Final Thoughts: aka 2024: The Novel

 What a year. 2024 has proven to be a most significant year, and I can't recall a year where so many changes came my way. From the highest of highest of highs to the lowest of lows, 2024 was quite the year. Usually my year-end reflections highlight about 3 significant events, but this past year had quite a few more than the usual. I'll just go chronologically.

At the very beginning of the year, I was informed that the rental house I was living in was being sold, and that I would have to move. I had lived in this house for 10 years, and dearly loved it. Many Christmas open houses, 4th of July activities, laughter, and fun have taken place in this house. I had to begin sorting, purging, packing, etc, and that proved to be a monumental task. Thanks to a wintry blast of snow and ice, school was cancelled for several days, and that gave me more time to get done what needed to be done. I was finally able to find a place to move to, which was a one-bedroom apartment on the 3rd floor. It was all I could afford. The packing process took on a fever pitch when I realized that my new apartment was so small. I purged dramatically. I had to part with a lot of stuff, some items which broke my heart to part with. Everything else went to a storage unit. I had little help during the packing and sorting, but I had great help with the moving process. I shed a few tears as I said goodbye to this wonderful big old house. Right on the heels of my move, the next significant event took place.....

As I finished moving the last of my items to the new apartment, I took a fall and broke my leg. The ER showed no fracture in my leg and told me I could walk on it. The pain was unbearable. Ice, naproxen, tiger balm and rest helped, but however, I knew something was wrong, and insisted on an MRI. 2 weeks later, the MRI revealed a fracture on the upper part of the tibia, and I needed crutches/walker and a leg brace. I was also scheduled for a follow-up appointment in Wichita 6 weeks later. So here I was with a broken leg, using a walker, trying to unpack, and living in a non-ADA building. All the while I am thinking, "What if I need surgery? Have I damaged it further when I was initially told I could walk on it for 2 weeks?" To make a long story short, my appointment in Wichita revealed that the fracture had healed, and I could wean myself off of the walker and leg brace!  God is good, and I thank Him for His healing. And while I was also not happy with my living arrangements, I had to give thanks to God for a place to live. Finally, finally, I could finish unpacking. I had been living with piles of boxes everywhere, as I couldn't do it all while I was injured. 

During the course of my recovery, as I scooted around the school seeing to the needs of my students, I caught the eye of a fellow teacher. She was a 6th grade teacher. She encouraged me in the progress I was making, and made it a point to visit with me often. We committed to pray for each other and update each other on how God was answering our prayers. That led to our first date at a nearby ice cream shop, which led to more dates, which led to us being in a relationship, which has now led to us talking about getting married next year. At a time in my life at age 53, I had pretty much given up on ever being in a relationship, and was OK if I was single for the rest of my life. My thought was, "If God wants me to be in a relationship, He's going to have to make it crystal clear." Well, Julie was crystal clear. I've never gone this deep into a relationship before. The people in my circle are thrilled that I have a special lady in my life. We are keeping our relationship pure and Godly. We know how to be appropriate in our relationship, and we feel that we are honoring God. I haven't popped the question yet, but it should be soon. I have a few ideas, but I won't reveal them here. She reads my blog, LOL. 

Fast-forward to July. The biggest trip I have ever taken in my life. My iconic trip to Manila, Philippines. Myself and a friend made the trip, which from start to finish took about 24 hours, give or take. There are some missionaries from our church who serve there, and it's been on my heart for a few years to finally visit and experience the ministry. I asked our missionary friends to involve me in what they were doing, and not just merely observe. They held me to that. I was able to see several aspects of the ministry, including leading a devotional (via interpreter) to a groups of kids in the basketball ministry, assisting in a few children's church sessions, collaborating with other teachers in the Christian school there, and sitting in on church planning meetings. My favorite thing was joining other children's ministry workers on different outreaches in Manila called Kidz Jam. We sang with the kids, told Bible stories, played games, and pretty much loved on them. The kids were pretty impressed with me, as they don't normally see tall, white guys who have facial hair, Hawaiian shirts, and a wide-brimmed hat. I could fill many, many pages with my many adventures, but that's basically it in a nutshell. 

