And just like that, the 2019 Kansas State Fair has come to an end.
I came out after church today, arriving at about 1pm. My plan was to eat a Tacone today, and after 1 building, I was pretty hungry, and went to get my Tacone. A Tacone is sold at Rotten Rodney's, and is a flour tortilla fried into the shape of a cone. It is then loaded with all of the taco fixings. For an extra 50 cents, you can add jalapenos. The Tacone runs at $6.50. The people that run Rotten Rodney's are quite friendly, and this day was no different, despite the fact that they were probably dead tired. In fact, most of the vendors were looking like they were sooo ready to go. Many of them have been there every day, all day. Today, I also decided that I wanted to treat myself to some comfort. The lady at the Shiatsu booth has been asking me all week if I wanted to try out the foot massager. I decided to give in today and gave it a test run. I was not a fan. I spent about 10 minutes with my feet stuck in this machine, and the plastic knobby things inside were grinding against the bottoms of my feet in a most uncomfortable way. Some people might like it, but I didn't care for it. Then she wrapped some things around my calves kind of like blood pressure cuffs. Then the unit started to compress my feet and calves. That....I liked. However, the pain I felt in my feet, plus the $250 price tag led me to move on. I decided to look for a massage chair. I knew that would be relaxing. Wrong. That was worse than the Shiatsu. It again involved knobs grinding into the bottoms of my feet, plus uncomfortable knobby things painfully rolling up and down my back. I asked the guy to please shut it down, I wanted out. Alas, my quest for some relaxation and comfort for my body was to come up fruitless.
As I was walking through the Grandstand, I came upon a booth that was drawing caricatures. I haven't had a caricature done of myself for many years. I felt it was time. They asked me my name and what my occupation was, and they took it from there. See my Facebook page for a photograph of this drawing which I think is pretty great. I think I need to make this caricature thing an annual tradition. It was about this time that my sister got in touch with me and wanted to have a sibling day at the fair. We have not done this before. She really wanted to try a cow patty, a food that I talked about earlier this week. She opted for the calf patty (half order) and she really enjoyed it. I was still pretty full from my Tacone, so I chatted at her while she ate. I explained about the massage chair, and she said she would take me to a booth where the massage chairs were better. These chairs looked very similar, but I was hoping that the experience would be better. Wrong. The knobbies on the bottom of the feet were very gentle, and it felt good, but here came the back knobs. Again, it felt like grinding against the bone. It hurt. I asked the guy to program just feet and arms. He punched in some buttons. It started massaging my feet...it felt good. Then the arms...it felt good. Then here came the back knobs...that was enough. My sister enjoyed her chair massage, but I guess massage chairs are not for me. I prefer a human who can hear what I have to say and adjust as needed, instantly. Then my sister was ready for a funnel cake. She took me to her favorite funnel cake stand. This stand is located by the roller coaster Bullet Train. Funnel cakes are $7.00, and $1.00 extra per topping. We got a funnel cake topped with Bavarian Cream and strawberries. Wow, was it heavenly! I now have a favorite funnel cake.
About then we met up with my nieces (my sister's daughters) who were also having a sibling day. I chatted with them for a bit, and then went to pick up my ribbons. They were releasing them by this time, and I was pretty excited to open that envelop and see that blue ribbon in there. There was also a check for...are you ready for this....a whopping $7.00! I plan to put that into my savings and retire. The critiques by the judges were also enclosed. I guess my other cookies were dry, tough, or non-uniform. Funny, no one else who eats my cookies thinks that.
I went back to where my family was and chatted with them for a while longer before it was time to go. My sister had a yard to mow, and I had groceries to buy.
Before I left, I took my traditional farewell walk around the grounds, the midway, and other streets that I'd visited during the week. As I circled around the buildings, they were all buzzing as people carried out boxes of supplies, papers, etc. They were in full-tilt unload mode. It always makes me sad to see something so fun come to an end. By now, some of the rides are being disassembled and loaded back onto the trucks. Many will work all night getting these rides taken down. By Monday afternoon, many of the rides and concession stands will be on the highway, headed for their next destination. Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield, WI.
I think what I will miss most of all is seeing people smile, whether it's a person a know, or a total stranger laughing and having a good time. I love running into people who I haven't seen in a long time. It's a surprise, seeing someone who moved to another state, but there they are, right in front of you! I enjoy seeing my kiddos from the children's organizations that I work with. Getting tackled around the legs by a kid who is so glad to see you. I love being the fair answer-man. Being able to direct people to where they are looking to go. I'll miss blogging the day's events for you. I plan to continue blogging here, if you're up to reading my Ramblings. I won't blog every day, but once in a while I'll put my thoughts into a blog post and put it up on Facebook. You can also opt to click "follow" me on Facebook and keep up with me that way. On this last post of the State Fair, I need to know how many of you have been reading. Please like, comment, and share to give me a gauge. For the record, the posting that received the most likes and comments was my pic with Governor Laura Kelly.
Thanks for sharing my adventures with me. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Thanks for reading, and God bless you!
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 9
When I was typing in the heading, and realized...Day 9? Wow, just one more day. I'm going to be so sad when the fair is over.
Today was mom's day, the day that I take my mom out for a day at the fair. Our day at the fair actually began at 9am. My mom worked in the Oz building from 9am-1pm at the woodcarving booth. Because I didn't want my mom to have to make the long journey from the parking lot to the gate, I picked her up and dropped her off at a much friendlier gate than the one I dealt with where my dad was concerned. This gate was right near the Oz building. Next year, if my dad decides to make the trip to the fair, this is the gate I will drop him off at. So, my mom is a woodcarver, and was in the Oz building and talking to passerby about her woodcarving and where people could get involved. They had little wooden cats they were giving out to the kids, with the condition that they give their cat a name. One kids said he would name his cat "Fred." Noting that he and his family were wearing purple with K-State logos, I suggested he paint his cat purple and name him "Willie," K-State's mascot. He brightened up and said "Yes!!" Also, my mom's walking stick, which did not have a ribbon this year, came into question. It turns out that my mom HAD taken a ribbon on her walking stick. 3rd place to be exact! But where was the ribbon? It is suspected that some sticky-fingered goon had stolen the ribbon right off of her walking stick. It is a beautiful walking stick with an elephant's head on the top. My mom was so excited. To first think that she had not gotten a ribbon, to realizing that she had! Thanks to the sharp-eyed Daren Dunn of My 93.1 for catching that one!
I let my mom alone so she could do her job, and I went off to do my building walk-through. 9am on a Saturday is a great time to walk through, it wasn't busy at all. Afterwards, I made my way to Lake Talbott to see what entertainment was going on, and Mike & Glenda Mann were performing. The Mann's are family-friendly puppeteers and magicians. I haven't seen them in many years, mainly because I never know when they are performing. When I saw them on stage, I grabbed a seat and enjoyed. I have an interest in puppets and appreciate their style. The kids in the audience were having a ball as well. After their show, I decided it was time to check out the deep-fried PB & J. My friend Jeff posted that he had tried one, and I was intrigued. They sell this treat at the Carousel Café for just over $7.00 including tax. As always, they were very friendly. I've never had anyone be rude to me before at this establishment. The fried PBJ was about the size of a PBJ uncrustable. In fact, I believe it WAS an uncrustable. I don't have a problem with that, I really like uncrustables. It was sprinkled with powdered sugar, and it was quite good! I give the whole experience an A. I decided to just walk around for a bit, and I noticed that Bandaloni was setting up for a set. By golly, I'm not going to walk away from that one! I got some pics of him performing, and he did one of his trademark moves....putting his face right up into the phones of people who are taking pics. It's hilarious. Check out my pics that I'll be posting to my Facebook page to see an extreme close-up of the one-and-only Bandaloni! During one of his songs, which were performed in front of the Channel 12 building, TV personality Shane Konicki came out of the building, grabbed a lady in the audience, and began dancing with her. The lady was surprised, then thrilled. There were a good number of kids who came out and danced as well. It was a great set. About this time, it was time to pick up mom for her day of fair fun to begin.
Mom likes to walk through the buildings finding free stuff, just like my dad does. I guess I know where I get it from, Lol. Our friend Pat joined us, and that was fun. We explored 4 different buildings, and then we decided that we needed to eat. Mom was in the mood for a BBQ parfait. A BBQ parfait is served in a parfait cup and includes layers of BBQ pulled pork, mashed potatoes, and baked beans. Yum! This sells for $9. The lady that took our order seemed to be a bit grumpy. I would normally give that type of service a C, but I took into consideration that maybe she had been here all week and was tired, so I upgraded it to a B. We took our parfaits to the Bretz Arena and watched the auctioning of the sculptures made by the chainsaw woodcarver. After eating and relaxing for a bit, we made our way to the Eisenhower building and Channel 12. We chatted with TV anchor Michael Schwanke for a bit. As we walked away, I asked mom if she enjoyed her brush with greatness, talking with Michael Schwanke. "Oh, is that who that was? He looks different (and younger) in person." We continued onward toward the Grandstand, which houses my mom and I's favorite sweet treat: Ice cream! Mom opted for a chocolate, while I took on a chocolate chip cookie dough. We ordered single scoops, but I think they erred on mine. My mom's cone looked like a single, but mine looked like a double-scoop. There was a lot of ice cream. "Are you sure this is a single?" Yes, they said. So I took it.
The next item on the agenda was Ron Diamond. By now, mom was winding way down, energy-wise. Ron Diamond was on the other side of the grounds, and she didn't feel like she could make it. We decided to just catch the acrobat show and then call it a day. On the way, we saw Waldo! It was him! Red striped shirt and cap, mustache, and all! People were coming up to him, telling him "We found you!" He then handed them a card. I just had to say hello and get a card. For years, people have called me the "State Fair Waldo." He was very polite, but didn't say much. He handed me a card, and said "God bless you." When I turned the card over, I had a whole new respect for him. On the back was a hand-written verse from Isaiah 55:6-7. "Seek ye The Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him, while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto The Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." I thought that this was a very clever way of spreading the Gospel of Christ. Like people look for Waldo, people should also be seeking Christ, because one day, it will be eternally too late. We watched the acrobats do their thing: An act on a high sway bar which began spinning around, plate spinning, and motorcycles in a small spherical metal cage.
By then, we were ready to call it a day. We left at about 7pm. It was a full, fun day. Tomorrow will be the end. It has been a great run, and I will definitely miss it. These 10 days have simply flown by. Of note, tomorrow, buildings will close at 6pm. The midway closes at 8pm. Tomorrow, I will pick up my ribbon and my critiques of my cookies. I'll get to see the notes that the judges made about my cookies, and I'll take those into account for my entries next year. I plan on having a Tacone, one of my faves, and who knows what else? Maybe I'll see you? Thanks for reading tonight. God bless you.
Today was mom's day, the day that I take my mom out for a day at the fair. Our day at the fair actually began at 9am. My mom worked in the Oz building from 9am-1pm at the woodcarving booth. Because I didn't want my mom to have to make the long journey from the parking lot to the gate, I picked her up and dropped her off at a much friendlier gate than the one I dealt with where my dad was concerned. This gate was right near the Oz building. Next year, if my dad decides to make the trip to the fair, this is the gate I will drop him off at. So, my mom is a woodcarver, and was in the Oz building and talking to passerby about her woodcarving and where people could get involved. They had little wooden cats they were giving out to the kids, with the condition that they give their cat a name. One kids said he would name his cat "Fred." Noting that he and his family were wearing purple with K-State logos, I suggested he paint his cat purple and name him "Willie," K-State's mascot. He brightened up and said "Yes!!" Also, my mom's walking stick, which did not have a ribbon this year, came into question. It turns out that my mom HAD taken a ribbon on her walking stick. 3rd place to be exact! But where was the ribbon? It is suspected that some sticky-fingered goon had stolen the ribbon right off of her walking stick. It is a beautiful walking stick with an elephant's head on the top. My mom was so excited. To first think that she had not gotten a ribbon, to realizing that she had! Thanks to the sharp-eyed Daren Dunn of My 93.1 for catching that one!
I let my mom alone so she could do her job, and I went off to do my building walk-through. 9am on a Saturday is a great time to walk through, it wasn't busy at all. Afterwards, I made my way to Lake Talbott to see what entertainment was going on, and Mike & Glenda Mann were performing. The Mann's are family-friendly puppeteers and magicians. I haven't seen them in many years, mainly because I never know when they are performing. When I saw them on stage, I grabbed a seat and enjoyed. I have an interest in puppets and appreciate their style. The kids in the audience were having a ball as well. After their show, I decided it was time to check out the deep-fried PB & J. My friend Jeff posted that he had tried one, and I was intrigued. They sell this treat at the Carousel Café for just over $7.00 including tax. As always, they were very friendly. I've never had anyone be rude to me before at this establishment. The fried PBJ was about the size of a PBJ uncrustable. In fact, I believe it WAS an uncrustable. I don't have a problem with that, I really like uncrustables. It was sprinkled with powdered sugar, and it was quite good! I give the whole experience an A. I decided to just walk around for a bit, and I noticed that Bandaloni was setting up for a set. By golly, I'm not going to walk away from that one! I got some pics of him performing, and he did one of his trademark moves....putting his face right up into the phones of people who are taking pics. It's hilarious. Check out my pics that I'll be posting to my Facebook page to see an extreme close-up of the one-and-only Bandaloni! During one of his songs, which were performed in front of the Channel 12 building, TV personality Shane Konicki came out of the building, grabbed a lady in the audience, and began dancing with her. The lady was surprised, then thrilled. There were a good number of kids who came out and danced as well. It was a great set. About this time, it was time to pick up mom for her day of fair fun to begin.
