whole family was moving kind of slowly as Labor Day dawned.

It was going to be another glorious day and most likely busy! The parking was filling up as we arrived at Simpson Street for the final hurrah!

We all needed breakfast, so Randy and I shared a foot long from the best foot long stand outside the AFL-CIO.  I wondered why there was so much buzzing about on the corner here and then it hit me...DOH Labor Day!

Stella graciously offered to stick her head in some stuff and was thrilled to get her very own pocket protector!
She had to crouch since she was taller than the average electrician and construction worker!

Stella finally got her fudge puppy and I tasted it...Oh MY!  Very yummy!












Randy and Stella wanted to ride on the Sky Ride and that is one of the few I cannot endure, so they went that way and I ran down to check on Cookie.  He was still there and he was finally standing up!  He is a full head taller than any of the other calves!  They knew he was big when he was arriving!
As I reviewed the birth board, I noticed the final calf was born this morning at 8:45 prior to the opening of the barns!  There were none born Saturday or Snday!  Boy oh boy and I glad I chose to just sit there and wait when I had the chance!

State Fair total 15!  At least I got my ONE!

I walked toward the Midway where I was going to meet Randy and Stella and took the shortcut behind the Poultry barn,  I snapped this picture of Steichens, the only grocery store on the grounds!  If you need batteries, a lighter, diapers, or rope to hold up your pants....this is the place!

Stella fulfilled her ride quota for the year I think!  One after the other.  The Rock-it, Kamikazi, Fire Ball, Starship 3000, Crazy Mouse, Magnum, Storm, Alpine Bob, Spider, Viper...I even joined her on the Tilt-A Whirl.  On that one, we sat down and found $5 and a phone.  We turned in the phone, but I told her, money found at the fair is yours!

Squid hat!

 The last few tickets she tried her luck at some games of chance hoping to win a Squid Hat for me!  No luck!
The one last ride she really wanted to do was the Go Karts up the road.  She needed practice driving since next year she gets her permit!  Yikes!  I watched her go and she was doing a pretty good job and Randy sat and told me how she almost took a ball washer on the golf course the last time she drove the cart!  TMI!
Randy was getting sore (Arthritis in both ankles can get old after walking too much!) and I was a bit sunburned, so we made our way up the ramp to the top of the Grandstand to get Randy a few more shirts.  The last thing I wanted to buy was my Isabel Burke's Saltwater taffy and Stella wanted more cookies.

As we headed to get the last things on the list I looked over the Grandstand ramp and saw the I love my Cub tents set up and wished I had time to run through and get my bags and coupons.  Randy asked me if I didn't think I had enough bags....and I need something to look forward to next year.  Well, is that really relevant?  It's FREE and it's at the FAIR!

I brought along my History Walking tour brochures, which I still had two punches to finish.  Creative Activities and Heritage Square. How many times had I walked by both of those places and forgot to punch the card?!?!?  I never did get back to Heritage today and so there was no point in getting Creative Activities...I did not get my I'm a WINNER button.  I know I'm not a loser though!

I got a parting shot of Randy & Stella as we left the fair. Stella and I did get our hand stamped...just in case.

On the way out I got a picture of this creepy little half puppet we have seen a few times. He sits in a wagon and talks as you go by.  The man behind the creepy puppet we think is a science teacher trying to raise money for STEM curriculum in the schools.  Stella donated a couple bucks, but I am not really sure where the money will go.

Randy walked ahead of us as we were engaged with the puppet, and as we got back to Simpson Street we found him ready to go home!


Stella and I never did get back that night.  Mom said the neighborhood quieted down around 8:00pm, but there were still a few people about.

It was a great year, I accomplished much on the fair bucket list and I am already looking forward to next year. 








A few things I want to comment on about this year so I remember: 

Not enough Rain!  The fair smelled really bad by day six and never really improved!
We never got to ride on Ye Old Mill and I even had FREE tickets!
Don't eat so many cookies next year!  As I did dishes  PF (post fair) there were three buckets that went into the dishwasher. (Those are just the ones I bought!)
Try to see TWINS born!
See the Big Boar the first day since he might not last!
Pace yourself....since I am privileged to have the whole fair as vacation, I don't have to push it every day!
Avoid Saturday and Sunday midday!
There were only about 7000 less people this year than last and last year set three record attendance days!
Tuesday is still the best day to see the fair!
I need to work on giving teenager permission to NOT go to the fair!  She may wander away for a bit and find her way back, but if I push her too hard, she may never come back!  Then who will I sit and watch the talent show with when I am in my 70's? 
I still love the fair!

