The Fair

8/12/12

The Fair

Late yesterday afternoon, Jeff and I took Ben along with his parents to the fair.  I wore my grungiest shoes just in case I encountered either mud or walked behind an animal - or both.  The sights, smells and lights of the midway is a huge draw for a young child and luckily Ben and his parents opted to buy the "all you can ride" bracelets.  Tickets are pricey and each ride is 3 or 4 tickets each.  One ride takes 8 tickets!  And, at the ticket booths once inside the fair it's strictly a cash business.

Ben was all over the place trying to decide on the first ride and after that, it was pretty easy - that one and that one and that one.  And again.  I did buy enough tickets to ride my favorites: teacups and tilt-a-whirl, which I rode twice.  The tilt-a-whirl is just as much fun for me today as it was when I was 16!  

The carnies were pitching ring toss, dart tossing, fishing and horse racing games.  The good news - generally kids always win something.  Ben came away for the evening with two small stuffed animals and two small studded rubber balls.  One game he played you get three darts for $5.00 - the carnie let Ben have 6 darts and he actually hit a balloon!

Food and drink are plentiful and definitely not healthy.  Fried everything from dough to oreos and funnel cakes covered in powdered sugar, chocolate or cherries.  People were walking around eating corn on the cob which seems more like a sit-down food to me.

During a rainstorm we ran into the cow birthing center where one cow had already produced a beautiful white and tan spotted calf which looked just like her mother!  Looked like another cow would probably produce her calf sometime during the night.

At the end of our stay I had a few tickets left over.  I told Jeff that I was going to give the tickets to some mother and child who weren't wearing ride bracelets.  The woman I eventually approached was thrilled with a few extra tickets for her daughter.  It was a good paying it forward moment.

We stayed until 11:00 and I walked over 11,000 steps yesterday and have the sore hip and leg to prove it!  Getting Ben to bed and sleep was a piece of cake.  One bedtime story and he was gone.

I, of course was up at 5:00 but I'm thinking there might have to be an afternoon nap scheduled for today.  The rest of the house is still asleep so I'm enjoying the peace and quiet that will be broken when Ben gets up and is ready to start his day at around 60 mph!

"A grandchild fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty."

Author: Unknown