About halfway through the trip, things took a drastic turn. I received a call from home that my dad was in really bad shape and not expected to live. That's not the kind of news you want to receive ever, but especially when you're 8,000 miles away. I debated on ending my trip and coming home immediately, but I took a night to pray and seek God's will in this matter. Overnight, my dad rallied and began to show signs of improvement. Praise God. He wavered back and forth over the next few days, and by the time my trip was ending, he wasn't in the best of shape. He was in a hospice facility, It was only a matter of time. I was anxious to get home to see my dad, hoping that it wouldn't be too late. Flights got delayed due to bad weather. Frustrating. However, God was there, as my delayed flight delayed the next flight I was supposed to be on. I got home only a couple of hours later than the scheduled time. Julie picked me up from the airport, and we went straight to the hospice house, arriving about midnight. My dad was still hanging on, and conscious. He was able to see me and I was able to talk to him and tell him that I loved him. The next morning, he opened his eyes and was looking up toward the ceiling. His eyes weren't just merely open, his eyes were fixed on something. He was looking up at something. A few minutes later, his eyes closed. A few moments after that, he was gone. I was able to be holding his hand as he made that glorious transition from being in a horribly sick body to a reunion with Jesus and his loved ones.      Since then, it's been a year of firsts. The first birthday I had where I didn't get to go see my dad. Thanksgiving. Christmas. It still hits me from time to time. When I see a picture of him, or when we talk about something silly he had said or done. The fact that he is no longer suffering brings us comfort. Oh yes, we miss him terribly, but we wouldn't wish him back into his miserable earthly existence for a moment. We know we'll see him again someday. In the meantime, we'll rejoice in his healthy, happy life in Heaven. 

Later in the Fall, my mom had to be admitted to a nursing home, due to failing health. It's hard to watch your parents lose their independence, and the children have to meet the needs of the parents. I'm sure it's even harder for the parents to have to give up their homes, possessions, and live in a care facility. That is where she is today. We took Christmas to her last week, and we see her every weekend. She is slowly coming to terms with this new life, but it will take more time. 

Well, if you have made it to the end, thanks for sticking with me and reading all about my adventures (and misadventures) of 2024. I only hope that 2025 is a better year. I don't know the future, but I know that God is there, He has seen it, and will give His grace and mercy when life happens. I pray that God will give you a prosperous and joyous new year. Thanks for reading, and God bless you!  

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 10

 And an amazing 2024 state fair is in the books! I'm a little sad that this week full of fun has come to an end. There were some things about this fair that I noticed, and some of you mentioned the same thing: Ken's Chili seasoning was not there this week. I always enjoy their samples and I normally buy a few packets. Also missing was the fudge. ThereI IS a booth that sells fudge, but the long-standing fudge stand was not there this year. Did you notice that it didn't rain this week? It has always rained during the fair. I remember the fair of 2013, when it didn't rain the entire fair...until the last few hours, when a torrential rainstorm ravaged and flooded the fairgrounds to the extent that the fair closed early. I'll never forget that day, because I was caught in it.

So, the cows surprised us! The vets last night predicted that no new calves would be born before the fair was over. However, when we checked the animal birthing center today, a new baby calf was hanging out in there, born at 4:00 this morning. Another cow was in the stages of early labor, and the vets told us to come back in a few hours to check. Well, we went back, and the cow was ready. We waited about 20 minutes before a new baby heifer was brought into the world. We were able to see it, and I even got videos of it. It was quite an experience to see this. 

I made it a point to try the Korean Corn Dog that I had seen last night. I got the original. This is pretty much just like the one I had a couple of years ago at a little stand that been absent for a couple of years. It's a hot dog covered in cheese, dipped in a special batter, fried, rolled in panko crumbs, and seasoned with cinnamon and sugar. It was really good! Throughout the day we had people hanging out with us. A little while with me niece, and some time with Julie's daughter-in-law. It's always fun when we have people to hang out with us. I had the chance to say hi to a lot of my school, BGC, and church kiddos. It's so fun to see my kiddos out and about. 

Toward the end of the day, we knew that the time had come to say good-bye to our state fair. We needed to get home and get a good night's rest before school tomorrow. Julie and I parted ways for a little while so that we could go to our respective buildings to pick up our ribbons and paperwork. I also received a whopping $22 in prize money that will be put into the 2025 state fair fund. As I was leaving the building, a lady saw my state fair season pass lanyard and assumed I was a fair worker. She asked me where she could re-load her ticket card. I escorted her to the midway and showed her where she could refill her ticket card. While there, I took a lap around the midway one last time. It will be another year until I see this all again. 

