Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Days 9 and 10. That's a wrap!

 I apologize that there was no post last night, it was a day. I was tired. I took mom to the fair yesterday for our day out. We went through the buildings and caught a Ron Diamond hypnotist show, which did not disappoint. Her food of choice was an apple dumpling ala mode from the Pride of Kansas building. She visited her woodcarving friends and had a good time catching up with them. We watched a bit of the motorcycle stunt act, and went to the birthing center. The birthing center had a boom since the day before. The sow was giving birth to piglets (6 total), the momma sheep had 4 lambs, and while were there, one of the cows delivered a bull-calf. We were too far back to see anything, but then they brought the baby calf back to the pen where we were standing, and we got a front-row view of the calf. Mom enjoyed her time at the fair. 

Today was closing day. We went up for a bit in the afternoon after church. It was a little rainy, but doable.  We walked the Midway and then decided to take some food home to snack on. Besides, the Chiefs were playing, and we wanted to be home in time for that! We took home some toasted ravioli and fried cookie dough. I was prepared to use my body as a human shield to protect the fair food from getting rained on, but it stopped raining as we started walking toward home. 

We came back later for one final time, and I decided to opt for a Korean Corn Dog. Big mistake. It didn't even taste good. I ended up throwing most of it away, which is a rare occurrence for me. I won't make that mistake again next year. We also picked up some tater tots and fried cookie dough as a final treat. Yeah, we splurged a little. I was able to pick up my ribbons, 7 of them to be exact, and that was pretty exciting. I have them at home, and soon I'm going to work at putting all of my ribbons into frames for displaying.  

Why do I love the fair so much? It's the fun atmosphere, the food, the lights, and laughter. I love seeing people I know, some who  haven't seen in a long time. I can't remember how many times a kid would come up to me and say, "Hey, Mr Rue, do you remember me?" they grew up! Most of all, I enjoyed sharing the fair with Julie, and seeing the fair through her eyes, and vice versa. May of our interests are the same, but we also have different interests as well, and it was fun for us to see each other have fun with the fair. As fun as the fair is, and while I'm sad to see it go, I think I've had my fill of fair for the year. I will miss it, and in the coming seasons of the next year, Julie and I will take walks to the quiet and empty fairgrounds, and I'm sure we'll reminisce about the fun times we had. I hope you enjoyed the ramblings. Please leave a like or a comment if you enjoyed it. 

I often ramble at other parts of the year, and I'd like to do it more often. I'll try to blog more often. If you'd like to see ramblings from earlier fairs or posts about anything at random, you can use the menu on the right hand side of the page and click the links to take you to other posts. I do that often. Thanks for reading, excuse the typographical and grammatical errors, and God bless you!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 8

 I'll just come right out and say it...still no animal babies (Sigh). The closest to giving birth is the sow. They induced her this morning, but she is still not in active labor. We'll just keep going every day, and hopefully we'll see something this week. The vets came out bottle-fed the baby bull calf while we were there, so that was cute to see. 

We took a walk down the Midway, and it was packed! We saw a lot of people (mostly kiddos) who came and told us hello. Some of the kids we knew, and others we did not. Evidently we made an impression on them, because they remembered us by name. When I do not know them, I simply fake it, and put on a big smile and engage them in conversation. If a kid asks me if I remember them, I simply tell them I know exactly who they are, but they just need to remind me of their name. Sometimes it rings a bell, and if it doesn't...I still act like I know them. I'd hate to make a kid sad that I don't know them. 

We stopped into the Domestic Arts building to look at my ribbons again, and to look at other entries. We had a nice conversation with some of the people who oversee the building. I had always assumed that one of the awards, The Governor's Cookie Jar, was judged by the governor. I learned that cookie judges from the fair are the ones who determine the winners. The winner of the Governor's Cookie Jar then gets to present the cookie jar to the governor when he/she visits the fair. I was also ooohing and aaahing over the kitchen area where contestants prepare and present their products in the special event contests. Double oven, lots of counter space. My dream area. Then they let me look backstage, behind the scenes where a lot of other baking takes place. I was practically drooling now. Multiple ovens, tons of counter space, and huge long tables perfect for rolling out dough, setting pans out to cool, etc. That might seem a bit geeky to some of you that I got excited by that, but a true baker knows how truly exciting that is. The couple that we spoke to are retired, and they do this every year. That got Julie and I thinking about maybe us doing that when we retire. That's still quite a few years off, but it's something to ponder. 

