In Hillsdale, the grandstand at the fairgrounds is emblazoned with "THE MOST POPULAR FAIR ON EARTH" (yes, all caps). Of course, I saw no reason to question this when I was growing up. The fair was magical, and I thought it only natural that the rest of the earth agreed. [I mean, it wasn't claiming to be the most popular fair in the universe...that would have been ridiculous.]
I went back to Hillsdale last week for a whirlwind work trip that just happened to coincide with fair week. I can't pretend that it was the same as when I was little. It wasn't. This time, I didn't have to save my chore and birthday money and painstakingly ration the food and rides I wanted to go on [best argument for getting a job I've heard so far]. So I ate too much, and went on rides with my cool older cousin and screamed like the 12-year-olds around us, and pet baby animals, and saw 700 pound pumpkins, and may have ended the evening being escorted out of the fair by my little sister with a quart of chocolate milk tied to my sweater in a makeshift holster. Oops.
But what the cuss. The most popular fair on earth only comes once a year!
I am jealous of everything you got to experience in this post, especially the 700 lb pumpkin [was it being carved by a 700 lb guy? Because I found that to often be the case.]. Also, I would like a picture of the activity in italics. Thanks.
ReplyDelete~Hannah
Unfortunately, all photographic evidence of the chocolate milk holster has been destroyed...but I might be moved to recreate it sometime :)
ReplyDeleteThe holster should have gone to your older cousin's two-year-old, who got a Bubble Gun from great grandma and spent the evening shooting everyone she saw with bubbles.
ReplyDeleteHmm... It is a scary view ! If you go up then how much your heart beat !
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