Mom likes to walk through the buildings finding free stuff, just like my dad does. I guess I know where I get it from, Lol. Our friend Pat joined us, and that was fun. We explored 4 different buildings, and then we decided that we needed to eat. Mom was in the mood for a BBQ parfait. A BBQ parfait is served in a parfait cup and includes layers of BBQ pulled pork, mashed potatoes, and baked beans. Yum! This sells for $9. The lady that took our order seemed to be a bit grumpy. I would normally give that type of service a C, but I took into consideration that maybe she had been here all week and was tired, so I upgraded it to a B. We took our parfaits to the Bretz Arena and watched the auctioning of the sculptures made by the chainsaw woodcarver. After eating and relaxing for a bit, we made our way to the Eisenhower building and Channel 12. We chatted with TV anchor Michael Schwanke for a bit. As we walked away, I asked mom if she enjoyed her brush with greatness, talking with Michael Schwanke. "Oh, is that who that was? He looks different (and younger) in person." We continued onward toward the Grandstand, which houses my mom and I's favorite sweet treat: Ice cream! Mom opted for a chocolate, while I took on a chocolate chip cookie dough. We ordered single scoops, but I think they erred on mine. My mom's cone looked like a single, but mine looked like a double-scoop. There was a lot of ice cream. "Are you sure this is a single?" Yes, they said. So I took it.
The next item on the agenda was Ron Diamond. By now, mom was winding way down, energy-wise. Ron Diamond was on the other side of the grounds, and she didn't feel like she could make it. We decided to just catch the acrobat show and then call it a day. On the way, we saw Waldo! It was him! Red striped shirt and cap, mustache, and all! People were coming up to him, telling him "We found you!" He then handed them a card. I just had to say hello and get a card. For years, people have called me the "State Fair Waldo." He was very polite, but didn't say much. He handed me a card, and said "God bless you." When I turned the card over, I had a whole new respect for him. On the back was a hand-written verse from Isaiah 55:6-7. "Seek ye The Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him, while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto The Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." I thought that this was a very clever way of spreading the Gospel of Christ. Like people look for Waldo, people should also be seeking Christ, because one day, it will be eternally too late. We watched the acrobats do their thing: An act on a high sway bar which began spinning around, plate spinning, and motorcycles in a small spherical metal cage.
By then, we were ready to call it a day. We left at about 7pm. It was a full, fun day. Tomorrow will be the end. It has been a great run, and I will definitely miss it. These 10 days have simply flown by. Of note, tomorrow, buildings will close at 6pm. The midway closes at 8pm. Tomorrow, I will pick up my ribbon and my critiques of my cookies. I'll get to see the notes that the judges made about my cookies, and I'll take those into account for my entries next year. I plan on having a Tacone, one of my faves, and who knows what else? Maybe I'll see you? Thanks for reading tonight. God bless you.
Friday, September 13, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 8
I didn't do as much walking around as I usually do. I felt compelled to just take in some entertainment today. I work pretty hard during this week, touching base with vendors and researching answers to questions that fairgoers have asked me. My feet are pretty sore, so I needed to rest them for a night. Of course, I began with a trip through all of the buildings. That's typically my first item on the agenda for each day. Have you been to the Pride of Kansas building? Right by the little restaurant, they have a booth dedicated to honey and honeybees. I have been stocking up on those little honey sticks. They sell them for 25 cents apiece. There are 8 flavor varieties, and I usually buy one of each. As I was getting my bag ready before the fair arrived in town, I found a forgotten bag of honey sticks in the bottom of it. They had been there all year. They looked OK, however, I asked one of the honey experts about this. He said that those honey sticks will stay good for years. They may crystallize over time, but if they are submerged in some hot water, they'll be as good as new. If you like honey, stop by and pick up some honey sticks for a quarter (and pick some up for me, too, LOL).
I stopped by and got a front row seat to see The Strong Man, John Beatty. I was able to see him from a distance last weekend, but this time I was right up close and got some great pics and videos. This guy can bend steel, tear phone books into fourths, and bend horseshoes into the shape of hearts. He also defeated 8 boys in a game of tug-of-war, and lifted 10 girls on a specially built lifting beam. It's very impressive. It should be, because I taught him everything he knows. Funny thing, though, he didn't thanks me or acknowledge me in his show. Lol.
After the show, I realized that I hadn't been through the animal barns yet. I got to see some beautiful horses. They looked so sad in their pens. I'm sure horses can get homesick when they're away from home, just like people can. I saw lots of cows, and I got to see the Watusi. Watusi are cows with really big, thick horns. I was able to get some good pictures of those guys. I also ran into some kids that I hadn't seen in a few years, and they still remembered me. When the kiddos remember you, it makes you feel like you made a difference in their lives. By this time, I was hungry enough to eat a cow patty. So I did. A cow patty is a plate of hot crispy fries topped with pulled pork, cheese sauce, barbecue sauce, and sour cream. For a bit extra, they'll throw some jalapenos on it as well. The cow patty sells for $9. They really fill that plate up, and I was pretty full by the time I was done. I give them an A+ for service, taste, and value. If you're not all that hungry, they sell a calf patty (a half-order) for $6. You can find the cow patty booth across from the Prairie Pavilion, which is along the road where all of the livestock barns are. Look for the big red sign.
It was now time to rest. I stopped by the Bretz Arena to see a Christian worship band playing some amazing praise and worship music. They were very good, and I enjoyed hearing them. From there, I settled down by the Lake Talbott stage to hear an authentic Mariachi band. I love Mariachi music. I've always enjoyed it, but since my 4 trips to Mexico and being immersed in the culture, I just love it even more. When we would go on excursions throughout Mexico, I would hear that music, and the sound of a Mariachi band brings it all back. Tonight, there was a large group of Mexican people getting into the music and whooping, including the lady right next to me...loudly. There was a family nearby that I am friends with, and the expression on my face must have been something, because they were laughing at me every time that lady started whooping.
Now that I had sat for a while, it was time to get moving again. I decided to make a few laps around the midway before heading home. On the way, I ran into my friends John and Lynette. They're some of my biggest supporters. We chatted for a while, and then I made my way around the midway for a few laps. As always, I ran into a lot of kids that I know, and that's always fun. I love seeing the kids and meeting their parents.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I'll be treating my mom to a day at the fair. She'll get to pick where to go, what to do, where to eat, etc. We always have a good time. I'll be sure to post the info right here tomorrow night. Until then, I thank you for reading, and God bless you!
I stopped by and got a front row seat to see The Strong Man, John Beatty. I was able to see him from a distance last weekend, but this time I was right up close and got some great pics and videos. This guy can bend steel, tear phone books into fourths, and bend horseshoes into the shape of hearts. He also defeated 8 boys in a game of tug-of-war, and lifted 10 girls on a specially built lifting beam. It's very impressive. It should be, because I taught him everything he knows. Funny thing, though, he didn't thanks me or acknowledge me in his show. Lol.
After the show, I realized that I hadn't been through the animal barns yet. I got to see some beautiful horses. They looked so sad in their pens. I'm sure horses can get homesick when they're away from home, just like people can. I saw lots of cows, and I got to see the Watusi. Watusi are cows with really big, thick horns. I was able to get some good pictures of those guys. I also ran into some kids that I hadn't seen in a few years, and they still remembered me. When the kiddos remember you, it makes you feel like you made a difference in their lives. By this time, I was hungry enough to eat a cow patty. So I did. A cow patty is a plate of hot crispy fries topped with pulled pork, cheese sauce, barbecue sauce, and sour cream. For a bit extra, they'll throw some jalapenos on it as well. The cow patty sells for $9. They really fill that plate up, and I was pretty full by the time I was done. I give them an A+ for service, taste, and value. If you're not all that hungry, they sell a calf patty (a half-order) for $6. You can find the cow patty booth across from the Prairie Pavilion, which is along the road where all of the livestock barns are. Look for the big red sign.
It was now time to rest. I stopped by the Bretz Arena to see a Christian worship band playing some amazing praise and worship music. They were very good, and I enjoyed hearing them. From there, I settled down by the Lake Talbott stage to hear an authentic Mariachi band. I love Mariachi music. I've always enjoyed it, but since my 4 trips to Mexico and being immersed in the culture, I just love it even more. When we would go on excursions throughout Mexico, I would hear that music, and the sound of a Mariachi band brings it all back. Tonight, there was a large group of Mexican people getting into the music and whooping, including the lady right next to me...loudly. There was a family nearby that I am friends with, and the expression on my face must have been something, because they were laughing at me every time that lady started whooping.
Now that I had sat for a while, it was time to get moving again. I decided to make a few laps around the midway before heading home. On the way, I ran into my friends John and Lynette. They're some of my biggest supporters. We chatted for a while, and then I made my way around the midway for a few laps. As always, I ran into a lot of kids that I know, and that's always fun. I love seeing the kids and meeting their parents.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I'll be treating my mom to a day at the fair. She'll get to pick where to go, what to do, where to eat, etc. We always have a good time. I'll be sure to post the info right here tomorrow night. Until then, I thank you for reading, and God bless you!
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 7
The day started with an eye appointment and then getting tags for the car, so even though I love the fair and like to be there all the time, life's responsibilities have to come first. Afterwards, I popped out to the fair to meet my friend Christy. Typically, we've come out on Monday nights (Dollar Day), but we were never able to stay for too long, because we had to get home to sleep because we both had to work in the morning. This year, because we both were off work on Thursday and Friday, we took the whole day to come out and see what we could see without having to worry about being out too late. I went out to the fair after my morning obligations were finished for the morning. As I hung out waiting for Christy to arrive, I heard that the governor of our state was due to arrive to sign some proclamations and to meet the public. I have had the privilege of meeting all of our governors since John Carlin many years ago. I make it a point to let each governor know that I am praying for them. A number of years ago, I met Joan Finney, and she was genuinely touched by what I had to say. She thanked me, and I think I saw a tear in her eye. So, when I heard that governor Laura Kelly was heading our way, I knew I needed to take this opportunity to speak with her. Ms. Kelly appears to be a very friendly person, and she really liked my shirt. You can see my shirt in the pics I'll post on Facebook later. I shook her hand and let her know that I was praying for her. She thanked me, and I was able to get a picture with her. You know, it's not about party lines. It's a command from God that we should pray for all of those that are in positions of authority. Why not let that person know they are in your prayers? After meeting the governor, I noticed that about a block away, Bandaloni was setting up! I had not seen him yet this year, so I quickly made my way over to that area. Bandaloni was not with us last year, and many people missed him. He is my favorite act at the fair. I was able to go Facebook live, and this time I think I got it right, Lol. He sang some cute songs to some of the kiddos nearby, including my friend Larissa and her kids. About this time, my friend Christy arrived, so we decided to hit the buildings in search of the best free stuff.
We really scored big in the search for free stuff. We chatted with a few vendors, we kept on moving for many more, and we bought a few dip mixes that we really liked. Then we passed by a stand that was selling hats. I looked at my poor hat, which looked like it had been through a war. Christy and I both found hats that we really liked. My new hat is a color and type that I have not worn before, and I got a few compliments about it from people that I passed by. After a Pronto Pup break, we visited the Lair White House, aka the State Fair Museum. It's an interesting exhibit, if you haven't seen it yet. The themes and displays change every year. From there, we stopped into the Domestic Arts building for the annual "Viewing of the Quilts," where Christy explains what kinds of fabrics were made, and how it was stitched together. We also oohed and aahed over my winning Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, which took first this year. As we left from there to travel to another location, we stopped in to see Jason D'Vaude, and traveling entertainer who can juggle, ride a unicycle, among other talents. We especially enjoyed seeing him, as he selected some of our BGC kids to be a part of his show. Jason D'Vaude is very talented and knows how to work an audience.
Our day continued with looking at llamas, baby pigs, the petting zoo, and ice cream at the Grandstand. We also took our annual trip on the Ferris Wheel, where I was able to get some pics. Afterwards, I introduced Christy to the legendary "Elephant Ear," a deep fried bread, slathered in butter, and sprinkled with lots of cinnamon and sugar. I hadn't had one in several years, and Christy really liked hers. Following our elephant ear, we were both pretty tired, and decided to call it a day. We really enjoyed our day. It was also a very unpopulated day, Today was certainly a good day to come. It was a wristband day, where a person could purchase a wristband and ride unlimited, and there were almost no lines at all to most of the rides.