In the meantime, I'm going to keep blogging. About special events I attend, or just life in general. I hope that you'll stay with me and keep up with what's rambling in my world. Thanks for joining me in my state fair adventures. Feel free to leave your own comments, pics, whatever, in the comments section. Was there something about the postings and blogs that you liked? Something you'd like me to include for next year? Anything that didn't care for? (It's OK, I'm open to constructive criticism). So, until the next time I post, thanks for reading, and may God bless you!   

 

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 9

 As I was typing "Day 9" in the title, it was with a twinge of sadness. One day of the fair left. We're going to have to make the best of it. 

Today's sibling day was a lot of fun! My sister hung out with Julie and I, and we did stuff that she likes to do. Our first activity was to walk through the buildings. There is still plenty of free stuff laid out on the tables. "Less stuff we have to pack up," one vendor told me. Some of those vendors are people I have seen day after day. Some of them are so ready to be done. I guess when you have to man a booth all day, every day, the fair is not much fun. My niece and her friend hung out with us for a short time showing us the bunnies. The owners of the bunnies brought them out of their pens and let us pet them. Some of them are just adorable, and I wanted to take one home. I don't think my cat would have liked that, Lol. We also checked out the animals in the birthing center. There are a few cows that are close, but vets predict they won't deliver before the fair is over. However, surprises can happen. We've been checking in as often as we can, especially to check on the progress of the baby piggies. We'll keep you posted on the progress.

Did you enjoy the "Rob in the mob" feature today? Kind of a "Where's Waldo?" type of thing. I walked into a crowd of people and had someone take my picture from a distance. The objective was to find me in the crowd. I've been wanting to do this for a few years, and I finally got it done today. I'll try to do another one tomorrow if I have time. 

For lunch, we enjoyed a bierock and apple dumpling from the Wheatland Cafe in the Pride of Kansas building. They have some really good food! This was Julie's first bierock, and she liked it. My sister and I have had one every year, and they're just as good as ever. Later in the day, we had toasted ravioli for a little snack. Last night, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I saw that one of the booths was selling Korean Hot Dogs! I truly hope that they make them the same way one of the other booths made them 2 years ago. 2 years ago, there was a small food truck that made them. They have not been back since, much to my dismay. They were the best thing ever. I saw a Korean Hot Dog stand while I was in Manila. While it was good, it was not what I had experienced before. I'll have to get one and let you know how they were. It may not help you this fair, but maybe next year. 

By around 4:00ish, we were pretty fair'ed out. It was time to call it a day. After walking around for 9 days, Julie and I are wearing out. Tomorrow we will enjoy one more day of the 2024 Fair. We will also receive our ribbons and HUGE (not) checks. We'll get a few dollars actually, and I'll stick that money into the fund for next year's fair. Tomorrow, I'll ramble about this year's fair for the last time. Remember that your likes and comments help me know how many are reading. Thanks for reading Day 9, and God bless you!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 8

 The final Friday of the fair has come to a close, and there's only 2 days left! 

We started our evening with a trip through the Pride of Kansas building to visit the booths with the best givings: The ONEOK booth and the DCF booth. They have the magnetic fridge clips, pens, wooden spoons, mini-flashlights, lip balm, stress balls, etc. You have to answer a trivia question about ONEOK to get a prize, but they have a paper right there with all of the answers right there, so it's pretty easy to win. 

We heard that the Watusi were on the fairgrounds, so we went to take a look at those. The horns on those guys are intimidating! As we were walking behind one of the pens, a Watusi cow tried to fit his horns through the bars as though he wanted to hurt us. We made a wide berth around that guy. I posted a few pictures of the Watusi so that you might get an idea of how big those horns were. And of course, we went over to the animal birthing center to see the baby pigs that were born earlier this week. This pig had 20 babies, and some of them were in an animal ICU. The vet held up the smallest pig and the biggest pig to show us a comparison of the different sizes the pigs were. On the other side of the building, there were some cows close to giving birth. The vets were thinking that they could start labor tonight or early tomorrow. And of course, no trip to the fair is complete without a trip through the rabbit building or the poultry building. In the poultry building, a turkey gobbled right in our face and startled us, Lol. And some of those rabbits were so adorable!  

From there, we tackled a few more buildings and picked up a few more free doodads. We didn't get very far before they announced that the building would be closing in 25 minutes, and people were putting things away. We decided to get out of their way. By now, we were hungry. I wanted to try a new product this year, the pickle pretzel. They sell this in the pretzel food truck across from the 1861 Club. I really liked it. Julie opted for the pepperoni pretzel, and we were surprised that they arrived in the form of pretzel bites. However, they were good as well. Julie let me try a couple, and I liked them. Before we left, we wanted to stop in the food court and see my friend Des. She works at Bernard's BBQ and was a favorite of my dad's when we would stop in there to eat. We had a nice conversation, we enjoyed visiting. From there, it was time to go to the car. We had a great night.

