When the kids were little, I came down every year to take them to the fair. We picked a color, and everyone wore that color. It was fun to see what each person figured out to wear, and we looked good in group pictures. My brother asked if I was coming for the fair this year, and I said no – because I hadn’t even thought of it. Then I wondered why I would say no. So, I said yes. I suggested we wear white, because we’ve worn every color, and white seemed likely to be in everyone’s closet. Everyone played along, and everyone wore white. It made me unbelievably happy as each addition arrived in white.
David, granddaughter Vee, Nancy, and I arrived just before noon. We parked two blocks away in a guy’s backyard. It’s nice to patronize the industrious fair neighbors renting out their yards as parking lots. We got to the entrance and the girl selling me a ticket asked if I was a senior. I said I just missed it, I wasn’t 60 yet. She said it was fine, she would give me a senior ticket. I saved $5 and I was honest! Whoop whoop!
For those not in the know, the Wisconsin State Fair “thing” is cream puffs. We came in right by the cream puff building, and it was our first food. How delightful to share it four ways – and also not already be full. It was so delicious. I whiffed out on the second puff in the evening – somehow, I wasn’t there, and it got split only three ways. Darn.
I am an excellent sharer. I know it is the best way to maximize the number of fair foods you can taste. We had cream puffs (2), bison burrito, baked potatoes (one for everyone), deep fried olives (on a stick), smoked cheddar jalapeno sausages (3), pork sandwich, strawberry lemonade, cranberry juices (4), Mille’s sausage, popcorn, maple cotton candy, Mexican street corn nachos, spiral cut chips, perogies, and a grilled cheese sandwich. Boy. That doesn’t seem like everything, but I can’t think of anything else. Please know that the smoked sausages are my favorite, favorite, favorite thing and I bought all three and only sort of shared the last one.
We didn’t make it anywhere close to the midway – but we did a few rides that were scattered around the main part of the fair. Vee and David did the slide right away.
We went by cows. What is up with this cow with outlining around her spots? Is that a thing? I mean, is it a thing that just happens to cows, or did this cow’s farmer paint this cow? And all of his other cows, because they all had outlining. It looks a bit silver. Do cows have silver outlining? I hope so. I think they do. We played dairy games. Nancy and I got Cheese Fanatic pins, because we answered cheese questions correctly.
Donna and Michael showed up while Nancy and Vee were on the ferris wheel. Nancy admired the view, while Vee did NOT look down.
We watched dogs jump into water – trying to jump the farthest it. It was strangely satisfying and exciting. Watching them be so excited, but having to wait to run and jump was the best part.
Brandon and Liz literally wandered up to us just as David and Vee were headed to the sky ride. After a bit, they went to watch the hitch class horses in the coliseum. Donna and I were waiting and watching the sky ride and I suddenly said, “Where’s Dave? Where did he go?” Donna reminded me why I was standing there, looking up in the air.
Nancy had to work from 4-8 being a master gardener. There were plants and pots and hopscotches and frames.
We went in the expo building. I was looking for grip sticks, but they were not to be found. Donna was weirded out by the aqua massagers. I said I had always wanted to try it. She said she would support me and cheer me on. We found David watching it – he said, “Barbara, there’s a person in there!” when I walked up. Vee got wind of it and did it before me! Upon her recommendation, I went for it. I did 5 minutes, which was enough – although an hour wouldn’t have been a hardship if they had been giving it away. I particularly liked it on my feet, which was a surprise.
It got cool in the evening. Weather said 65degrees and 4mph winds. Some people were cold. I was not. Donna said my skin felt cold, but it didn’t soak in beyond skin deep. Donna and I shopped sweatshirts, just in case she got colder. Michael ended up buying one – because he really likes the Algonquin words for Milwaukee that mean good land.
When we finally found Karen and Dennis, they had found several things in the expo building that could not be lived without. Hurray! I like when that happens. The BL is for blue – and it is the last hose nozzle they are ever going to have to buy! Donna thought it was a glass hose nozzle. She thought it was going to be very pretty.
We all finally ended up together for the first time after 9 by the International Ampitheater. We’d been there earlier for the Kids from Wisconsin (they did a big Disney section and I was the only one who knew all of the songs – they were really obscure), then came back for Chicken Wire Empire (bluegrass!) at 8. Michael and Dave were able to get a craft brew and we had a few minutes together. We must have been having a really good time, because about 150 pictures were taken – absolutely none of which were a good one of the whole group. Oh well. Know that a really good time was had by all!
My dogs were barking at the end of the night!!
They were!! Not jumping, definitely barking!
When we lived in Eagan, very near the park from which fireworks were exploded, we had industrious neighbors renting yard space for parking. We usually spent July 4 in Wisconsin, but the year we came home early, one of our industrious neighbors jumped out with a $5 parking sign to park in our own yard. Apparently, he had a secret – he had been parking cars in our yard for three years. He offered to split the year with us. We countered with a more realistic (from our view) deal: split all the years earnings or we got 100% of the current and all future earnings.
He was a very enterprising neighbor 🤦♀️