Talent Show finals night!

I got Stella to the church parking lot at 10:45 and today, they filled the lot in about an hour!  Better weather and better timing!

I hung out at Moms getting the blog updated and visiting with neighbors....Like this one here!  Bart "Cheezy Poofs" Mackey

Stella and I came home and needed some real food, so we picked up chicken Caesar salad fixings from Kowlaskis and a little chicken wild rice soup!  Yum!  just what I needed to fortify myself for this evening sitting in the chilly grandstand!

I have packed my Gortex snow pants, and winter coat. We'll see if I am warm enough!

I picked up Mom at 4:30 and we hiked over with blankets, jackets and gloves in tow!  We got up to the second level grandstand and were the second group in line!  The rest of the crew joined us on the windy concourse, Kathy, Harvey, David, Cindy, and last but not least David's brother and nephew.  We had a game plan to get around all the slow wheelie chairs (not actual wheel chairs...the hover-round things...) and stake out our seats.

We had a great view and texted everyone to let them know we had landed! Sarah K popped in for a bit and Michael joined us later. 

The Pre-teen and Teen portions of the show were filled with some great talent. The adult portion put me to sleep!  Josie Nelson playing guitar and singing an original song won pre-teen, and a little opera singer won the Teen division.  She brought a tear to my eye and gave me goose bumps!  In the adult division a kid named Connor Engstrom has been competing for years.  He is an amazing electric guitar player and has never won.  Tonight they messed up his guitar mic (as they did everyone's!)  But they gave Connor a second chance to perform and he took first place!

Lots of yummy food was shared. I tried the new chicken and rice place and it was really good!  We shared Sweet Martha's cookies and World's Greatest French Fries.  I have decided I DO like them better than Fresh! Mike got a Philly steak sandwich from the Butcher Boys ( so-so he said).  Harvey was craving salted in the shell peanuts and I was stumped but then figured maybe they would have some in the grandstand concessions!  I was right!  Phew!  I have a reputation to uphold as a know it all!

There was great fireworks display and then as we left Mom and I got to see a corn dance!






This was my latest night on the grounds I think! Home to bed at 11:30pm

Road Rage Saturday September 3rd

Rain was predicted, but never came.  The weather however do turn from hit and muggy to cool and breezy!  It was refreshing change!

I dropped Stella off at church at 8am to park cars....it was hot, muggy and a very slow start to the fair and it took them three hours to park seven cars.  Once she was done, we got some lunch and went home and napped.  When we got up, the weather was wonderful!

We picked up her friend Nadia, and Randy and Stella and I ALL went over to the fair.

On our way into the neighborhood, we got behind a car driving five miles an hour and stopping every 20 feet.  This is typical for the fair, but I let Randy's impatience get to me and I made the mistake of honking!  Of course this only irritated the driver ahead and I was flipped off and the driving speed slowed to two miles and hour and he stopped every five feet...rapidly.  Randy unclicked his seatbelt and was almost out of the car, when I said" C'mon...it will be fine, we have parking and this guy doesn't"  It was only one more block to our turn and we made it without further incident!  Phew!

As we parked Randy suggested I take an extra layer in case I got cold.  I was sure all I would need was my rain coat for the wind. The girls took off with a fistful of ride tickets and plans to meet up after the County Fair talent show finals.

Randy and I wandered around for a bit.  He got his first foot long and we checked out the grandstand merchants. As we shopped at the Martin Wholesale group, once again Randy suggested I get a fleece jacket in case I got cold.  I was sure I'd be fine.

Randy had plans to meet Cake 20 boys at the Ball Park at 6.  As we got there it was SRO, since the Ball Park boasts ten big screen TV's and the gopher game was just ending.  I managed to snag a table though!  Randy and I enjoyed a beer and people watching.

The gang arrived and I took my leave to join Mom, Marge, Glenn, Karla, Steve, Keira and Kory up at the Baldwin Stage for the County Fair finals!  They managed to save two benches, so we had great seats!  As We sat and watched the show, I sure was wishing I had an extra layer!  Maybe after 20 years of being married to the guy I should listen!  Was debating which was faster, back to the car at Moms or run to the grandstand and get that fleece jacket.  I decided just to snuggle with mom!

The competition was toughest at the preteen level and we did a pretty good job predicting the winners.