My plan for tomorrow is to head out in the early afternoon while it's still relatively slow. I'll get my free stuff, eat some food, and then head out when it gets crazy. Once that starts, it'll be pretty crazy through the end of the fair. There are 3 days left, and I'm going to make the best of it. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
We really scored big in the search for free stuff. We chatted with a few vendors, we kept on moving for many more, and we bought a few dip mixes that we really liked. Then we passed by a stand that was selling hats. I looked at my poor hat, which looked like it had been through a war. Christy and I both found hats that we really liked. My new hat is a color and type that I have not worn before, and I got a few compliments about it from people that I passed by. After a Pronto Pup break, we visited the Lair White House, aka the State Fair Museum. It's an interesting exhibit, if you haven't seen it yet. The themes and displays change every year. From there, we stopped into the Domestic Arts building for the annual "Viewing of the Quilts," where Christy explains what kinds of fabrics were made, and how it was stitched together. We also oohed and aahed over my winning Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, which took first this year. As we left from there to travel to another location, we stopped in to see Jason D'Vaude, and traveling entertainer who can juggle, ride a unicycle, among other talents. We especially enjoyed seeing him, as he selected some of our BGC kids to be a part of his show. Jason D'Vaude is very talented and knows how to work an audience.
Our day continued with looking at llamas, baby pigs, the petting zoo, and ice cream at the Grandstand. We also took our annual trip on the Ferris Wheel, where I was able to get some pics. Afterwards, I introduced Christy to the legendary "Elephant Ear," a deep fried bread, slathered in butter, and sprinkled with lots of cinnamon and sugar. I hadn't had one in several years, and Christy really liked hers. Following our elephant ear, we were both pretty tired, and decided to call it a day. We really enjoyed our day. It was also a very unpopulated day, Today was certainly a good day to come. It was a wristband day, where a person could purchase a wristband and ride unlimited, and there were almost no lines at all to most of the rides.
My plan for tomorrow is to head out in the early afternoon while it's still relatively slow. I'll get my free stuff, eat some food, and then head out when it gets crazy. Once that starts, it'll be pretty crazy through the end of the fair. There are 3 days left, and I'm going to make the best of it. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 6
I'm glad I can post this evening. This morning I had no internet. I looked at my computer and growled "This is not the week to be down." Evidently, the internet wasn't scared of me, and continued to stay off. It was a welcome relief to be able to log on this evening. Guess it came back on, because here I am, online, blogging.
I spent most of the day at the fair today, walking around with a group of 2nd Graders from our school. Our school is located near the state fair, so we took the 15-minute trek from the school to the fairground to begin our adventure. Another staff member and myself took charge of 4 of our special needs kids during this trip. Most of this blog will be presented as though a 2nd grader wrote this. Enjoy: (By the way, some of this is written using exact quotes from what I heard the kids say today.)
We're here, we're here! Look at the rides, we're going to ride them today! Teacher: Remember, we're not riding rides today. Our first stop was DoArt. We're going to talk about how a caterpillar morphalamitizes into a butterfly. Look how much glue I'm squeezing onto this paper! Teacher: You only need one little dot. But this leaf might be heavy! I think the glue is heavier than the paper! Cool! Our next place is Dr, God's Lab. He's going to blow stuff up. Teacher: He'll be starting the show in about 5 minutes. I gotta go to the bathroom. So do I! Me, too! I gotta go, too! (Insert quick bathroom break here) That was a neat show, he blew up a big cotton ball! I heard that our next stop is a huge fish tank. Wow, those are some big fish! That thing could eat you! Neat, the fish jump when you pound on the glass! Teacher: Please don't pound on the glass. That fish is ugly, and he's saying hi to you, (student's name). Can we get a fishing pole and go fishing in there? I heard the teacher say we're going to go eat lunch and watch the acrobats, I can't wait! (Screams) Teacher: No need to scream, we'll be there soon.
Look at my lunch, it's bigger than yours. Well, I got a candy bar! No fair! Teacher, he brought a candy bar! Watch me throw my lunch bag into the trash from here (Other side of the bleachers)! Dang, I missed. Teacher, he hit me with his lunch bag! I love the pre-show music they're playing, watch me floss! And hype! And other things we learned from Fortnite! (Dance party USA ensues, with the DJ feeding into it, encouraging the kids even more). DJ: We'll be starting the show in just a few minutes, you can sit right behind the blue ropes, but not any closer. (Kids go past blue ropes.) Teacher: If you can't follow the directions, you'll have to sit way back here on the bleachers. (Kids move back) Look at that girl way up there on that bar, she's brave! Teacher, (student's name) bumped me! Teachers: Look how close you're sitting to him, of course he's going to bump you accidentally. That guy makes those plates spin really good, how does he do that? I want to go into that big ball cage, I'm not scared. Time to go. Let's see how far I can get ahead of my teachers before they freak out! (Not very far)
This is just a taste of our trip, but I have to say that they were a pretty good group. The group that my co-leader and I had, it felt like we were herding cats. We got to look around the Oz Gallery, then crossed the atrium to the other side, where there is a great kid-centered interactive display of many types. Our kids loved it! We also got to see the animal birthing center and saw some adorable baby pigs, we visited the petting zoo, and got to play in AgriLand in the Pride of Kansas building. We had the opportunity to go into the butterfly house and observe butterflies, and then planned to stop at the free ice cream stand on our way out the gate before heading back to school. The ice cream stand was closed. :-( However, on the way back, we pass right by a Dairy Queen. Some generous parent chaperones offered to buy all of the kids a Dilly Bar. So, we got to sit in some AC, and enjoy some ice cream. It really hit the spot. It gave us the pep we needed to get back to the school. Whew, it was very tiring! But the kids had a great time, and I'm glad that they got to see the fun parts of the fair, and that it's not all about the rides!
After church, I went back out for a quick trip. As a food choice, I opted to get a sample bag of cinnamon roasted nuts under the Grandstand. For $6, he'll put a variety of cinnamon roasted nuts into a small bag for you. They're good, and the guy was very friendly. A+. He's also local. I have his info if you'd like to get in touch with him. At the same time, Zach Williams was performing on the big stage, singing "Chainbreaker." Zach Williams was there with Francesca Battistelli this evening. After Chainbreaker, it was quiet, so I assumed the concert was over. I decided to take a last lap around the midway, and again ran into my friend, Pat. Again, we both happened to leaving at the same time. As we were leaving, I heard Francesca Battistelli begin singing. I guess she wasn't done. Again, it was a quick trip.
Tomorrow and Friday there is no school, so I'm going to an eye appointment in the morning, taking care of my car tags after, and then meeting a friend to spend the rest of the day at the fair. Typically, we go Monday evenings, but since there is no school tomorrow, we can spend the whole day out there without having to worry about being out too late, and we can take our time walking around. She really likes the quilts, and she lets me know how they are made, and we choose our favorite designs.
Speaking of eye appointments in the morning, I'd better get off here and get some rest. Thanks for indulging me in reading about my day at the fair with my kiddos. As tiring as it was, it was also a lot of fun. Thanks so much for reading, and God bless you!
I spent most of the day at the fair today, walking around with a group of 2nd Graders from our school. Our school is located near the state fair, so we took the 15-minute trek from the school to the fairground to begin our adventure. Another staff member and myself took charge of 4 of our special needs kids during this trip. Most of this blog will be presented as though a 2nd grader wrote this. Enjoy: (By the way, some of this is written using exact quotes from what I heard the kids say today.)
We're here, we're here! Look at the rides, we're going to ride them today! Teacher: Remember, we're not riding rides today. Our first stop was DoArt. We're going to talk about how a caterpillar morphalamitizes into a butterfly. Look how much glue I'm squeezing onto this paper! Teacher: You only need one little dot. But this leaf might be heavy! I think the glue is heavier than the paper! Cool! Our next place is Dr, God's Lab. He's going to blow stuff up. Teacher: He'll be starting the show in about 5 minutes. I gotta go to the bathroom. So do I! Me, too! I gotta go, too! (Insert quick bathroom break here) That was a neat show, he blew up a big cotton ball! I heard that our next stop is a huge fish tank. Wow, those are some big fish! That thing could eat you! Neat, the fish jump when you pound on the glass! Teacher: Please don't pound on the glass. That fish is ugly, and he's saying hi to you, (student's name). Can we get a fishing pole and go fishing in there? I heard the teacher say we're going to go eat lunch and watch the acrobats, I can't wait! (Screams) Teacher: No need to scream, we'll be there soon.
Look at my lunch, it's bigger than yours. Well, I got a candy bar! No fair! Teacher, he brought a candy bar! Watch me throw my lunch bag into the trash from here (Other side of the bleachers)! Dang, I missed. Teacher, he hit me with his lunch bag! I love the pre-show music they're playing, watch me floss! And hype! And other things we learned from Fortnite! (Dance party USA ensues, with the DJ feeding into it, encouraging the kids even more). DJ: We'll be starting the show in just a few minutes, you can sit right behind the blue ropes, but not any closer. (Kids go past blue ropes.) Teacher: If you can't follow the directions, you'll have to sit way back here on the bleachers. (Kids move back) Look at that girl way up there on that bar, she's brave! Teacher, (student's name) bumped me! Teachers: Look how close you're sitting to him, of course he's going to bump you accidentally. That guy makes those plates spin really good, how does he do that? I want to go into that big ball cage, I'm not scared. Time to go. Let's see how far I can get ahead of my teachers before they freak out! (Not very far)
This is just a taste of our trip, but I have to say that they were a pretty good group. The group that my co-leader and I had, it felt like we were herding cats. We got to look around the Oz Gallery, then crossed the atrium to the other side, where there is a great kid-centered interactive display of many types. Our kids loved it! We also got to see the animal birthing center and saw some adorable baby pigs, we visited the petting zoo, and got to play in AgriLand in the Pride of Kansas building. We had the opportunity to go into the butterfly house and observe butterflies, and then planned to stop at the free ice cream stand on our way out the gate before heading back to school. The ice cream stand was closed. :-( However, on the way back, we pass right by a Dairy Queen. Some generous parent chaperones offered to buy all of the kids a Dilly Bar. So, we got to sit in some AC, and enjoy some ice cream. It really hit the spot. It gave us the pep we needed to get back to the school. Whew, it was very tiring! But the kids had a great time, and I'm glad that they got to see the fun parts of the fair, and that it's not all about the rides!
After church, I went back out for a quick trip. As a food choice, I opted to get a sample bag of cinnamon roasted nuts under the Grandstand. For $6, he'll put a variety of cinnamon roasted nuts into a small bag for you. They're good, and the guy was very friendly. A+. He's also local. I have his info if you'd like to get in touch with him. At the same time, Zach Williams was performing on the big stage, singing "Chainbreaker." Zach Williams was there with Francesca Battistelli this evening. After Chainbreaker, it was quiet, so I assumed the concert was over. I decided to take a last lap around the midway, and again ran into my friend, Pat. Again, we both happened to leaving at the same time. As we were leaving, I heard Francesca Battistelli begin singing. I guess she wasn't done. Again, it was a quick trip.
Tomorrow and Friday there is no school, so I'm going to an eye appointment in the morning, taking care of my car tags after, and then meeting a friend to spend the rest of the day at the fair. Typically, we go Monday evenings, but since there is no school tomorrow, we can spend the whole day out there without having to worry about being out too late, and we can take our time walking around. She really likes the quilts, and she lets me know how they are made, and we choose our favorite designs.
Speaking of eye appointments in the morning, I'd better get off here and get some rest. Thanks for indulging me in reading about my day at the fair with my kiddos. As tiring as it was, it was also a lot of fun. Thanks so much for reading, and God bless you!
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 5
Well, we have reached the halfway point of the State Fair. 5 days down, 5 left to go.
My main point of today's visit was to see Mason Ramsey, a young country-western singer who is an up-and-coming star. He's definitely one to look out for. Upon arriving on the fairgrounds, I was pretty hungry, so I grabbed tonight's fare, a fried veggie basket. It's a variety of fried broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms, and onions. You get a cup of ranch with it, and it runs for $10. If you keep the bucket, you can get a refill for $8, but I don't think 2 of these in a week's time is the greatest idea. My idea was to take it to the arena where Mason was singing, grab a good seat, and eat while I waited. However, as I was walking away from the stand with my fried veggie basket, it started to rain. It started raining pretty good. Now, I'm not afraid to walk in some rain, but if I'm carrying state fair food, I'm just not OK with that. I made a mad dash to the House of Capper (it's a big stone gazebo) and took shelter there. Every time it rains, I am reminded of the 2013 downpour that ended the fair early. I also remember many years ago when my friend Ryan and I got trapped in a major rainstorm, and we had to take shelter in the horse barns, and the parking lots turned to mud. The rain I was seeing now didn't even hold a candle to those other storms, but I remember them every time it rains at the fair. I waited about 15 minutes until the rain let up, and then I made my way to the arena.
