The County Fair

I was propelled to the Tri-County Fair by memories of my childhood. Treats of this type were not common place growing up where money was never in abundance. My mom would pack a picnic lunch and we were allowed a limited number of ride tickets that we hoarded for the Tilt-O-Whirl and The Bullet. As a farm kid it seemed that we left "the city" at the end of the school year and rarely saw classmates or friends until school started again in the fall. The fair was a chance to see classmates and catch up with friends surrounded by the mystery of carnies.

The current Tri-County Fair is still held in the same place as when we were kids. The buildings look the same and even the mid-July date is the same. What is different is that the carnies are now old neighbors, former teachers and, well....my parents. The Fair Board purchased amusement rides last year to avoid the increasingly difficult task of finding a reliable travelling fair to come to the area. The Board members, spouses and others from the community run the rides. Gone are the strange looking mysterious people operating the rides, replaced by strange looking mysterious friends and family.

We hit the fair around 7:00 pm and the kids instantly jumped into the flying Dumbo ride with its pink glossy elephants. The rides themselves look like they were manufactured in the early 1920's and it wasn't without a little trepidation that I placed my two most precious assets into the Pepto Bismol pink whirling death machine. They loved it. Rides were $1.00 each and we quickly went through $20.00. I rode the mini Ferris wheel with one kid tucked under each of my arms for support (my support, not theirs). The kids enjoyed moving ride to ride and barn to barn with their cousins.

Dane learned that trying to pet a rooster who has been sitting in a sweltering tin barn for a week is probably not the smartest of ideas...not that it stopped him from reaching in a second time before the indent on the top of his hand had even plumped back up. Ava marveled at the baby miniature pony who was hardly as tall as her Auntie's boxer dogs.

Dane drew attention after he decided his shirt was too dirty and stripped down to his khaki capri shorts and crocs. The kids found time to sneak in hugs with Grandma and Grandpa despite being on duty and they even got kisses from Great Grandma Lillian.

Every kid should get the chance to spend an evening at a small fair to study the wonders of blue eggs (what kind of chickens lay blue eggs Ava wondered), to get nibbled on my soft goat lips and to get a little sick to the stomach on rides. As the night wound down the kids were obviously overtired and we were all happy to go to Grandma's house and nuzzle into bed. As Ava wrapped her arms around my neck I couldn't help but turn my head away before whispering, "I love you". Man that kid really smelled like cow barn.