We ate a good supper before we went out (always a good idea), so we weren't hungry when we went out, but that didn't prevent us from drooling over some good-smelling food. That's one thing about the state fair...the smells. Fried foods smells galore, all mixing together and filling the fairgrounds. Julie and are cutting costs this year by eating before we come, because fair food is so expensive. We've had bits and bites here and there, but we are not eating there every night. However, I do know how to make much of the fair food, so I plan on doing that more often. 

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. For many years, I have been bringing my mom out to spend a day at the fair. I let her pick where she wants to go. She's in charge. We always enjoy this day. She has been using a wheelchair the past few years, and her legs aren't as strong as they used to be. But that doesn't stop her from enjoying the fair. If you see us out and about, please come over and say hi! 

The hour is growing late, and it's time for this old man to go to bed. If you've been reading every night, thanks for hanging with me. I hope that you're finding them entertaining and informative. Thanks for reading, and God bless you!    

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 7

Today was "sibling day," something my sister and I started a few years ago. It's fun to have Julie with us as well, we make a fun trio. My sister had been doing some work at the fair, so she was glad to have a free night to just get out and actually enjoy the fair. 

First stop: You guessed it, the animal birthing center. And, yes, you guessed again, no new babies. This has been a very slow year for farm animal births. One of the pigs looked very uncomfortable, and was grunting quite a bit. She is not in labor, but we're thinking it should be soon. I hope that we at least see something before the fair is over. From there, we headed to see the Watusi, which is a type of African cow. They have some very impressive horns. The pics I got of them were from a distance, as they were not too fond of people coming too close to the fence. I think they wanted to kill me, LOL. I got close enough to briefly touch one of the horns, and he started thrashing his head and horns at me. Don't make these guys mad. They have power, and they know it.  

Since Julie and I have already been out here several times, we let my sister call the shots on what we did.  She wanted to walk through the buildings. All 3 of us liked different things, so we stopped often to look at at various stuff and pick up free stuff. She picked up some freeze-dried Bit O' Honey and let us try some, and it was da' bomb!  We didn't get to walk through all of the buildings, as they began closing. Closing time for the buildings is 9:00pm. However, the last building we wanted to check out was closed and locked at 8:45. We were kind of bummed about that. On a side note, the Fair was open back to their regular hours this evening, despite the parking lots still being closed today. On Friday, the Plum street lot will remain closed, while 2 lots on State Fair Road will be open. I'm not sure what will happen beyond that, we're just taking it one day at a time. 

In food news, my sister wanted to get a traditional Pronto Pup. She prefers ketchup only, in a dipping cup. Julie and I passed on that, as we've already had one. Later when we were in the Pride of Kansas building, she mentioned that she'd like to get a bierock. The cafe in the Pride of Kansas building is known for their wonderful bierocks. When you order a bierock, you get a bag of chips with it. I was feeling pretty hungry, so I grabbed one as well. Yum!  She dipped her bierock in queso, which I've never heard of before, but it was pretty good! Later, Julie got an order of fried cookie dough, just north of the KWCH booth. It is sooo good, and very addictive. 

As always, it's fun to see people we know, and sometimes you haven't see them in quite some time. That was the case for me, running into club kids that I had years ago, and they still remember me! The most memorable meeting of the night took place when I ran into my oldest son, whom I haven't seen in a few years. It was great to see him! I asked my sister to get a picture of us together, and he decided to be a goofball in the pic, LOL. I gave him my number and asked him to keep in touch with me. 

After a walk around the Midway, we decided to call it a night.  We have to work in the morning, and can't be out too late. Tomorrow is Friday, and we may meet up with my sister, we'll just have to see how things go. Then on Saturday is Mother's Day when I bring my mom out to enjoy the fair. From there, it's Sunday, the last day! It goes by too quickly! I want to thank you for reading, and for leaving likes and/or comments. It certainly helps me to know how many people are reading. If you leave a comment on the blog post itself, please leave your name with your message, as it shows up as "anonymous." I like to know who's commenting! 😀 Thanks so much for reading my post, and God bless you!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 6

 It was a chill kind of night for us at the fair. Not very populated, which is typical on a weeknight. I'm not sure if the parking situation had anything to do with it or not. The fair again closed early this evening, 9:00pm. Tomorrow we should know if the parking lot is open to use again, or if they need to extend the waiting period for another day or so. Maybe then, the fair regular later hours will go back into effect. The people at the gate did not know as of this evening what decisions will be made. In the meantime, there have been shuttles going back and forth between area businesses and establishments where there is plenty of space for people to park their cars and ride to and from the fair.  

We went to check on the baby animals, and ....nothing yet. No change. Every day the vets tell us 24 hours. We will check again tomorrow. It's a daily thing for us. 