The arena was pretty crowded even 45 minutes before showtime, but I was able to catch a good seat. There was a large crowd of Mason's fans right up in front of the stage. When Mason finally took his place on stage, the crowd went crazy. That boy is a sensation, and he knows it, too. He knows how to work a crowd. Whenever he would bend down to croon to a girl or even point to them, they would start shrieking with excitement. Anytime he did a dance move, the girls went nuts. The gentleman I was sitting next to was chuckling along with me at these crazy girls that were at least 2 or 3 times Mason's age. It reminded me of the clips I've seen of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. I don't have much capacity on my phone for videos, but I managed to get a Facebook Live clip, and it went for a minute before I lost connection. I'm not very talented with Facebook Live, so the clip begins with a shot of me, before I got the screen turned around. Please don't laugh or judge, Lol. This talented young man will be one to watch in the future. I enjoy seeing talented young people showcase their talents.
Normally, I would go through a building or 2 after the show, but since the buildings now close at 8pm, I was not able to do that, as it was 8:30. I decided to take a walk around the midway before heading for home. I ran into Pat, who used to be my neighbor when I lived on Main Street, She was getting ready to leave, so she walked the midway with me for a bit. Before we left the fair, she asked me if I'd like to accompany her on the Old Mill ride. Now, I haven't been on the Old Mill since I was a little kid, and I have almost no memory of it. So, I agreed to join her. I don't like being startled, but she said it wasn't all that bad. There were some entertaining animatronic scenes along the way, as well as workers who would shout at you from the darkness, to scare you. I have to admit, it was pretty fun. Pat said she likes to ride the Old Mill every year, and didn't want to ride it alone. From there, we walked out the gates and out to my car. It's more fun if you have a friend to walk with you.
Tomorrow, I will not be working at the school. I will be attending the fair, and I have the blessing of my supervisor and principles. Crazy huh? Oh, I might also add that I will also be accompanied by close to 70 second graders. I will be blogging tomorrow night from the viewpoint of a 2nd grader. What did they see, how did it feel, what excited them...It should be fun day. I'll come out again after church tomorrow night even if it's just for a short time.
I'd like to thank you for reading this. I know that you are busy, but the fact that you take several minutes out of your day read about my day, I appreciate that. As always, feel free to like, comment, and share. Thanks again, and God bless!
My main point of today's visit was to see Mason Ramsey, a young country-western singer who is an up-and-coming star. He's definitely one to look out for. Upon arriving on the fairgrounds, I was pretty hungry, so I grabbed tonight's fare, a fried veggie basket. It's a variety of fried broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms, and onions. You get a cup of ranch with it, and it runs for $10. If you keep the bucket, you can get a refill for $8, but I don't think 2 of these in a week's time is the greatest idea. My idea was to take it to the arena where Mason was singing, grab a good seat, and eat while I waited. However, as I was walking away from the stand with my fried veggie basket, it started to rain. It started raining pretty good. Now, I'm not afraid to walk in some rain, but if I'm carrying state fair food, I'm just not OK with that. I made a mad dash to the House of Capper (it's a big stone gazebo) and took shelter there. Every time it rains, I am reminded of the 2013 downpour that ended the fair early. I also remember many years ago when my friend Ryan and I got trapped in a major rainstorm, and we had to take shelter in the horse barns, and the parking lots turned to mud. The rain I was seeing now didn't even hold a candle to those other storms, but I remember them every time it rains at the fair. I waited about 15 minutes until the rain let up, and then I made my way to the arena.
The arena was pretty crowded even 45 minutes before showtime, but I was able to catch a good seat. There was a large crowd of Mason's fans right up in front of the stage. When Mason finally took his place on stage, the crowd went crazy. That boy is a sensation, and he knows it, too. He knows how to work a crowd. Whenever he would bend down to croon to a girl or even point to them, they would start shrieking with excitement. Anytime he did a dance move, the girls went nuts. The gentleman I was sitting next to was chuckling along with me at these crazy girls that were at least 2 or 3 times Mason's age. It reminded me of the clips I've seen of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. I don't have much capacity on my phone for videos, but I managed to get a Facebook Live clip, and it went for a minute before I lost connection. I'm not very talented with Facebook Live, so the clip begins with a shot of me, before I got the screen turned around. Please don't laugh or judge, Lol. This talented young man will be one to watch in the future. I enjoy seeing talented young people showcase their talents.
Normally, I would go through a building or 2 after the show, but since the buildings now close at 8pm, I was not able to do that, as it was 8:30. I decided to take a walk around the midway before heading for home. I ran into Pat, who used to be my neighbor when I lived on Main Street, She was getting ready to leave, so she walked the midway with me for a bit. Before we left the fair, she asked me if I'd like to accompany her on the Old Mill ride. Now, I haven't been on the Old Mill since I was a little kid, and I have almost no memory of it. So, I agreed to join her. I don't like being startled, but she said it wasn't all that bad. There were some entertaining animatronic scenes along the way, as well as workers who would shout at you from the darkness, to scare you. I have to admit, it was pretty fun. Pat said she likes to ride the Old Mill every year, and didn't want to ride it alone. From there, we walked out the gates and out to my car. It's more fun if you have a friend to walk with you.
Tomorrow, I will not be working at the school. I will be attending the fair, and I have the blessing of my supervisor and principles. Crazy huh? Oh, I might also add that I will also be accompanied by close to 70 second graders. I will be blogging tomorrow night from the viewpoint of a 2nd grader. What did they see, how did it feel, what excited them...It should be fun day. I'll come out again after church tomorrow night even if it's just for a short time.
I'd like to thank you for reading this. I know that you are busy, but the fact that you take several minutes out of your day read about my day, I appreciate that. As always, feel free to like, comment, and share. Thanks again, and God bless!
Monday, September 9, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 4
Today was Dillons Day, where gate admission was $1, or free with a Dillons card. It kind of takes the bite out of losing our free-gate Friday a number of years ago. The midway, where the rides are, was packed with people. This is the night that most people will come out to the fair. All rides are 1 ticket. A lot of families that don't have a lot of funds can really benefit from this day. I saw so many people! Normally, I post who I saw, but there were so many people I knew from church, school, and BGC that I wouldn't be able to list them all. Most of the people I saw were kids. My name was shouted across the streets, I was even tackled a few times. Again, I had to explain to some puzzled parents who I was, and then they were cool with it. While all of the action was down on the midway, the buildings were not packed at all. It was very easy getting through the aisles gathering up my free stuff. I think I got through Meadowlark and the 2 Sunflower buildings in about 20 minutes. I asked a vendor friend of mine how business was, and he said it had been a very interesting day. I asked him why, and he said that because of the low cost of admission, everyone came out, including some people who were very unusual. Of course, you never know who is who, so you treat everyone the same, and who knows, you might make a good sale. I had the privilege of seeing my granddaughter and her family, and I got to chat with them for a bit. I also ran into my oldest son, who said he is doing OK.
For supper, I didn't feel like inhaling a load of grease, so I took a healthier option. I stopped in the Pride of Kansas building to the little café they have in there, and I grabbed a bierock for $7.50. The bierocks are pretty good-sized, and come with a bag of chips on the side. For those who don't know what a bierock is, I compare it to a hot pocket, but with a soft crust. It's loaded with cabbage, onion, ground beef, and whatever else one decides to put into it. I think they're some of the best bierocks around, and they're a local Kansas business.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't do much more than walk around. Tomorrow is Tasting Tuesday, where a number of vendors are selling $2.00 portions of their product. I am not sure which businesses are taking part in this, as it varies every year. People are also talking about Mason Ramsey, a young musician who is taking the stage at the Bretz & Young Arena at 7:30. Mason was discovered a year or so ago, when he was filmed singing and yodeling in his local Wal-Mart. The video went viral, some agents signed him, and he's a rising star.
I know it was kind of a short post today, but I sure appreciate you taking the time to stop and read. As always, feel free to like, comment, and share! God bless!
For supper, I didn't feel like inhaling a load of grease, so I took a healthier option. I stopped in the Pride of Kansas building to the little café they have in there, and I grabbed a bierock for $7.50. The bierocks are pretty good-sized, and come with a bag of chips on the side. For those who don't know what a bierock is, I compare it to a hot pocket, but with a soft crust. It's loaded with cabbage, onion, ground beef, and whatever else one decides to put into it. I think they're some of the best bierocks around, and they're a local Kansas business.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't do much more than walk around. Tomorrow is Tasting Tuesday, where a number of vendors are selling $2.00 portions of their product. I am not sure which businesses are taking part in this, as it varies every year. People are also talking about Mason Ramsey, a young musician who is taking the stage at the Bretz & Young Arena at 7:30. Mason was discovered a year or so ago, when he was filmed singing and yodeling in his local Wal-Mart. The video went viral, some agents signed him, and he's a rising star.
I know it was kind of a short post today, but I sure appreciate you taking the time to stop and read. As always, feel free to like, comment, and share! God bless!
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 3
Disclaimer: I'm tired at the end of every day. I apologize in advance for any typos you might spot.
Today was Father's day, the day that I take my dad to spend the day at the fair. I let him pick the activities he'd like to do, eat where he'd like, and let him have his day. Our trip started out pretty rough, as one of the parking lot attendants would not let me pull off to the side so that I could let my dad out by the gate. The guy said I was blocking traffic. I looked behind me, and we were not even close to blocking traffic. The guy actually was pushing the car door closed as my dad was trying to get out. Not cool with me. It ended up that my dad had to walk up to the gate from way out in the parking lot. He had a walker with him, but I could tell that the walk was a struggle for him. Anyway, once we were on the fairgrounds, we walked past the horse barns to see what we could see. From there, he wanted to ride on the Sky Ride. He enjoys taking the round trip every year. He also wanted to walk through some of the buildings, so we started with Pride Of Kansas, which was the closest. He was able to grab a few free things off the tables, and then he wanted to see Ron Diamond at 3:00. When we got to the arena to see him, we noticed that the 3:00 show had been cancelled, and the next show was at 5:00. By this time, I was pretty hungry, and asked dad if he wanted a Pronto Pup. He said he wasn't hungry, so I went ahead and got one. When I got it, I gave it one stripe of mustard, and one stripe of ketchup. Everyone eats their Pronto Pup in their own way. How do you like your Pup?
We headed for another building, and as we began to walk through, my dad said he was ready to go home. I could see in his face that he was hot, tired, and hurting. I got him outside, and there just so happened to be a tram passing by, thank The Lord. I got him on it, and then walked his walker down to the gate to meet him. I had him wait for me outside the gate while I went to get the car. I dared anyone to tell me that I couldn't stop to the side to pick up my dad. There would have been no possible way for him to make it back across the parking lot to the car. There was no incident in my stopping to pick him up and get him loaded. My dad managed to make it about an hour and a half, and I think that next year he will need a motorized scooter, if he's even up to going next year.
After getting dad home, I went back out to spend the rest of the day. I walked through the buildings, and I met my friends Arlan, Brenda, and Marie. They informed me that my Oatmeal Raisin Cookie was being covered up by a white ribbon, and could not be seen. They had wanted to get a look at it. I went down to the Domestic Arts building, and sure enough, a white ribbon was covering the cookie. I said something to the attendant, and she apologized, and she moved the white ribbon, which had fallen from an upper shelf. She got it fixed, and now my Oatmeal Raisin Cookie is visible again inside the case. By this time, I was getting hungry again, so I took a suggestion that my friend from church, Mike, made to me. The Krispy Kreme Hot Dog. They sell these at the Carousel Café, just across the street and north of the Channel 12 building. (I use the Channel 12 booth as a reference point for a lot of things, because most everyone know where it's at.) The Krispy Kreme Hot Dog costs $8.50, or $9.37 with tax. This treat is made by slicing a Krispy Kreme jelly donut in bagel style, and there's your bun. Then they insert the hot dog and some bacon in the middle. It's very interesting, and not too bad. I'll give it an A for taste, because there was some jelly donut left over, and I enjoyed it. I also give it an A for service, as they were pretty friendly. As for value, I give it a C+. The hot dog is only half the size of a regular hot dog, and the ingredients used were not even close to being worth $8.50. Now I can say that I tried it, but I most likely won't buy it again.
I enjoy walking the Midway, where all the rides are. I get to see a lot of my kiddos from church, BGC, school, etc, and I get to meet a lot of parents. I like to meet the parents so that they can put a face with some of the people that work with their kids. The kids get excited when they see me, and I have to quickly explain to the parents why their kids are hugging this guy they've never seen before. When I identify and introduce myself, they're pretty cool about it.
By this time, my feet were tired, so I took some time to take in a free concert by Fourte, a singing quartet out of nearby Sterling. Their genre is Broadway tunes, and they were pretty good. I know a couple of the members from my time in theater, so it was extra special. It was at this time that there was thunder rumbling overhead, so I decided maybe I needed to head for the car. On my way, I met up with Larry and Angie, and I shared with them my adventure with the Krispy Kreme Hot Dog. I was even found and called out by my Alley supervisor, Maria, who happened to be working a booth with one of her friends. She had the audacity to call me "Robbie." I'll get her for that, Lol. Like I said before, if I meet up with you, you might make the blog. Lol. I was even caught and photographed by the Smith family, as though they had found Waldo. You can see this pic on my Facebook page, as well as pics of the Krispy Kreme Hot Dog, a view from the Sky Ride, and more.
