Fair Fare

The day before on our epic bike ride, my daughter and I were riding through a local park/fair grounds and stumbled across our local county fair in action. I hadn't even realized it was in town. We weren't at all prepared to go at the time (no money, no bike locks), but I promised DD we'd return the next night. Which we did, just the two of us (my husband busy, and my son away at camp)....

Years ago, we once lived in a community in another state that REALLY knew how to put on a County Fair. I guess that particular region was still rural enough -- with plenty of family farming operations for whom the county fair was still apparently an important and meaningful event. One could spend the who day there checking it all out -- always tons of domesticated farm animals of every kind and breed on display (cows, pigs, horses, sheep, llamas, goats, chickens, geese, rabbits, and on and on), plenty of garden vegetable entries, complete with judging on dozens of pies, cakes, cake decorating, breads, canned goods, pickles, jellies and jams, quilts and on and on and on. Plus vendors, lots of vendors -- all with entire buildings dedicated to house and display these very items. Our fair here is quite different. There isn't nearly the emphasis on farm life, nor those quaint and nearly-extinct domestic skills (only a few paltry tables, in one room, were necessary to display ALL last night's fair entries -- plus one small area of the grounds for the show cows, pigs, and sheep). Our county fair is primarily about the carnie rides and fair food -- all wrapped up within an ever-so-slightly seedy atmosphere. I didn't expect to see many people I knew, nor (aside from one vaguely familiar face or two) did I....

As such we had a really fun (abeit expensive) time. I'd run to the gym in the late afternoon (40 sweaty minutes on the elliptical), and had taken a shower. I'd then figured since I'd gone to THAT trouble, I may as well put in my contacts (which I save only for special occasions, since I have chronic dry eyes and they aren't comfortable). Upon which I figured why stop there? and even put on a little make-up, which I rarely do anymore (because I'm more of the natural, hippie-mama type these days, not to mention the fact that I seem to have developed an allergy to it these last several years). So all in all, I was feeling pretty cute....

Did I mention the fair food? Whew, what a selection -- I think every conceivable choice available (complete with fried twinkies). My daughter was hungry and I was able to steer her (it wasn't a hard-sell) toward probably the healthiest vegetarian option there -- a 'veggie gyro' (veggies and feta on pita). We went and sat among the peeps eating their whole turkey legs and funnel cake as she ate her pita -- me consuming only the last bite or two that she couldn't finish. I also sampled a sip of the lemon shake up she got later, as well as a bite or so of the requisite cotton candy we purchased on our way out. Note that in the (very) recent past, I might well have been tempted by either the french fries, the soft pretzels, or cheese pizza, fudge, or, most especially, the 'blooming onion'. Dont' know what the future may bring (since I'm so wishy washy), but for last night at least, I was able to abstain with almost no effort.

And I was relieved to find out I wasn't too fat for the rides either -- which I admit was a teensy small thought in the back of my mind. Dont' know what my weight is at the mo' -- but, based upon how my clothes are fitting, I'm thinking somewhere around 255...? (Note that this blog was originally initiated, nearly two years ago, by my shock at discovering I actually weighed 250 -- my highest ever (at THAT time, sigh) -- though in recent months when I dared to weigh (on the very eve of my period no less -- probably not the best idea) the scale read 2-6-0 (culminating in More Shock - indeed, likely the instigation behind the resurgence of this blog, hello)...).