I volunteer ever day from 3-6 pm at The Alphabet Forest, and My state fair partner in crime is now gainfully employed by the Fair! Stella works every day 2-10 and Fridays 7-4.
Since this will be a new and different adventure for us, going our separate ways, I decided I would try to do something each day that I have never done before. If you have suggestions, let me know!
Since this will be a new and different adventure for us, going our separate ways, I decided I would try to do something each day that I have never done before. If you have suggestions, let me know!
Knowing it would be a very long day for Stella. I let her sleep in while I took Randy to an eye appointment (follow up to successful cataract surgery). I used the morning at the clinic to update my EPI pen prescription, as the last time I had it filled was in 2011!!! After the hornet problem while setting up the Alphabet Forest on Sunday, I decided I would not be left unprepared.
We arrived at the homestead to find I had my usual space....apparently with an upgrade! Mom and Dad were asked to offer a parking spot for our Governor Mark Dayton for the fair each day and I told them, he could park next to me....in the somewhat VIP parking. (The Governor was offered a different space, so it was not an issue....phew!).
Dad has leaned that he no longer needs to offer "parking people" paper slips with their address to find their way back after a long day at the fair. He tells them to take a picture and enter the GPS coordinates: LAT 44° 58' 55.059" LONG 93° 9' 48.5925". Times have changed!
Making sure Stella had all she needed (sunscreen, water, snacks, hat etc) I left for the fair armed only with my ticket, and my EPI pen. I seem to forget what I need from year to year....I need to either re-read my blog, make a list.....or maybe make a State Fair box....with all I need for "Day One".
Mom & Dad decided to join us, so around noon, we all trekked over. I was hoping that the people and traffic would be lighter with the new West End Market transit hub re-routing 80% of bus traffic to the other end of the fair. I was wrong. The neighborhood is still inundated with starving (really loud) musicians, donation seekers to save the children, water hawkers...."if you've got a buck, you're in luck" and "if you're dry, I'm your water guy!" people trying to get me to remodel my home. The craziness eased once we got inside!
Stella and her badge...no ticket required!
Mom got her paper schedule and we headed down to get Stella to work! Our goal was to check out the new West End Market and get some lunch before her shift started.
Stella decided she wanted to eat a Gyro for lunch so we found my favorite guys from Philly with the blue & white awning.
Mom got corn and Dad & I were holding out for a foot long.....
On our walk to the south end, we encountered some dear friends from childhood, Jen & Heidi!
Heidi's youngest is marching in the parade later for Eden Prairie Marching Band!
The new West End Market (WEM) is wonderful! There are some vendors missing. With change comes pain. We have not found Mom's turquoise dealer (might save a few bucks there!) friends are mourning the loss of Ole's Cannoli's, and we are looking for the blacksmith that used to be there. I am happy to see the glass blowers relocated into the WEM and my friend Sarah Sweet's shop "i like you" has a nice little corner.
The space is pretty small, but they are working with it. Her main issue is with the roofs that are slanted downward into the center of the structure ("V" shaped) causing all the rain to pour down the back wall of the vendor spaces. Didn't quite think through that design plan. Hopefully it will not create too much trouble and she will have a successful year! Her shop vends only local and independent merchandise!
We did not have a lot of time, so a few things made my To Do List; Have a beer on Lulu's rooftop deck, take some time in the new History Museum and maybe try some food from The Blue Barn!
Found that the old log house is simply a relic now, and the statue of Mr. Olsen (Ole, a man who worked grounds crew for the fair for over 60 years!) has found a home hear the museum.
There is a cool Royal American Shows display here too.
We watched as Stella made her way off to work. Waved goodbye and snuck a picture of her at her post. She spent all day on her feet stamping people for a return visit and took a stint scanning the new electronic tickets. More on her day later!
With Stella at work, the three of us began walking to my gig at the Fair, The Alphabet Forest. On the way up, we stopped in the Education building to find we missed the St. Thomas bag distribution at 12:30, would miss the 3:30 and would need to stop back a 6:30.
There is a new layout for the student art and a big area in the corner for the robotics challenges! I like that the student creations are more prominently displayed!
I will do more of the Education Building another day!