Tomorrow is sponsored by Dillons. Admission is only $1.00, or free with your Dillons card. All rides are just one ticket. One ticket costs $1 and some change. Most parents make this the day that their kids ride rides. Also coming up is Tasting Tuesday. Many food vendors will be offering $2.00 portions of their food items on Tuesday. At this point, I don't know which booths will be participating, as it varies from year to year.
I am so enjoying the likes, comments, and shares. Remember, if you have any questions, post them in comments. I'll either answer them there, or in my next blog post. Thanks so much for reading, and God bless!
Today was Father's day, the day that I take my dad to spend the day at the fair. I let him pick the activities he'd like to do, eat where he'd like, and let him have his day. Our trip started out pretty rough, as one of the parking lot attendants would not let me pull off to the side so that I could let my dad out by the gate. The guy said I was blocking traffic. I looked behind me, and we were not even close to blocking traffic. The guy actually was pushing the car door closed as my dad was trying to get out. Not cool with me. It ended up that my dad had to walk up to the gate from way out in the parking lot. He had a walker with him, but I could tell that the walk was a struggle for him. Anyway, once we were on the fairgrounds, we walked past the horse barns to see what we could see. From there, he wanted to ride on the Sky Ride. He enjoys taking the round trip every year. He also wanted to walk through some of the buildings, so we started with Pride Of Kansas, which was the closest. He was able to grab a few free things off the tables, and then he wanted to see Ron Diamond at 3:00. When we got to the arena to see him, we noticed that the 3:00 show had been cancelled, and the next show was at 5:00. By this time, I was pretty hungry, and asked dad if he wanted a Pronto Pup. He said he wasn't hungry, so I went ahead and got one. When I got it, I gave it one stripe of mustard, and one stripe of ketchup. Everyone eats their Pronto Pup in their own way. How do you like your Pup?
We headed for another building, and as we began to walk through, my dad said he was ready to go home. I could see in his face that he was hot, tired, and hurting. I got him outside, and there just so happened to be a tram passing by, thank The Lord. I got him on it, and then walked his walker down to the gate to meet him. I had him wait for me outside the gate while I went to get the car. I dared anyone to tell me that I couldn't stop to the side to pick up my dad. There would have been no possible way for him to make it back across the parking lot to the car. There was no incident in my stopping to pick him up and get him loaded. My dad managed to make it about an hour and a half, and I think that next year he will need a motorized scooter, if he's even up to going next year.
After getting dad home, I went back out to spend the rest of the day. I walked through the buildings, and I met my friends Arlan, Brenda, and Marie. They informed me that my Oatmeal Raisin Cookie was being covered up by a white ribbon, and could not be seen. They had wanted to get a look at it. I went down to the Domestic Arts building, and sure enough, a white ribbon was covering the cookie. I said something to the attendant, and she apologized, and she moved the white ribbon, which had fallen from an upper shelf. She got it fixed, and now my Oatmeal Raisin Cookie is visible again inside the case. By this time, I was getting hungry again, so I took a suggestion that my friend from church, Mike, made to me. The Krispy Kreme Hot Dog. They sell these at the Carousel Café, just across the street and north of the Channel 12 building. (I use the Channel 12 booth as a reference point for a lot of things, because most everyone know where it's at.) The Krispy Kreme Hot Dog costs $8.50, or $9.37 with tax. This treat is made by slicing a Krispy Kreme jelly donut in bagel style, and there's your bun. Then they insert the hot dog and some bacon in the middle. It's very interesting, and not too bad. I'll give it an A for taste, because there was some jelly donut left over, and I enjoyed it. I also give it an A for service, as they were pretty friendly. As for value, I give it a C+. The hot dog is only half the size of a regular hot dog, and the ingredients used were not even close to being worth $8.50. Now I can say that I tried it, but I most likely won't buy it again.
I enjoy walking the Midway, where all the rides are. I get to see a lot of my kiddos from church, BGC, school, etc, and I get to meet a lot of parents. I like to meet the parents so that they can put a face with some of the people that work with their kids. The kids get excited when they see me, and I have to quickly explain to the parents why their kids are hugging this guy they've never seen before. When I identify and introduce myself, they're pretty cool about it.
By this time, my feet were tired, so I took some time to take in a free concert by Fourte, a singing quartet out of nearby Sterling. Their genre is Broadway tunes, and they were pretty good. I know a couple of the members from my time in theater, so it was extra special. It was at this time that there was thunder rumbling overhead, so I decided maybe I needed to head for the car. On my way, I met up with Larry and Angie, and I shared with them my adventure with the Krispy Kreme Hot Dog. I was even found and called out by my Alley supervisor, Maria, who happened to be working a booth with one of her friends. She had the audacity to call me "Robbie." I'll get her for that, Lol. Like I said before, if I meet up with you, you might make the blog. Lol. I was even caught and photographed by the Smith family, as though they had found Waldo. You can see this pic on my Facebook page, as well as pics of the Krispy Kreme Hot Dog, a view from the Sky Ride, and more.
Tomorrow is sponsored by Dillons. Admission is only $1.00, or free with your Dillons card. All rides are just one ticket. One ticket costs $1 and some change. Most parents make this the day that their kids ride rides. Also coming up is Tasting Tuesday. Many food vendors will be offering $2.00 portions of their food items on Tuesday. At this point, I don't know which booths will be participating, as it varies from year to year.
I am so enjoying the likes, comments, and shares. Remember, if you have any questions, post them in comments. I'll either answer them there, or in my next blog post. Thanks so much for reading, and God bless!
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 2
I had some yard work to do this morning, so my day at the fair started a little after Noon. I parked across the street from where I used to live, on Main Street. I saw my former neighbor, Pat, out doing some yard work, so I stopped and chatted with her for a bit before I headed on my way to the fairgrounds. As I crossed the street (with the walk signal, of course,), a car pulled up and across the crosswalk, and missed me by inches. Scared me to death. After I got across, the car proceeded to turn right on red. A couple of people had seen what had happened, and asked me if I was all right. They said that they had taken down the car's tag number. I haven't heard back from anybody concerning this, but I do know that I was shaking for almost an hour upon my arrival.
I started my routine by walking through the buildings. The vendors were in a mood to give stuff away today. I gathered up a lot of goods today. Nothing extraordinary, a lot of pens, pencils, cups, etc. Someone asked me once, "What do you do with all of the stuff you get?" Well, I collect it and keep it. Don't judge me. We all have our collections and hobbies, and this is mine. Maybe someday I'll do something with it, but until then, I'm keeping it. At one point, I posted pictures of all I had collected over the years, and I got some rude and snarky comments, so I'll never post those pics again.
Since I had eaten before I come to the fair, I wasn't very hungry. I went across the lake and took in the 4-H exhibits, the KDOC building, and grabbed some free ice cream. If you're hungry, some booths in the buildings offer free samples. Of course there's the dip lady, and 2 other booths have dips available for sampling. Ken's Chili will give you a small cup of his special brand chili, one of the honey booths will give you a free taste of honey, Granny's mustard has pretzel sticks that you can dip into some different flavors of mustard. Of course, these samples will most certainly not fill you up, but they sure taste good! I was asked by my friend Amanda about cheese fries, and here's what I found. There are a few booths that offer cheese or chili/cheese fries. Bernards' in the food court offer this delicacy. Grandma K's in the big Meadowlark building sells this as well. Also selling these fries: This 'n That in Sunflower North, and Tim's Backyard burgers, across the street and north of the Channel 12 building. I have had chili-cheese fries before, but I've always liked Outlaw, which is north of the channel 12 building on the same side of the street. Has anyone had cheese/chili-cheese fries from another booth, and are they any good? Facebook's link to my blog page has a space below for comments, let me know.
I had a chance to watch the strong man perform. This guy benched-pressed a lady, rolled a thick frying pan up like a burrito, and lifted a large platform with 10 kids on it, almost 800 pounds. I saw one of my BGC kiddos on this platform, and he was thrilled that one of his leaders was able to see him in this exciting moment for him. I was not able to get pictures, as I was near the back, and all I could get were heads blocking the picture. Hopefully, I'll get another chance to see him and get some pics.
While in the Pride of Kansas building, I remembered that my former neighbor, Pat, had told me that she had entered some pretty centerpieces. I went over to check them out, and both centerpieces had beautiful blue ribbons hanging on it. I was so excited for her! I took some pics of them for her and texted them to her. She was pretty excited. Sadly. my mom had entered a cool-looking walking stick with a carved elephant on the top of it, and it did not place. I know the feeling of working hard on something, and to not have it place. There were a number of years that my cookies got nothing. I just had to regroup and try even harder the next year, until it finally paid off. You'll get 'em next year, mom!
Tomorrow is Father's Day. I'll be treating my dad to a day at the fair. I really have to watch him, because he likes free stuff as well. Except, sometimes he tries to take things off the table that are not free, Lol. He doesn't do it on purpose. He sees it laying there, and he thinks it's free. I've seen a few vendors jump out of their chairs. "Sir, that's not free, you need to pay for that!" My dad enjoys looking at the livestock, especially the horses, and he likes to ride the Skyride. I let him pick where he would like to eat. My mom also has her own day, which will be next Saturday.
Let me know what your questions are. Any food items you need me to review? A business you'd like me to promote? Your comments, likes, and shares give me an idea of how many people are reading, and it looks like quite a few of you are. I thank you. I would not be doing this if readership was sparse. I'm not sure how long we will stay out tomorrow, but when the day is over, I'll post our day's adventures right here. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
I started my routine by walking through the buildings. The vendors were in a mood to give stuff away today. I gathered up a lot of goods today. Nothing extraordinary, a lot of pens, pencils, cups, etc. Someone asked me once, "What do you do with all of the stuff you get?" Well, I collect it and keep it. Don't judge me. We all have our collections and hobbies, and this is mine. Maybe someday I'll do something with it, but until then, I'm keeping it. At one point, I posted pictures of all I had collected over the years, and I got some rude and snarky comments, so I'll never post those pics again.
Since I had eaten before I come to the fair, I wasn't very hungry. I went across the lake and took in the 4-H exhibits, the KDOC building, and grabbed some free ice cream. If you're hungry, some booths in the buildings offer free samples. Of course there's the dip lady, and 2 other booths have dips available for sampling. Ken's Chili will give you a small cup of his special brand chili, one of the honey booths will give you a free taste of honey, Granny's mustard has pretzel sticks that you can dip into some different flavors of mustard. Of course, these samples will most certainly not fill you up, but they sure taste good! I was asked by my friend Amanda about cheese fries, and here's what I found. There are a few booths that offer cheese or chili/cheese fries. Bernards' in the food court offer this delicacy. Grandma K's in the big Meadowlark building sells this as well. Also selling these fries: This 'n That in Sunflower North, and Tim's Backyard burgers, across the street and north of the Channel 12 building. I have had chili-cheese fries before, but I've always liked Outlaw, which is north of the channel 12 building on the same side of the street. Has anyone had cheese/chili-cheese fries from another booth, and are they any good? Facebook's link to my blog page has a space below for comments, let me know.
I had a chance to watch the strong man perform. This guy benched-pressed a lady, rolled a thick frying pan up like a burrito, and lifted a large platform with 10 kids on it, almost 800 pounds. I saw one of my BGC kiddos on this platform, and he was thrilled that one of his leaders was able to see him in this exciting moment for him. I was not able to get pictures, as I was near the back, and all I could get were heads blocking the picture. Hopefully, I'll get another chance to see him and get some pics.
While in the Pride of Kansas building, I remembered that my former neighbor, Pat, had told me that she had entered some pretty centerpieces. I went over to check them out, and both centerpieces had beautiful blue ribbons hanging on it. I was so excited for her! I took some pics of them for her and texted them to her. She was pretty excited. Sadly. my mom had entered a cool-looking walking stick with a carved elephant on the top of it, and it did not place. I know the feeling of working hard on something, and to not have it place. There were a number of years that my cookies got nothing. I just had to regroup and try even harder the next year, until it finally paid off. You'll get 'em next year, mom!
Tomorrow is Father's Day. I'll be treating my dad to a day at the fair. I really have to watch him, because he likes free stuff as well. Except, sometimes he tries to take things off the table that are not free, Lol. He doesn't do it on purpose. He sees it laying there, and he thinks it's free. I've seen a few vendors jump out of their chairs. "Sir, that's not free, you need to pay for that!" My dad enjoys looking at the livestock, especially the horses, and he likes to ride the Skyride. I let him pick where he would like to eat. My mom also has her own day, which will be next Saturday.