We walked the midway and saw quite a few of our school/club/church kiddos. That's always fun. We pretty much wandered the grounds and looked through a few buildings. As we walked by Ye Olde Mill, we realized we hadn't ridden it yet. Ye Olde Mill isn't super-scary, but more cheesy scary. There were some jump-scares, and some new props. It's a very nostalgic ride, as it's been a part of the fair for over 100 years. 

As I was getting off of the ride, my glucose monitor told me I was running low, so we went into the food court and I grabbed an Indian Fry Bread. You can have toppings added to it, but I like it plain. That helped me keep my blood sugar levels a bit higher. If those levels go low, I could pass out. 

Other than that we didn't do too much else. I guess were kind of boring people, LOL. But we were there together, and that is what counts. Remember to hit me up with any questions or comments. We'll be going back tomorrow night do do it all over again. Until then, Good night and God bless!

Robs State Fair Ramblings, Day 5

 $2 Tasty Tuesday! Tonight was Julie and I's day to enjoy and even indulge in fair food for a discounted price. Many vendors were offering $2 food items. Unhealthy as it is, it's fun to just enjoy some junk fair food! We took pics of some of the items, and some items we dug in and enjoyed before we remembered to take a pic. 

We started off in the Grandstand, where they were selling $2 mini cups of ice cream in a color-changing cup. I chose peach, while Julie opted for chocolate. We saw our friends, the Warners, there and we chatted for a bit. Our next item was outlaw fries, which are really good! They gave us a decent-sized cup of fresh, hot fries for 2 bucks! By this time, Julie was ready for some deep-fried cookie dough. Julie knows the family that works at this booth, and instead of the one cookie dough bite for $2, they gave her a full order of 3! Julie shared one with me, and they were amazing! We had a few encounters with Tiffany and Mariah from church, and we had the chance to chat. We also encountered Julie's daughter and family a couple of times, too. By this time, Julie was full, but I still wanted to grab an Indian Taco. It was OK, but not what I was expecting. It was a soft bread with taco seasonings covering it. I was done eating after that, I was full as well. 

Of course, we saw a lot of our kiddos out there coming up and saying hi to us, so that was fun. Julie also made some educational connections with a wildlife expert who visits schools with snakes and etc.  She has made a lot of good connections this year. As always, we visited the birthing center, which closes at 7:30, contrary to the sign that states 8:00. Nothing new to report. One pig is very ready to have her piglets, and the other one is not expected to deliver before the end of the fair. It's been a very slow year where animal births are concerned. We're hoping to see some baby piggies very soon! 

The fair again closed at 9:00 this evening. When we asked why, no one had an answer. They assumed it was because of the flooding. Since the parking lots are closed for at least another day, there are multiple shuttle sites across the city.  After tomorrow, the fair board will make a decision on what to do with the parking lot situation. I truly hope they are doing something beneficial to make the parking lot more accessible and user-friendly. One suggestion is to pave the entire thing. That would eliminate flooding issues. I am positive that has been brought up before. I'd like to be a fly on the wall during those meetings. 

So, we didn't walk through any buildings or pick up free stuff. It was simply a night for us to enjoy food and be together. We enjoy our trips to the fair, and our feet are tired, but it's good exercise! And just like that, the fair is already half-over! Tomorrow is Wednesday, and we'll just go where the wind takes us! We just like being together and seeing people. Some people have noted that there are typos in these posts. Let me just say that I'm writing this in the late evenings, and I'm tired. If you see a typo, just credit it to my tired brain and be thankful I'm blogging at all, LOL. Thanks for being loyal readers. Be sure to drop a like or comment for me! Good night, and God bless!  

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 4

 It was a very wet start to the State Fair today. Thunderstorms opened upon the area most of the day. I love the state fair, but I'm not willing to walk in the rain and get soaked. That happened a number of years ago, and it was not a fun experience. Today, the parking lots were flooded, cars were stuck in deep puddles, and many fairgoers had to be towed out. Julie and I did not venture out until about 5:45, when we were sure that the rain had stopped for sure. 

Our first stop, as always, was the animal birthing building. We saw nothing new, as the same cow that was born on Saturday was still there, but some of the pregnant cows were gone. We were puzzled about this. The vet told us that if the baby calf is female, it goes back to the farm with its mother. The male calves (Da bulls) stay at the fair with mom. We thought that was interesting. We were also told that the sow could deliver at any time, so we'll be definitely be checking that every day. We'll post pics when that happens. We were also told that in the next year or so, the animal birthing center will be relocated to the Bison Arena.  