As we walked up the hill we turned to realize the parade was coming.....right behind us! I spotted an empty bench along a wall and relocated it for Mom & Dad to sit and watch the parade....in front of the "Living Wisely" booth. If you know the area....the space which once was occupied by the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church booth (where I spent much of my state fair youth) is no longer any food service. It is all occupied by Living Wisely, offering services, health ideas and home improvement ideas for senior living. The former restaurant called The Gas Station is gone too.
We watched the parade, took only a few pictures; the first day mounted color guard, the Wells Fargo Wagon with the "new" Prince & Duke, who are now bomb tested and safe for parades, a shot of the Eden Prairie banner and the little animal trading that Stella used to ride in.....*sigh
After the parade it was time for me to get some lunch and get to "work".
Dad & I got our foot long hot dogs, and enjoys that first "snap" of the first dog of the fair. So good!
And Mom got a Kiwanis malt! We need to be sure to support the Kiwanis as Stella was awarded with the Kiwanis Outstanding Youth Leader Award this year!
After some sustenance, we walked over to the Alphabet Forest.
It turns out that Laura Morlock, the new program coordinator for the booth worked with Dad for years at the U of Mn and her husband's father went to Murray with Dad! (That one degree of separation!). We had not made the connection when I worked with her on Sunday set up day. Dad wanted to say hello and make the connection in person!
Mom took a few shots of me in my volunteer apron, getting a little on the job training! I will be the photographer for the "word noodles" at the back of the booth each day! I love my job!
It was fun talking with people, helping kids, and snapping cute pictures! Two pictures stick out from today....one young couple wrote "it's a girl" in a noodle and I got so excited. The young lady said "Oh NO!, this is just a joke for my Mom" I said " not funny young lady!" And another little girl spelled out her name "Destny". I asked if there was supposed to be an "i" in her name.....there was :)
It will be fun to have a "home base" every day for a specific time frame so people know where to find me! I had a few people ago by and say "Hi!" My childhood friend Deb Opland Tonsager made the effort to run up and see me!
And my friend Laurie, all the way from Sweden....(not just for me....), accompanied by Sarah and Sue Knoblauch stopped to spell all sorts of things in noodles!
I took my own picture and posted it to my Facebook wall as an enticement to get more people to come out and help us!
I was asked information type questions by some of the fairgoers I encountered at the booth today, so I found an information booth, so I would have the answers tomorrow.
Family Fun Park NEWSFLASH: The Fair-Do people have retired, Webkinz are not at the fair (not sure if the traveling show will come later), The LEGO exhibit is gone but you can sample all sorts of POST cereals, and today through Sunday you can "Customize a Coke".
As I said earlier, I left for the fair with only my EPI pen and my ticket. I needed a bag to carry my accumulations. I stopped by My Talk radio and picked up one bag, but then headed down and picked up the St. Thomas bag. I came back to the Baldwin Park Stage to save seats for the County Talent fair. I was relaxing and taking in the surroundings and I am trying to figure out what the ground cover, under the benches is made from. It is hard and non pliable, but it is pretty and matched my feet.
I ate a slice of Green Mill pizza and it was better than I thought it would be! Mom got one too with our BOGO coupons.
We ran into David Laden and family and watched a pretty sad talent show. By sad I mean depressing and inappropriate, A seven year old girl sang Lorde "Royals" while her mother accompanied her on the guitar, and another young woman choreographed her dance for her three friends who died this year. She placed their photos on the stage and sprinkled the pictures with white rose petals. YIKES.
After the show, Mom and I needed a beer. Just one though, to share.
We ran into Greg & Mary Jo!
I wanted to hear a little bit of Blood, Sweat & Tears, who were performing at the Bandshell. Mom wasn't sure who they were, until we got there and sat down to hear them. We got to hear "God Bless the Child", "Spinning Wheel" and "You Make Me so Very Happy". The reconstructed group sounded pretty good!
Mom headed homeward, while I went down to meet my state fair worker and hear about her adventures!
As we walked home, I realized just how tired Stella was after standing on her feet for 8 hours, when she held up four fingers as she told me she made two new friends today; Erin, Gavin and Amanda.
Walking together up Dan Patch, I realized that it had been STEM day, in Carousel Park, and I missed it all. I'd better get used to missing things this year.
Distance: My fitbit was inside my band backwards today, so I don't know how far I walked.
Freebies: I got a My Talk and St. Thomas bag
Food: We ate Gyro, Foot Long, and Pizza
Something new: Today I spent three hours taking pictures of strangers!
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