Let me know what your questions are. Any food items you need me to review? A business you'd like me to promote? Your comments, likes, and shares give me an idea of how many people are reading, and it looks like quite a few of you are. I thank you. I would not be doing this if readership was sparse. I'm not sure how long we will stay out tomorrow, but when the day is over, I'll post our day's adventures right here. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
Friday, September 6, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 1
I have a sense of electricity in me as I approach the gates for my first official visit to the Kansas State Fair. I have my bag with me, supplied with my knee brace (just in case), some protein bars, a few packets of peanut butter, and a cold drink to start me off. I'm ready to go! As has always been my tradition, I make a straight bee-line to the Domestic Arts building, where the cookies have been judged and results displayed. I took my cookies up there on Wednesday, my carefully, painstakingly selected half-dozen cookies sitting proudly on the enforced plain-white paper plate. As I got into line, I saw a little notation that stated a full dozen cookies are required for judging. What!!? I was going to have to get out of line, go back home, and get more cookies! Arghh! The full dozen requirement is new this year, and I totally missed it in the paperwork. As I was leaving the building to go get more cookies, I suddenly remembered that all of my extra cookies were in my car to give away to the BGC kids! Timesaver! I quickly sat in my car and made a quick assessment of which of the remaining extras were the best looking to add to the half-dozen. I rushed them back to the Domestic Arts building, got back in line, and got my cookies submitted with no further problems. Anyway, back to the story...I first looked for chocolate chip entries....no ribbon. Snickerdoodles...nothing. Peanut butter....nada. I was getting discouraged until I looked for Oatmeal Raisin. I saw my Oatmeal Raisin cookies there on the shelf with a big, blue ribbon on them!! I only took one ribbon this year, but I was happy. I only won 1 ribbon last year, a third place, but I was happy. If I only take home one ribbon, I'm thrilled. A few years ago, my Oatmeal Raisin took third, so now they've had their come-uppance. You'll be glad to know that I didn't flip out and totally embarrass myself this go-around.
From there, I went to walk through the buildings. Let me make you aware of a change this year. With the exception of the Grandstand, the commercial buildings close at 8pm nightly. In years past, the buildings have closed at 9pm, so plan accordingly if you are at the fairgrounds later in the day and want to make a pass through all of the buildings. In the big Meadowlark building there is a booth set up for The Alley of Hutchinson, our city's bowling alley. It's only right that I give them the first plug of the week, as they were gracious enough to give me 10 days off so that I could come and work the fair and blog. The Alley has been in town for a little over 4 years. They offer laser tag, bumper cars, arcade, and of course bowling. The Alley offers a wide number of leagues with one that might be right up your...Alley! (see what I did there?) The Alley even features it's own restaurant, AJ's Sports Grill., which is best known for their thin crust pizza. For those what want something quick, The Alley also offers a snack bar with a variety of snacks, munchables, and drinks. The snack bar is where you'll typically find me. There is also an Alley in Wichita, and a brand-spanking-new Alley in Salina, which has been open for about a week. If you'll stop by their booth in the Meadowlark Building, you can got more info and sign up for a 20-person bowling party!
The big free find of the day goes to the Union Booth in the Sunflower North building. They typically have the best stuff. They're all about buying American and keeping jobs in the U.S. I was able to snag a pretty cool Frisbee. There was another booth handing out the neckerchiefs that keep you cool when you get them wet and wear them around your neck. The lady with the dips and offering pretzel sticks to sample the dips was there, with the selection as good as ever. Sadly, the booth that offers free coffee and beer bread samples is not there this year. I learned that the lady, who is based out of Springfield, has had a bad health year, and has preferred to not pack everything up and travel. Maybe next year. I was very excited, as I made my way through the Grandstand, to see that the Dairy Bay was offering the Caramel Cow Crunch! Two years ago, I had heard about it, and literally drooled as it was explained to me. A hunk of vanilla ice cream covered in caramel, and a lightly salted nut mixture sprinkled on top. I went to get it on the last day, and they were sold out. So, I set my sights on the next year. However, that next year (which was last year) I went to get one, and they had discontinued it! Urghh! This evening, however, I perused the menu, and there it was! I checked my sugar levels, they were OK, and decided I wasn't going to wait around this time. The Caramel Cow Crunch is $5.00 and I give them an A. Good service, good price, and a good portion. This ice cream treat is so good. As I was walking by eating it, one of the vendors asked me what I was eating. When I told him what it was, where I got it, and how much it cost, he grabbed his wallet and said he was going to get one..right now. I should have gone back to the Dairy Bar and asked if my next one could be free because of the free advertising I did for them, Lol.
I was always glad to run into may people I know, most of them kids from school, BGC, or church. A few adults asked me if I was Mr Rue from Central Christian Day Care (many moons ago), and they told me who they were. They sure grew up! I had several happy moments like that this evening. I was thrilled to run into my friends the Walths, from Arkansas. This dear family became very special to me when I met them a few years ago. I think that's what I enjoy most about being at the fair: Seeing people that I know.
I am very tired. A full day of work, and then the fair, that takes a toll on the body. Tomorrow is a new day. I have a yard to mow in the morning, and then I'll head out to see what the fair has to offer. If I see you, you might get mentioned in the blog, especially if you do something silly. Let me know if you need info about something, want me to check out an exhibit, review a food item, want me to promote or plug your booth (for free). The blog will publish about this time every evening, give or take, and I'll post the pics on Facebook in the same general time frame. Most people read it in the morning. Whatever works for you.
Thanks so much for reading, and God bless! See you for Day 2!
From there, I went to walk through the buildings. Let me make you aware of a change this year. With the exception of the Grandstand, the commercial buildings close at 8pm nightly. In years past, the buildings have closed at 9pm, so plan accordingly if you are at the fairgrounds later in the day and want to make a pass through all of the buildings. In the big Meadowlark building there is a booth set up for The Alley of Hutchinson, our city's bowling alley. It's only right that I give them the first plug of the week, as they were gracious enough to give me 10 days off so that I could come and work the fair and blog. The Alley has been in town for a little over 4 years. They offer laser tag, bumper cars, arcade, and of course bowling. The Alley offers a wide number of leagues with one that might be right up your...Alley! (see what I did there?) The Alley even features it's own restaurant, AJ's Sports Grill., which is best known for their thin crust pizza. For those what want something quick, The Alley also offers a snack bar with a variety of snacks, munchables, and drinks. The snack bar is where you'll typically find me. There is also an Alley in Wichita, and a brand-spanking-new Alley in Salina, which has been open for about a week. If you'll stop by their booth in the Meadowlark Building, you can got more info and sign up for a 20-person bowling party!
The big free find of the day goes to the Union Booth in the Sunflower North building. They typically have the best stuff. They're all about buying American and keeping jobs in the U.S. I was able to snag a pretty cool Frisbee. There was another booth handing out the neckerchiefs that keep you cool when you get them wet and wear them around your neck. The lady with the dips and offering pretzel sticks to sample the dips was there, with the selection as good as ever. Sadly, the booth that offers free coffee and beer bread samples is not there this year. I learned that the lady, who is based out of Springfield, has had a bad health year, and has preferred to not pack everything up and travel. Maybe next year. I was very excited, as I made my way through the Grandstand, to see that the Dairy Bay was offering the Caramel Cow Crunch! Two years ago, I had heard about it, and literally drooled as it was explained to me. A hunk of vanilla ice cream covered in caramel, and a lightly salted nut mixture sprinkled on top. I went to get it on the last day, and they were sold out. So, I set my sights on the next year. However, that next year (which was last year) I went to get one, and they had discontinued it! Urghh! This evening, however, I perused the menu, and there it was! I checked my sugar levels, they were OK, and decided I wasn't going to wait around this time. The Caramel Cow Crunch is $5.00 and I give them an A. Good service, good price, and a good portion. This ice cream treat is so good. As I was walking by eating it, one of the vendors asked me what I was eating. When I told him what it was, where I got it, and how much it cost, he grabbed his wallet and said he was going to get one..right now. I should have gone back to the Dairy Bar and asked if my next one could be free because of the free advertising I did for them, Lol.
I was always glad to run into may people I know, most of them kids from school, BGC, or church. A few adults asked me if I was Mr Rue from Central Christian Day Care (many moons ago), and they told me who they were. They sure grew up! I had several happy moments like that this evening. I was thrilled to run into my friends the Walths, from Arkansas. This dear family became very special to me when I met them a few years ago. I think that's what I enjoy most about being at the fair: Seeing people that I know.
I am very tired. A full day of work, and then the fair, that takes a toll on the body. Tomorrow is a new day. I have a yard to mow in the morning, and then I'll head out to see what the fair has to offer. If I see you, you might get mentioned in the blog, especially if you do something silly. Let me know if you need info about something, want me to check out an exhibit, review a food item, want me to promote or plug your booth (for free). The blog will publish about this time every evening, give or take, and I'll post the pics on Facebook in the same general time frame. Most people read it in the morning. Whatever works for you.
Thanks so much for reading, and God bless! See you for Day 2!
Monday, September 2, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings 9/2/2019
We've got 4 more days! I have to tell you that this is going to be one of the slowest weeks of my life, like it typically is when someone is anticipating something. I've heard people say that they hate the fair, that they won't go near it, that they'll be glad when it's moved on out of town. I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. I respect that, but personally, it's one of the highlights of my year, so when I hear comments like that, it just puzzles me.
I'm prepped to bake my cookies for judging this year. In the past few years, I've taken a blue ribbon and two white ribbons. I'm hoping to grow that collection of ribbons this year. I'm entering chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, and peanut butter. They're going to judge them on Wednesday, so that when I arrive on Friday, I'll get to see the results. I am literally a basket case between Wednesday and Friday. Simply because of cookies, Lol. Will my cookies win a ribbon? Did the judges like them? How much competition is there in each category? For me, winning a State Fair ribbon means a lot to me. I think it's kind of a status symbol. If you happen to be on the grounds that day and see the results, and see me, please do not tell me the results, as I want to see for myself firsthand. I remember that day a few years ago when, after years of trying, I finally won the blue. I was ecstatic! My mom was with me as well. I was telling complete strangers, "That's my blue ribbon!" I cringe when I remember that day, but I also remember the excitement I felt. I'm hoping for that same excitement this year.
In the comments after my last post, I was asked about fruit at the fair. I did some digging this week, and here's what I found... I'm going to cover the whole gammit here: First of all, there are stands in various areas around the grounds that sell fruit smoothies, if you are looking for your fruit in that way. If you'd like something sweet with your fruit, you can find several funnel cake stands that will top your funnel cake with a fruit topping. Down by the Dollar hamburger stand, you can find the caramel apples, if you'd like your fruit covered with sweet, gooey goodness. Over by the Domestic Arts building, they have the Monkeytails stand which sells frozen chocolate-covered bananas. You might be able to talk them into giving you a plain frozen banana without the chocolate coating, but that's just crazy talk! Lol. The Original Corn Roast stand, across from the Channel 12 building, advertises the fresh fruit cup, as well as apples slices with a caramel/pecan sauce for dipping. Brackett's pink stands promote deep-fried fruit.....Sooo, hopefully, if you are looking for some fruit at the fair, you will be able to find it in every way, shape, of form.
I'll be going out to the fairgrounds to walk around this afternoon and take some pictures. It will most likely be the last walk-through before the fair starts. Labor Day is typically still a quiet day at the grounds, but tomorrow, things kick into high-gear. The rides will all arrive in the next few days, and the remaining food trucks, vendors, and others will begin the process of setting up for the 10-day festival beginning on Friday. That also means that my next blog post will be on Friday, after my first day, and will be the first bona-fide Day 1 State Fair post!
Last call: Any questions or comments? A business you'd like me to visit or promote? A food item you'd like me to try or give you the low-down ? I won't be posting again until the fair, so I'll be answering questions through the comments. Don't send anything via Facebook Messenger, as mine doesn't work. Please like and comment, as it helps me gauge how many people are reading. And please feel free to share my state fair blog posts.
Final disclaimer: I've given you a lot of info in the past few posts. A lot of info is based on last year's data, as it's all I've had to go on. If something is different that what I posted, that's why. I look forward to blogging my state fair experiences for you, and I'll see you on Friday for Day 1! Thanks for reading, and God bless!
I'm prepped to bake my cookies for judging this year. In the past few years, I've taken a blue ribbon and two white ribbons. I'm hoping to grow that collection of ribbons this year. I'm entering chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, and peanut butter. They're going to judge them on Wednesday, so that when I arrive on Friday, I'll get to see the results. I am literally a basket case between Wednesday and Friday. Simply because of cookies, Lol. Will my cookies win a ribbon? Did the judges like them? How much competition is there in each category? For me, winning a State Fair ribbon means a lot to me. I think it's kind of a status symbol. If you happen to be on the grounds that day and see the results, and see me, please do not tell me the results, as I want to see for myself firsthand. I remember that day a few years ago when, after years of trying, I finally won the blue. I was ecstatic! My mom was with me as well. I was telling complete strangers, "That's my blue ribbon!" I cringe when I remember that day, but I also remember the excitement I felt. I'm hoping for that same excitement this year.