Stella and Nadia  arrived right on time. They had roamed the Midway but still had a fistful of tickets.  Stella and I got a slice at Green Mill, and I left the girls to try a couple rides in the Kidway!

I made my way to the Leinie lodge to find the boys hanging out listening to Dr. John!   The girls found their way back to us wearing silly hats!  Stella and Nadia found their own funny hats to wear, I guess it is ok if you do it with a friend...just not with MOM!

As we were leaving the girls saw a guy with a shirt that read, "stay back 200 feet"  Nadia said "I'm gonna run up and walk right behind him! "  I like this kid!

We took Nadia home with us and the girls had a hot tub and crashed around midnight.

Tomorrow is the Talent Show Finals! I have one more punch for my walking tour and Stella parks cars again for the youth group tomorrow!

Day Ten STATS:

Distance: Only 4 miles, lots of sitting!

Food Consumed: Foot Long, chicken burrito from Tejas, Pizza, mashed potato sundae and , Rhubarb pie, with no rhubarb in it...from Salem Lutheran. Bull bites and beer!  Not sure what the girls ate, but I am guessing ice cream was involved!

Funny Hats: frog and penguin!

Free Stuff: nothin'!

Calf count: unsure

Battered and Fried! Friday, September 2nd

My friend Sonja has a fair blog with that title!  After a hot humid, long day, it described me to a tee!

Waited for Stella to get up to accompany me over to the fair, and after she arose at 10:00 and found out her friend could not go due to an ankle injury , decided she would not go either.  Grrrr, I could have been at the fair earlier!

I got to Simpson street only to find out I had missed the curbside breakfast service!  Dad made mom poached eggs toast and coffee and served her in her parking chair!

Since Stella did not join me as often as I hoped, I had oodles of extra tickets!  There have been news reports and actual incidences here in the neighborhood of counterfeit tickets being sold, so I decided to try selling my extras on the way in.  People were leery, but I only had trouble with one guy who wanted to "see" the tickets and was grilling me, so I told him to forget it and I sold them to the next group.  I think his wife was mad!  Mom has extras too so as she was trying to get rid of some to the folks who park in the yard. The potential customer was also leery, but in the end said "well if I can't trust a little old lady...."  That was quite a self esteem boost for mom!  LOL


Realizing I would be on my own and the freedom that provided, I walked over,  entered the grounds and started to formulate a plan! My main goal for the day was to be at the Giant Sing Along and sing The Fair! Ann Reed, the artist, happened upon her song the day before around 2:30 so I had a window of time to work around!

Each day I walk past the QuitPlan booth, and I realized that it was  four years ago yesterday that I quit smoking!  I signed the board and got my picture taken for their Facebook page.  Why did I quit?  I was sick of being sick!
I walked past the Epiphany diner since a friend inquired how long they have been at the fair.  This is their last year, and they have been out here for 46 years!

I decided to try my luck at the lottery....no luck!

Lazy Cookie

Jeannie's son was riding in the rodeo again today, so I decided to check out the animal barns and pop in and show my support.  My heart could not take staying to watch!  On my way to the coliseum I went to the CHS to check on my Cookie.  He was lounging in his little pen as usual!  I was glad to see he was still there and doing well.  I walked over the main pen and had just missed twins being born!  I am so glad I made the decision to just sit and wait since obviously my timing where this is concerned is not good!

Brown Swiss Goats?

So far I had only seen horses and a few cows, so I walked down to take a gander at the ganders and other poultry. The sheep had gone home but the barns were full of goats!   I had a little conversation with this turkey congratulating him on his Blue ribbon and letting him know how fortunate he was, since the view around the corner from his pen is this!  "Turkey to Go"
I also went to see Piggie mama and the boar only to find this sign.I guess he got sick and was not eating or drinking.  I asked about a back up boar, and he said in all the years they have done this there has never been a problem.  Well maybe things will change!  The piggie mama is not as thrilling since they have a bunch in the CHS, but I got to see on of the cute piglets up close!






I wandered back through the DNR, and took a peek at the camping cabins they have in the State parks now.  I think maybe I could even get Randy to go if we had these accommodations!

I walked through the "nature scene" in the DNR and got a photo of the Kelsey bricks that have been there for years now!  If you want to find them, find the wolf and look down!

