Friday, August 22, 2008

State Fair

We took the kids to the Minnesota State Fair.


We had the most wonderful day, as you can see.


I found out that my son is just like me. He starts out thinking that these rides are going to be fun, but very quickly into it, he looks like he wants to get out in the worst way. It takes him until the ride is almost over to relax and start to enjoy himself. If you look closely at these pictures, you can see that his sister is having a great time, but he looks like he just wants to get out.

It struck me that these fair rides are a lot like life. There may be something that seems like a good idea, but once you're caught up in it, you just really want to get back to where you were. Where it felt safe. But you're caught up in the motion, and the force of everything going on keeps you right where you are. And once things die down, you swear you will never, ever do that again. Until the next adventure that looks like it might be fun.

The fair itself was incredible. Some things I observed there:

Cutest thing: A sign that said "Minnesota: Bring a Coat".

Scariest thing: Being in a ferris wheel cart with my two kids who were rocking it back and forth and asking, "You're not SCARED, are you Mom?" I'm hoarse from screaming at them. Little smarta**es.

Most embarassing moment: My young son watching a man being carried out on a stretcher and asking the rescue worker, "Is he dead or something?"

Tackiest thing: Matching his & hers Vikings tattoos on a lovely couple walking the Midway.

Most recommended thing: The Leinie Lodge. Alcohol at 10:30 a.m. . . . need I say more?

Most wonderful thing: My "thrifty" husband willingly shelling out big bucks to buy ride tickets so his kids could go on any ride they wanted to as many times as they wanted to. And the smiles on all their faces.

What a wonderful day. I am not a "fair" person, but this was the cleanest, nicest and most well-run fair I have ever been to. And (here's the strange thing), I did not encounter one single "freak" the entire three and a half hours that I was there. (I am usually a "freak magnet".) I highly recommend this fair. We had a day that I will always remember.

One final caveat: Giant slide + my little fat self = very, very unflattering photos. Fortunately, you will never see those on this blog. (Talk about a bad idea . . . )

"Live and work but do not forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it." Eileen Caddy


1 comment:

  1. Great, great fair pictures. I can't believe you didn't see any freaks, then again you were at a state fair. I attended the little old Langlade County Youth Fair this year, where there are always freaks on parade. I hope I don't get in trouble for what I'm going to tell you next. Here is the freak of the day. There was a pregnant woman wearing a shirt that said, and I still can't believe this, "I should have just given him a b--- j--." I had to swing around and read this shirt twice because I couldn't believe my eyes the first time. I saw an older lady look at this gal's shirt with a look of utter disgust on her face. Just goes to show, the Langlade County Youth Fair never changes. Always a freak there.

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