In the comments after my last post, I was asked about fruit at the fair. I did some digging this week, and here's what I found... I'm going to cover the whole gammit here: First of all, there are stands in various areas around the grounds that sell fruit smoothies, if you are looking for your fruit in that way. If you'd like something sweet with your fruit, you can find several funnel cake stands that will top your funnel cake with a fruit topping. Down by the Dollar hamburger stand, you can find the caramel apples, if you'd like your fruit covered with sweet, gooey goodness. Over by the Domestic Arts building, they have the Monkeytails stand which sells frozen chocolate-covered bananas. You might be able to talk them into giving you a plain frozen banana without the chocolate coating, but that's just crazy talk! Lol. The Original Corn Roast stand, across from the Channel 12 building, advertises the fresh fruit cup, as well as apples slices with a caramel/pecan sauce for dipping. Brackett's pink stands promote deep-fried fruit.....Sooo, hopefully, if you are looking for some fruit at the fair, you will be able to find it in every way, shape, of form.
I'll be going out to the fairgrounds to walk around this afternoon and take some pictures. It will most likely be the last walk-through before the fair starts. Labor Day is typically still a quiet day at the grounds, but tomorrow, things kick into high-gear. The rides will all arrive in the next few days, and the remaining food trucks, vendors, and others will begin the process of setting up for the 10-day festival beginning on Friday. That also means that my next blog post will be on Friday, after my first day, and will be the first bona-fide Day 1 State Fair post!
Last call: Any questions or comments? A business you'd like me to visit or promote? A food item you'd like me to try or give you the low-down ? I won't be posting again until the fair, so I'll be answering questions through the comments. Don't send anything via Facebook Messenger, as mine doesn't work. Please like and comment, as it helps me gauge how many people are reading. And please feel free to share my state fair blog posts.
Final disclaimer: I've given you a lot of info in the past few posts. A lot of info is based on last year's data, as it's all I've had to go on. If something is different that what I posted, that's why. I look forward to blogging my state fair experiences for you, and I'll see you on Friday for Day 1! Thanks for reading, and God bless!
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings 8/24/19
We are officially 2 weeks out from the start of the Kansas State Fair! There are a few food trailers parked out there already. Of course, they are empty of food products, but they might be full of paper products and other etc. I was out there a few days ago, and there were a few people getting their booths cleaned and prepped. It won't be long now!
Today's post will focus on the foods of the fair. Of course you know that a state fair is a mecca of all things fried and unhealthy. However, I was asked if there is anything healthy at the fair. If you're going to be at the fair and want to eat healthy...pack a lunch. Just kidding. I did some research and here's what I have come up with: Bordering on the healthy side (depending on what you consider healthy) there are numerous places that sell burgers and hot dogs. Also, there is a building called "Russ & Annie's" across from the Old Mill that is a sit-down restaurant that sells some pretty good home cooking. In the Pride of Kansas building café, they sell really good bierocks and hot beef sandwiches. It's always a spot I visit every year when I'm not ready for any greasy food. There are a couple of red food trailers (I can't recall the name) that sell BBQ parfaits, that is a cup of goodness. It's layers of mashed potatoes, pulled pork, BBQ sauce, with pork & beans at the bottom of the cup. It's actually one of my favorites! Also on the healthy side, a few booths sell big turkey drumsticks. There's some good meaty protein right there! In the food court (Cottonwood Court), they sell chicken & noodles, fish, and Chinese. They also sell pulled pork sandwiches. Hope this gives you a few good options. Anymore, I don't eat as much at the fair. Partly because of my diabetes, partly because of cost, and partly because I can make at home almost anything that the fair sells. In fact, a couple of years ago, I hosted a "Fair Food Day" at my house as a fundraiser for my mission trips. I carry a few protein bars with me when I go to the fair so that if I get hungry or my levels get low, I can eat one of those. In the past several years, I've eaten almost everything there at the fair, so if someone asks me for my ideas on a certain food item, I simply relay what I recall about it. If it's an item I have never had, I'll indulge so that I can give you my thoughts. I always give the food items a grade based on quality of food, service, and value. There are a few things that are always my go-to every year, though: As I mentioned before, the bierock and the BBQ parfait. I always get a Pronto Pup, too. It's just not a trip to the fair without a Pronto Pup! My dad and I always get BBQ sandwiches in the food court from Porky's. Good stuff! My mom and I like to get Chinese, and she likes to get a roasted ear of corn. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you're planning on a fried food item this year. If you get a chance, try to get a look at their grease vat. If the oil is pretty dark, chances are that the grease hasn't been changed recently, and it will affect the taste of your food. If it's a tan color or light-to-medium brown, you'll probably be OK. Some vendors don't change their grease as often as they should. I won't mention them here, as I won't blast them in this forum. I have actually walked away from a booth that I have been craving because of too-dark oil.
Is there a food item that you are curious about? Any favorites or suggestions? I'd like this to be an interactive blog post, so please feel free to share your ideas with me. I am going to cut this post a little shorter than usual. My folks are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary today with a big party, and I am helping with that. Feel free to share this post, like it up, and comment! Let me know you're seeing and reading this! Thanks for reading, and God bless!
Today's post will focus on the foods of the fair. Of course you know that a state fair is a mecca of all things fried and unhealthy. However, I was asked if there is anything healthy at the fair. If you're going to be at the fair and want to eat healthy...pack a lunch. Just kidding. I did some research and here's what I have come up with: Bordering on the healthy side (depending on what you consider healthy) there are numerous places that sell burgers and hot dogs. Also, there is a building called "Russ & Annie's" across from the Old Mill that is a sit-down restaurant that sells some pretty good home cooking. In the Pride of Kansas building café, they sell really good bierocks and hot beef sandwiches. It's always a spot I visit every year when I'm not ready for any greasy food. There are a couple of red food trailers (I can't recall the name) that sell BBQ parfaits, that is a cup of goodness. It's layers of mashed potatoes, pulled pork, BBQ sauce, with pork & beans at the bottom of the cup. It's actually one of my favorites! Also on the healthy side, a few booths sell big turkey drumsticks. There's some good meaty protein right there! In the food court (Cottonwood Court), they sell chicken & noodles, fish, and Chinese. They also sell pulled pork sandwiches. Hope this gives you a few good options. Anymore, I don't eat as much at the fair. Partly because of my diabetes, partly because of cost, and partly because I can make at home almost anything that the fair sells. In fact, a couple of years ago, I hosted a "Fair Food Day" at my house as a fundraiser for my mission trips. I carry a few protein bars with me when I go to the fair so that if I get hungry or my levels get low, I can eat one of those. In the past several years, I've eaten almost everything there at the fair, so if someone asks me for my ideas on a certain food item, I simply relay what I recall about it. If it's an item I have never had, I'll indulge so that I can give you my thoughts. I always give the food items a grade based on quality of food, service, and value. There are a few things that are always my go-to every year, though: As I mentioned before, the bierock and the BBQ parfait. I always get a Pronto Pup, too. It's just not a trip to the fair without a Pronto Pup! My dad and I always get BBQ sandwiches in the food court from Porky's. Good stuff! My mom and I like to get Chinese, and she likes to get a roasted ear of corn. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you're planning on a fried food item this year. If you get a chance, try to get a look at their grease vat. If the oil is pretty dark, chances are that the grease hasn't been changed recently, and it will affect the taste of your food. If it's a tan color or light-to-medium brown, you'll probably be OK. Some vendors don't change their grease as often as they should. I won't mention them here, as I won't blast them in this forum. I have actually walked away from a booth that I have been craving because of too-dark oil.
Is there a food item that you are curious about? Any favorites or suggestions? I'd like this to be an interactive blog post, so please feel free to share your ideas with me. I am going to cut this post a little shorter than usual. My folks are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary today with a big party, and I am helping with that. Feel free to share this post, like it up, and comment! Let me know you're seeing and reading this! Thanks for reading, and God bless!
Saturday, August 17, 2019
8/17/19; Rob's State Fair Ramblings
I hope that you're enjoying the state fair info that I've been posting the past week or so. I've had quite a few people tell me that it's given them an idea of what to see and where to see it. Today, I'm going to give you an idea of things to look out for.
First of all, keep your eyes peeled for Bandaloni, the one-man-band. He is very talented and entertaining. His favorite place to perform has usually been by the Channel 12 booth. The first time I saw him a few years ago, I only planned on stopping for a few of his songs, but I ended up watching his entire set! He will do a few shows a day, and his schedule varies. Another fan favorite is Oscar the Robot, the little robot that roves the fairgrounds. Kids love to interact with him, and he is very engaging. Oscar is run by a gentleman that controls his movements and voice from a distance. He blends very well into the crowd, and I always try to see if I can spot him. I also plan to stop by the Bretz Arena on Tuesday evening to see Mason Ramsey, a talented young man that was discovered by yodeling and singing at his hometown Wal-Mart. Someone filmed him, posted it on YouTube, it went viral, he had multiple postings on Facebook, and an agent saw him and saw gold. Long story short, he has hit it big, and has performed with some big names in country music. I enjoy seeing talented kids, and I remember chuckling and smiling at his videos, so I'm looking forward to seeing him sing. Another place to check out is the Lair White House. The Lair White House is the state fair's museum, and the exhibits change every year. This year's exhibits will highlight the history of some of the buildings that exist on the grounds, as well as some buildings that are no longer there. If you are like me, you enjoy finding the free stuff that some of the booths give away. Here's some of the best of the best: The Union stand, which gives away some of the best stuff. I've gotten Frisbees, koozies, and a variety of other great stuff. Many other booths give away cups, pencils, pens, etc, but the Union booth is the best. The Union booth is typically in one of the smaller Sunflower buildings. Also in one of the smaller Sunflower buildings is a booth that offers samples of instant flavored coffees and different varieties of beer bread. (The beer cooks out in the oven, don't freak out! LOL) It's so good! In the big Meadowlark building they have a booth that sells about 15 types of dips. You can grab a few pretzel sticks and make your way around the table, sampling the different types of dip. They are pretty good! When my feet and body get tired, there are several massage chair booths scattered around the fairgrounds. Sometimes I have to listen to their sales pitch, but that 15 or 20 minute session they give you is priceless. If you get thirsty, they have several Root Beer stands scattered throughout the grounds. They sell the cheapest Root Beer around, and they also have it in sugar free. If you're not in the mood for Root Beer, there is a stand that is located on the North side of the Oz building that sells the cheapest bottled soda. Allen's P-Nut stand sells this soda, and they are very friendly as well. If you want the cheapest food, look across the street and to the east of Allen's, and you'll find a stand called Dollar Days, which sells $1.25 burgers and hot dogs. The burgers are very, very thin, but if I'm hungry and short on cash, 2 of those burgers will do the trick for me.
I know that I haven't covered everything, but I only have so much space and time. Is there something you'd like to plug? Is there an exhibit that you are working at, and you'd like me to promote? Let me know! In my next post, I'll highlight some of the food that the fair sells, I'll share some of my favorites, and I'll give you some tips on what to look for when you're deciding what to eat.
Thanks so much for taking part of your Saturday to read this post. We're about 3 weeks away! Thanks for reading, and God bless you!
First of all, keep your eyes peeled for Bandaloni, the one-man-band. He is very talented and entertaining. His favorite place to perform has usually been by the Channel 12 booth. The first time I saw him a few years ago, I only planned on stopping for a few of his songs, but I ended up watching his entire set! He will do a few shows a day, and his schedule varies. Another fan favorite is Oscar the Robot, the little robot that roves the fairgrounds. Kids love to interact with him, and he is very engaging. Oscar is run by a gentleman that controls his movements and voice from a distance. He blends very well into the crowd, and I always try to see if I can spot him. I also plan to stop by the Bretz Arena on Tuesday evening to see Mason Ramsey, a talented young man that was discovered by yodeling and singing at his hometown Wal-Mart. Someone filmed him, posted it on YouTube, it went viral, he had multiple postings on Facebook, and an agent saw him and saw gold. Long story short, he has hit it big, and has performed with some big names in country music. I enjoy seeing talented kids, and I remember chuckling and smiling at his videos, so I'm looking forward to seeing him sing. Another place to check out is the Lair White House. The Lair White House is the state fair's museum, and the exhibits change every year. This year's exhibits will highlight the history of some of the buildings that exist on the grounds, as well as some buildings that are no longer there. If you are like me, you enjoy finding the free stuff that some of the booths give away. Here's some of the best of the best: The Union stand, which gives away some of the best stuff. I've gotten Frisbees, koozies, and a variety of other great stuff. Many other booths give away cups, pencils, pens, etc, but the Union booth is the best. The Union booth is typically in one of the smaller Sunflower buildings. Also in one of the smaller Sunflower buildings is a booth that offers samples of instant flavored coffees and different varieties of beer bread. (The beer cooks out in the oven, don't freak out! LOL) It's so good! In the big Meadowlark building they have a booth that sells about 15 types of dips. You can grab a few pretzel sticks and make your way around the table, sampling the different types of dip. They are pretty good! When my feet and body get tired, there are several massage chair booths scattered around the fairgrounds. Sometimes I have to listen to their sales pitch, but that 15 or 20 minute session they give you is priceless. If you get thirsty, they have several Root Beer stands scattered throughout the grounds. They sell the cheapest Root Beer around, and they also have it in sugar free. If you're not in the mood for Root Beer, there is a stand that is located on the North side of the Oz building that sells the cheapest bottled soda. Allen's P-Nut stand sells this soda, and they are very friendly as well. If you want the cheapest food, look across the street and to the east of Allen's, and you'll find a stand called Dollar Days, which sells $1.25 burgers and hot dogs. The burgers are very, very thin, but if I'm hungry and short on cash, 2 of those burgers will do the trick for me.