I walked over to see what was happening for MPR day in carousel park and found a few wheels to spin! The best one was for the Marbles store! I wanted to win a game, but got a bag instead.  I went "fishing" for food to support the Emergency food shelf and got my prayer on a stick at the Luther Seminary booth and entered to win a Nook!



I met mom at the Sky Glider and rode up to the north end.  She chose flip flops for the day, so I made her take them off for the ride lest they befall the fate of dad's sunglasses ...or worse!  On the roof!
I took a picture of the scene of the crime where Dad recovered his glasses!  Also a shot of the roof with some accumulation, but not as much as I expected.  We learned that earlier there was a bra and panties that were removed by the Sky glider crew, at the request of patrons!  LOL
We arrived at the sing along with a little time to spare, only to find they were on song number 17 and we were waiting for 35!!!  I asked the kid in the booth if they were random today, and he said no, but there were a few commuter problems and so they had to reboot a couple time that morning so the playlist was behind.  Now Mom and I had almost two hours to kill!  She was hungry and we had not seen much of the north end, so wandered down to find the Texas Steak Out!  They have quite a variety of food, and mom found a baked potato and baked beans which fit the bill!  The kabobs were amazing, but I had eaten a foot long when I was down at the barns so I was good.

Earlier as we cruised over the grounds we saw an ice cream place they we had a coupon for the John Deere, old fashioned ice cream, made right there! Mom and I shared the strawberry and sat and watched them making it!
I was curious about the horse sculpture we had seem from on high and it was right across the street.  Turns out is was donated by the Cafesjian's...the people who had the Carousel which now resides in Como Park.  The one that everyone at our wedding rode on, twenty years ago when it was up in the Town Square Park!  I was told there are more of these sculptures so I'll need to find them!

It was warmer and more humid than we anticipated today, so we decided to relax in the recycled plastic adirondak chairs  near the pet center.  We walked over to see if there was a pet show and got to see the tail end and see some cute dogs.  The timing was getting close for my song, and so we found a bench close by in the shade and waited.  While waiting there we got an earful about the sky glider by a retired Ramsey County Sheriff who now manages the ride!  (it was he who told us about the bra and panties incident!)

Soon, it was my chance to sing!  I loved it and I got almost every word!  Everyone around me had fun too!
Just as the song ended, Sara, Tom and Carrie were exiting the sky glider!  I took pictures of their DFL buttons!

Loon+A+tick!

I had a couple more punches to get in my walking tour brochures.  I don't think it is supposed to take twelve days, but that is how long it might take me!  So we stopped outside the fine art building and did a tour through the Education building. My last one to really see.  The art submitted by school kids is amazing!  There was a few wheels to spin, and then we walked through the Annex and found a local invention by a woman from Blaine...side threading needles! It has been harder for me to thread a needle since the trifocals, but now with the recent eye trouble it is more complicated.  I bought a hand sewing set for mom and I , and I got myself a set for the machine!  One more taste of wine slushies as we passed by!  They were even more refreshing on this muggy day!

I left mom at the bandshell and I had to get cookies. I walked right past the Danielson's booth and got a picture in case I never get a chance to photograph the actual onion rings.  I decided to run over to the dairy building and get a couple plastic Fleet Farm bags and then head the back way to Sweet Martha's.  I snuck up on the side of the building where there was no line, and bought a bucket.  I tied the mound up in one bag and then wrapped it up with the second and headed out of the fair.  I walked five blocks and drove a few miles and when I placed the cookies on the table in Mary's porch the cookies were still warm!

I checked in on Jeannie's son and how the rodeo went and found out they had taken a trip to the ER to see if Andrew had broken any bones in his hand. Turns out he went over the front of the bull and his hand remained behind for a bit!  OUCH.  I am glad I did not stay to watch. Jeannie said he needs to "cowboy up, three more rides in three days".  I asked Stella to please not join the rodeo

We had a lovely dinner and played cards till midnight.  I got  more sun than I planned on today, so went home and straight to bed feeling battered and fried!  LOL


Day nine STATS
Distance: 6 miles
Food consumed: Foot Long, baked potato, baked beans, strawberry ice cream, sweet mart has cookies.  I am sure Mom had more onion rings but have not confirmed it!
Free Stuff: Marbles bag, Sing Along! I got a Lottery bag, but not really free, had to buy tickets to get it! I won a hacky sack at Luther Seminary Booth
Funny Hats.  I got an Oink Booth hat, but was so deflated at not seeing the boar, I never wore it.
Calf Count: Fair: 14 me: one (almost 3)