In some ways, it seems like the Fair just started, and in other ways, it seems like it has been going on for weeks. I have enjoyed it thoroughly. The only negative impacts are sore feet and a sore knee, something that should be an easy fix, now that the walking at the fair is over. For the first time, it is unsure whether or not I will be attending the next fair. Since my call to missions, I have no clue when God might take me there. It could be in a few months, next Summer, or a few years. I don't know God's timetable, so I'll just wait in Him right now. People have asked me, "what are you going to do in September when you are in San Diego?" I guess I will have to enjoy the fair by way of people's Facebook posts and pictures. I'm sure I'll miss it, but I'll be doing a greater good where I am.
Today, I was able to meet former Senator Bob Dole, and have my photo taken with him. he was at the KU booth (Rock chalk!), but didn't have the security or crowd around him the last time he was here. The lady hosting him asked if I'd like to meet and greet with him and have my pic taken with him. He was impressed with my name, Robert, and he informed me that he was a Robert, too. There was a reason I wanted to speak with him, and it had nothing to do with politics. I shared with him that about 20 years ago, his foundation sponsored a booth at the fair that provided free mammograms. My mom had not thought about getting a mammogram, but when she saw that they were free, she thought, "Why not?" The screening detected a lump that turned out to be malignant. My mom underwent a mastectomy, months of chemo, and has been cancer-free even since. I told Senator Dole that if not for his free mammogram booth, my mom might not be with us today. Senator Dole is a hero in our family, and we see him as our mom's lifesaver. He shared with me that he is working on a plan with Senator Pat Roberts to bring back the men's free prostate exams they used to have at the fair. I'm sure that Mr. Dole has heard similar stories like the one I shared with him, but I wanted him to hear one more. To remind him of the good he has done. It was a special and emotional meeting, and I'm glad I got the chance to visit with him.
I gave a lot of thought as to what I might eat on the last day. Then it hit me. I hadn't had a bierock yet! (Yes, spellcheck, bierock is a word!) They are rolls stuffed with hamburger, cabbage, onion, and other seasonings. They are large, and come with a bag of chips for $7.00. I give them an A. The people were friendly, and it took only a couple of minutes to be served a hot bierock. In the Meadowlark building, they had a booth called Grandma J's. They serve a wide variety of items, but I went for the mini donuts, aka spudnuts. You could get a half-dozen for $1.65. For an extra .50, you could get a cup of chocolate, strawberry, or other dips to dunk your spudnut in. I opted for the plain. They were good enough that way. They had a little donut maker that you can put dough in, and it pops out tiny doughnuts! I want one! They then dropped it into grease, and then rolled it in cinnamon and sugar. Yum!
At 6pm, I was able to pick up my prize. I received my blue ribbon, my whopping $7.00 check, (if I say 700 cents, it sounds like more, lol), and the judges' comments. Their only comment was that I need to specify what kind of chocolate chips I use. Everything else was checked "desirable." Earlier this week, I counted the other entries in the chocolate chip cookie category, and there were 18 other people vying for the top prize. Some of the others looked pretty good. I definitely had some stiff competition. I'm just thrilled that I finally won something!
After picking up my winnings, I took one last walk around the fairgrounds. I wanted to see everything one last time. During this time, I was spotted again by my friends Leland and Brenda. On my last time around, I heard a really good Jazz band from Atchinson, so I stopped to listen for a while. They played the big band jazz, reminiscent of Glenn Miller. They had a really good sound. After that, it was time to go. I bid a fond farewell to the Kansas State Fair as I walked out of the gates. The State Fair will return next September, from the 9th through the 18th.
Tomorrow, I will post one more fair blog. It will recap some things, give you some final numbers, and wrap things up with a nice little bow. In the meantime, I think an early bedtime is calling my name. If you enjoyed my blog, would you please give me a like or a comment? This will let me know how many people were reading, and will determine if I will blog next year. I sure appreciate it. Thanks to those who have been reading daily, and I pray God will bless you. Good night.
No comments:
Post a Comment