I know that I haven't covered everything, but I only have so much space and time. Is there something you'd like to plug? Is there an exhibit that you are working at, and you'd like me to promote? Let me know! In my next post, I'll highlight some of the food that the fair sells, I'll share some of my favorites, and I'll give you some tips on what to look for when you're deciding what to eat.
Thanks so much for taking part of your Saturday to read this post. We're about 3 weeks away! Thanks for reading, and God bless you!
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Rob's State Fair Ramblings
A lot of people have shared with me that this blog is helpful because it helps them make a plan of what they'd like to do, see, eat, etc. Others just find this blog entertaining. Whatever your reason for reading, I thank you. I went back and polished up my last post, as it looked pretty bad, appearance-wise. My computer wasn't cooperating, so it was my first official blog post from an i-phone. I'm back on the computer today, so hopefully it won't look like a post made by a 1st grader, lol.
These posts over the next few weeks are going to be packed with info that you might want to know. If you miss a post, just "stalk" my Facebook page to see the back-posts that have already been posted. I want you to be as informed as possible. and this blog is mainly for you. So, I'd like to know what info you'd like to see. What do you want to know about? I'll do my best to tailor these posts according to what you're interested in seeing. In addition to this blog post, you can also pick up a free visitor guide at the state fair office. Most of the info that you receive from me are going to come from this guide. Today's post will focus on what's new this year:
Food: The Carousel Café is stealing headlines this year with quite a few new things. The Carousel Café is the official home of the Krispy Kreme hamburger (which I have tried, and it's actually pretty good). They are rolling out the Krispy Kreme hot dog. The bun is a Krispy Kreme jelly-stuffed donut. It's filled with an Angus beef hot dog topped with more jelly and thick applewood smoked bacon. They're also promoting a honey-bun burger that is a traditional burger, except that instead of your typical hamburger buns, they use honey buns. You can also opt to add regular or chocolate-covered bacon to this entrée. How about Dole Whip, a creamy, fruity ice cream soft-serve? The Carousel will also offer their other fares, including their Mac attack (burger with deep-fried macaroni as the bun) or the roni dog, a bacon and cheddar hot dog topped with macaroni and cheese and bacon bits. The Carousel Café is located across the street and north of the Channel 12 building. My friends, The Brackett's from Brackett Concessions have a few pink buildings around the grounds. They are offering fried cheesecake bites, topped with powdered sugar and cherry drizzle. They also offer deep-fried cookie dough, and are right next to the Channel 12 building. Their other booth is just east of the Old Mill. And just when you think the Pronto Pup couldn't outdo themselves, they did! New this year is the Papa Pup, a 10-inch Pronto Pup! I'm in Heaven! D&J Pronto Pups are located in several areas around the fairgrounds in their signature yellow booths.
Competitons: How would you like to enter a Pronto Pup eating contest? For $15, you can get a T-shirt and try to eat as many Pronto Pups as you can in 10 minutes. I challenge Joey Chestnut to do this! This takes place on Sunday, Sept 15 at Lake Talbott at Noon. On September 8, you can enter a pancake-flipping contest. On September 7, you can enter a mini butter-sculpture contest. They'll give you a pound of butter, some plastic utensils, you bring some wire, tubing, or carving tools, and go to town on that butter! In addition to the Governor's Cookie Jar, new this year is the Governor's Tea Cup, where you can enter a hand-painted china teacup. On September 14, you can compete in a live scarecrow-building contest. Can you create the ultimate stacker sandwich? You can test your skill on September 8. How are your floral skills? You can claim "State Fair Florist of the Year" status in this competition. Can you make a sleeping mat out of recycled grocery bags? In this competition, you can make a sleeping mat, maybe win a prize, and then all of the mats are donated to people in need of assistance.
Entertainment: In addition to Ron Diamond, Bandaloni, and others. look for roving act John Beatty. He is a strong-man who can bend steel, flip over cars, and pull pick-up trucks. Also look for Jason D'Vaude, a roving one-man circus who can juggle fire and sharp objects, and ride tall unicycles. In Gottschalk Park, this year's act is the Flores Thrill Show. These guys do balancing acts on the top of 50-foot sway bars, and ride motorcycles inside a giant iron cage ball. They were featured on America's Got Talent.
These are just a few highlights. The fair offers much more than what I have time or space to include. Hopefully this gives you some insight on what you might consider seeing, doing, or eating. Thoughts? Questions? Comments? This is your blog, what do you want to know about? I'll come back in a few days with more info. In the meantime, like it up, comment, and feel free to share. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
These posts over the next few weeks are going to be packed with info that you might want to know. If you miss a post, just "stalk" my Facebook page to see the back-posts that have already been posted. I want you to be as informed as possible. and this blog is mainly for you. So, I'd like to know what info you'd like to see. What do you want to know about? I'll do my best to tailor these posts according to what you're interested in seeing. In addition to this blog post, you can also pick up a free visitor guide at the state fair office. Most of the info that you receive from me are going to come from this guide. Today's post will focus on what's new this year:
Food: The Carousel Café is stealing headlines this year with quite a few new things. The Carousel Café is the official home of the Krispy Kreme hamburger (which I have tried, and it's actually pretty good). They are rolling out the Krispy Kreme hot dog. The bun is a Krispy Kreme jelly-stuffed donut. It's filled with an Angus beef hot dog topped with more jelly and thick applewood smoked bacon. They're also promoting a honey-bun burger that is a traditional burger, except that instead of your typical hamburger buns, they use honey buns. You can also opt to add regular or chocolate-covered bacon to this entrée. How about Dole Whip, a creamy, fruity ice cream soft-serve? The Carousel will also offer their other fares, including their Mac attack (burger with deep-fried macaroni as the bun) or the roni dog, a bacon and cheddar hot dog topped with macaroni and cheese and bacon bits. The Carousel Café is located across the street and north of the Channel 12 building. My friends, The Brackett's from Brackett Concessions have a few pink buildings around the grounds. They are offering fried cheesecake bites, topped with powdered sugar and cherry drizzle. They also offer deep-fried cookie dough, and are right next to the Channel 12 building. Their other booth is just east of the Old Mill. And just when you think the Pronto Pup couldn't outdo themselves, they did! New this year is the Papa Pup, a 10-inch Pronto Pup! I'm in Heaven! D&J Pronto Pups are located in several areas around the fairgrounds in their signature yellow booths.
Competitons: How would you like to enter a Pronto Pup eating contest? For $15, you can get a T-shirt and try to eat as many Pronto Pups as you can in 10 minutes. I challenge Joey Chestnut to do this! This takes place on Sunday, Sept 15 at Lake Talbott at Noon. On September 8, you can enter a pancake-flipping contest. On September 7, you can enter a mini butter-sculpture contest. They'll give you a pound of butter, some plastic utensils, you bring some wire, tubing, or carving tools, and go to town on that butter! In addition to the Governor's Cookie Jar, new this year is the Governor's Tea Cup, where you can enter a hand-painted china teacup. On September 14, you can compete in a live scarecrow-building contest. Can you create the ultimate stacker sandwich? You can test your skill on September 8. How are your floral skills? You can claim "State Fair Florist of the Year" status in this competition. Can you make a sleeping mat out of recycled grocery bags? In this competition, you can make a sleeping mat, maybe win a prize, and then all of the mats are donated to people in need of assistance.
Entertainment: In addition to Ron Diamond, Bandaloni, and others. look for roving act John Beatty. He is a strong-man who can bend steel, flip over cars, and pull pick-up trucks. Also look for Jason D'Vaude, a roving one-man circus who can juggle fire and sharp objects, and ride tall unicycles. In Gottschalk Park, this year's act is the Flores Thrill Show. These guys do balancing acts on the top of 50-foot sway bars, and ride motorcycles inside a giant iron cage ball. They were featured on America's Got Talent.
These are just a few highlights. The fair offers much more than what I have time or space to include. Hopefully this gives you some insight on what you might consider seeing, doing, or eating. Thoughts? Questions? Comments? This is your blog, what do you want to know about? I'll come back in a few days with more info. In the meantime, like it up, comment, and feel free to share. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
I’m back! (State Fair info)
The other day, I posted on Facebook whether you all would be interested in a state fair blog this year. A number of you made it very clear that you would like to see that return this year. So, I guess I’ll give it a go. I apologize for my absence. Life has been going about 100 mph lately. I have had a most amazing summer. I spent my summer working with a fabulous group of fourth-graders at the Boys and Girls Club this summer. I am pretty comfortable working with different age groups, but I really enjoy the third and fourth grade levels. They are able to get my corny jokes LOL. I have also been working most nights at the local bowling alley. It is tiring work. But the money I earn from my bowling alley job is going toward my trip of a lifetime coming up in January. After many years of saving and scraping and working, I have the honor of traveling to Israel! This has been at the top of my bucket list since I was a child The trip itself is paid for, but I am still working toward the plane ticket I will need to get to New York City, and for spending money. Next week, school starts back up. I have really missed the kids. But, that also means my days are going to become a little bit longer. Getting up early in the morning to go to school and then coming home late from the bowling alley, well, does make for a pretty long day. Regardless of the long days and hard work, I have to say that I am tremendously blessed.
So, that brings us to the issue at hand, the Kansas State fair. Many of you know that I simply love the fair! I love the atmosphere, the food, the people, the entertainment, and so on and so on. I am going to do my best to bring you all the information you need to know about the Kansas State fair. I will let you know where to find the cheapest food, the cheapest drinks, what kind of entertainment to expect, and lots more. For instance, the one man band, Bandaloni, will be returning to the fair this year! Also, this past year and last, the YouTube world was rocked when a young man was filmed yodeling at Walmart. This young man hit it big, cut a record deal, and he will be making an appearance at the Bretz arena on the Tuesday night of the fair, and it’s a free concert! His name is Mason Ramsey, and he is quite talented. The Kansas state fair grandstand acts are always exciting, but I am always interested in what Christian acts will be appearing. This year, Christian rock band Skillet will be making an appearance on the grandstand, and another night will feature Francesca Battistelli with Zach Williams! I’m not so much into Christian rock, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Francesca Battistelli with Zach Williams. Unfortunately, that act appears on a Wednesday night, and I’m busy with church activities that night.
As the days grow closer to the Kansas State fair, be sure to “stalk” my Facebook page for pictures, information, and other info. Also in the days leading up to the Kansas State fair, I’ll be posting some state fair flashbacks. These are little bits of videos and pictures that I’ve taken from years past that people might enjoy looking back on and remembering. The blog posts will contain the information, and my Facebook page will feature the pictures. It’s quite a tedious process putting pictures on my blog site, so that’s why am doing it this way.
I hope you enjoythe blog posts about the state fair this year. If you’re not so much into the state fair, and don’t care to read about it, feel free to scroll right on past the blog post. I will continue to post as I find out more and more information about this year's Kansas State fair. By the way, they actually picked a good theme for this year. The theme for this year’s state fair is “Celebrate Kansas!” Hmmm... I think I like that. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
So, that brings us to the issue at hand, the Kansas State fair. Many of you know that I simply love the fair! I love the atmosphere, the food, the people, the entertainment, and so on and so on. I am going to do my best to bring you all the information you need to know about the Kansas State fair. I will let you know where to find the cheapest food, the cheapest drinks, what kind of entertainment to expect, and lots more. For instance, the one man band, Bandaloni, will be returning to the fair this year! Also, this past year and last, the YouTube world was rocked when a young man was filmed yodeling at Walmart. This young man hit it big, cut a record deal, and he will be making an appearance at the Bretz arena on the Tuesday night of the fair, and it’s a free concert! His name is Mason Ramsey, and he is quite talented. The Kansas state fair grandstand acts are always exciting, but I am always interested in what Christian acts will be appearing. This year, Christian rock band Skillet will be making an appearance on the grandstand, and another night will feature Francesca Battistelli with Zach Williams! I’m not so much into Christian rock, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Francesca Battistelli with Zach Williams. Unfortunately, that act appears on a Wednesday night, and I’m busy with church activities that night.
As the days grow closer to the Kansas State fair, be sure to “stalk” my Facebook page for pictures, information, and other info. Also in the days leading up to the Kansas State fair, I’ll be posting some state fair flashbacks. These are little bits of videos and pictures that I’ve taken from years past that people might enjoy looking back on and remembering. The blog posts will contain the information, and my Facebook page will feature the pictures. It’s quite a tedious process putting pictures on my blog site, so that’s why am doing it this way.
I hope you enjoythe blog posts about the state fair this year. If you’re not so much into the state fair, and don’t care to read about it, feel free to scroll right on past the blog post. I will continue to post as I find out more and more information about this year's Kansas State fair. By the way, they actually picked a good theme for this year. The theme for this year’s state fair is “Celebrate Kansas!” Hmmm... I think I like that. Thanks for reading, and God bless!
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