We thought it would be fun to check out some bunnies this evening, and as we were looking, one of the rabbit owners gave us the rundown on the breed of bunnies he raises, called a Rex. The Rex has the softest fur you could imagine! He used to be a Special Ed teacher to kids with behavior issues, and he used the bunnies as therapy for these kiddos. He said that petting and cuddling the bunnies calmed the kiddos down. We also checked out the birds, and some of them are pretty funny, and even have some attitude! 

We got to see some of our school kiddos, some whom I haven't seen in quite a few years. One of them shook my hand, and as he did, his freshly-applied henna tattoo (on his hand) came off on my fingers. I felt bad for him, so I paid for him to get it touched up. I have said it before, we love seeing our current and past kiddos.   

We went into the Lair White House this evening, which is also the state fair museum. This year's display featured events that take place year-round, when the fair is not is session. I never knew so much happened at the fairground while the fair is not going on. This is a free exhibit. This exhibit is another that will be eventually moved into the Bison Arena in the next year or so. The Bison Arena will not be so much as a show barn for livestock, but more of an educational building. It will be interesting to see how it all looks when it comes together. 

We didn't get to spend as much time out there as we had planned, because the weather had other ideas.  As we were leaving, a very rare thing happened, when a voice came over the PA system, saying that the fair was closing at 9pm, and the gates would close at 10pm. A fair employee explained that is was due to the weather, and the amount of cars having to be pulled out of mud and water. In a related note, the fair has announced that the parking lots will be closed for the next 48 hours. We'll see how that goes. 

Tomorrow is Tasty Tuesday, when many of the vendors offer $2 samplings of their food items.  Julie and I love this night, and we can enjoy many of our favorite foods at a discount. I an not sure what vendors will offer this special, but most of them will post a special sign on their window specifying what you can get for $2. We'll be sure to report on what we enjoyed! Until then, I again want to thank you for reading, and God bless you!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 3

 Our day at the fair started in the early evening. We traveled out of town to see a good friend of ours get baptized, then headed to Goddard to visit Tanganyika Wildlife Park. Our bank provided us with full access to the park for $5 per person.  This was my first time to visit Tanganyika, and I was very impressed. I was able to feed lemurs and giraffes, and was able to get up close and personal with some very unique animals. After getting home and resting for a while, we headed out to the fair. 

Our first stop was the birthing center, to see if any new baby animals had arrived. Nothing yet, but we saw some very uncomfortable animal moms-to-be, and I have a feeling that we will see some action tomorrow.  From there, we hit the buildings in search of free stuff. Julie is a teacher, and she has found some really good resources out there in the way of coloring pages, books, and even people who would come and talk to her class about different topics. I'm just in it for the free stuff, Lol. The buildings were not very busy, so we were able to get through them in short order. 

From there, we hit the midway to check out the rides and night lights. The moon was a cool-looking shade of red amidst the bright lights of the Midway. We stopped to look at the big Ferris Wheel. Sadly, we're going to have to nix the Ferris Wheel ride this year. It will cost $15 to ride, and that's just plain ridiculous. We're cutting expenses this year, and that is too expensive. I'll simply post a picture of last year's selfie from the Ferris Wheel, and call it good. Of course, in the midst of walking around, we saw a lot of people we knew, mostly students and former students of ours. That is the best part. It is fun to catch up with people, some who we haven't seen in quite some time. It's cool to see them growing up and making good choices. 

We decided to splurge on a Pronto Pup, the famous "banquet on a stick." Not your typical Corn Dog. It's pretty much a state fair staple around here.  I like to slather mine in ketchup and mustard, while Julie likes ketchup only. How do you do your Pup? We noticed that they weren't as hot as they have been in the past, which tells me they were sitting there for probably a good 5-10 minutes. Aside from that, they were really good!  

That's about all we did. Walking around and eating Pronto Pups. Nothing too exciting, except for the fact that a teenager pulled the fire alarm in the food court building, causing quite a bit of confusion. We were walking in to see what was there, when all of a sudden, lights flashed, alarms chirped, and a robot voice told us to evacuate. Personnel did not make anybody evacuate, and I don't know what happened to the kid who pulled the alarm, but I hope he's learned a lesson. 

Tomorrow is Dollar Day. Admission is $1, or free with your Dillons card. Looking forward to Tuesday, many vendors will have $2 portions of their food available. Julie and I enjoy Tasty $2 Tuesday. Those are just a few things you can expect in the next couple of days. It's getting late in the evening, so I'm going to close this out. Is there anything you need us to check out or review for you? Questions or comments? I can help you out! Remember to like or comment if you took the time to read. Thanks for reading, and God bless you!!