Once Is Not Enough

My mother and I went to the state fair the other day. It was perfection. We shared our favorite fair foods and we rode the train around. We visited all of our favorite exhibits. We gawked at the giant fruits and vegetables and perused the homemade quilts and crafts. We skipped the midway and the animal barns, although we did walk through the sheep barn to get to and from the car.

Some exhibits remain constant year after year. Others change. This year there's a display about Indiana oddities. It was hysterical. Plus, they posted all these bizarre laws that are still on the books in certain Indiana cities. One year they had a traveling expo of the White House in miniature, along with presidential memorabilia. My mom and I stood in line a long time for that one and it was well worth our time. Each president decorates the oval office in his own style and it was really cool to compare them. They had a replica of the White House. I've toured the actual White House but there are certain areas that are not available to the public so this was fascinating to me.

We invited my dad to attend but when my mother explained our favorites, he decided to pass. I think his comment was, "If I want to look at vegetables, can't I just go to the grocery?" He spent a lot of his childhood on a farm so he likes the barns and stables. Of course, he also likes the food. My mother promised to go with him so he could do his favorite things.

The husband shared his schedule for the week and it turns out he has focus group meetings on the very night that my parents are going to the fair. I called them immediately and said, "I want to go too!"

A girlfriend mentioned that her husband has zero interest in the fair and she loves it. I called and invited her along.

I brought some pork BBQ home to the oldies. They did a great Paula Dean imitation, "Mmmmmm, Mmmmm!" Of course, I can't convince them to go.

Big Daddy is very perplexed at how much I enjoy the fair. I've tried to explain it but he thinks it sounds dreadful -- probably because no one is playing golf. He just shakes his head and laughs at me.

The last laugh is on him. The daughter is coming home from Texas for a weekend visit. During a recent phone conversation, she told her dad that one of the things she really wants to do is go to the fair. Good girl!

Our State Fair

The husband hates the state fair. He refuses to go.

I'm somewhat of a snob but I love going to the state fair. My mother and I try to go every year. It's like the airport -- great people watching! We have our favorite foods and our favorite displays. We watch karaoke and we ride the train. Sometimes others go with us but it's a special time for us. We take a couple of hours and admire the bounty. Plus, we make fun of people. We don't do the midway or any of the barns.

I tried to convince the oldies to go last year. There's lots to see and do. "No, thank you."

The reputation of Hoosier Hospitality is well-deserved. A couple of years ago, my mother fell at the fair. I was not calm. Multiple people came to our aid. (She was a little scratched and bloody, but otherwise fine.) We can laugh about it now. Actually, we laughed about it on the way home.

Our state fair starts next week. I need to make a date with my mother.