Tomorrow is sibling day. My sister and I are going to hit the fair and have a great time. I'm not sure what all we will be doing, but I know it'll be a great day.

It is now past midnight, and I really need to get some sleep. I want to thank you for taking the few minutes to take a read, and hopefully, smile.   Good night and God bless!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 7

 In case you're wondering where Day 6's post went, it was in the form of a Facebook post last night. It was so late after the concert, I was too tired to blog.

This evening was date night! We went to the fair's new venue, The 1861 Club. Thanks to a voucher from a friend, our meal was completely covered, except for a $2 bottle of water. We had chicken bacon ranch sandwiches with a dipping sauce that we couldn't place, but it was amazing. The meal came with a bag of chips. And because we still had money left on the voucher, and because tomorrow is our 4-month anniversary, we ordered 3 half-waffles covered in chocolate. It was very good! While we were eating, we were joined by Pat, one of my former neighbors from several years ago. When she shared that tomorrow was her birthday, we gave her one of our chocolate-dipped waffles. I pulled up some candles on Facebook, and we celebrated. She was pleased and happy. After eating, she took off into other parts of the fair. Julie and I went in to hear the "Dueling Pianos," a group that plays piano and sings a wide variety of songs from different genres and decades. It was standing room only in there, and after standing against the wall for a while, my legs and back were really starting to hurt. We decided to call it a night. We walked through a building on our way to the gate, and scored some free stuff. Yay, us!

We really didn't do much else this evening. Kind of a slow, easy-going night. Tomorrow we'll be able to stay a little bit later. What will we do? I have no idea, but that's OK. There is always something to do at the fair. You'll find out in tomorrow night's blog. Remember to like the post or leave a comment to give me an idea of how many people are reading. Thanks, and God bless you!!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 5

 And just like that, the fair is half-done. My, how it's flown by. 

Today was $2 Tasty Tuesday, where many vendors offer $2 portions of their menu items. Julie and I decided on several things to get. We decided to really indulge without breaking the bank. If you saw the items I posted on Facebook, you'll see that we really got into it, but it only cost us about $10. We tried to decide on our favorite item, but it was hard. Everything was so good! I don't normally pig out like that, but when it's fair food, and it's only $2, I decided I needed to live a little. And since I'm pretty good judging how I need to administer my insulin, my sugar levels stayed good. 

The fairgrounds were quiet tonight, which is quite typical for a Tuesday night. Thursday is normally quiet as well. We saw quite a few people we knew, and we stopped and chatted for a while. Some people were leaving the concert featuring a Taylor Swift tribute artist, and they were unimpressed. They actually left early, and they were Swift fans. I wouldn't know, I'm not a Taylor Swift follower. We made our way through a few buildings and got through at record speed due to the sparsity of the crowds. OneOk and DCF in the Pride of Kansas building have the best giveaway stuff. At the OneOk booth you have to answer a trivia question to get a prize, but they provide an info sheet for you to look at, so it's pretty impossible to leave that booth without getting a prize. 

We were saddened to learn of an unfortunate accident at one of the food booths. The only info available is that there was what sounded like an explosion. Multiple people were hurt, and 2 were taken to the hospital. The scene was sad. There was shattered glass all over the place, some shards almost half a block away. I'm just praying that everyone involved will be OK. This booth is owned by the Cattlemen, and their specialty is the "Cow Patty," a dish that's kind of like loaded french fries. 

Tomorrow is Wednesday, and we're pretty excited about that. We're picking up my mom and we're going to see Casting Crowns with Katy Nichole. We're pretty excited about this night of praise and worship. I'm not sure if these will be a post tomorrow night, it just depends on how late the concert goes. Besides, if that's all we do, there's really not point in blogging, especially if I post pics as the night goes on. 

Remember, if you have any questions or comments about the fair, this is where you can drop them. Also, this blog exists because of your likes and comments, either on this page or on the Facebook page.  I sure appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read my blog. Good night and God bless!

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 4

 Today was Dollar Day, where admission was only $1, or free with a Dillons Card. Our first stop was the animal birthing center, where a mama pig was delivering baby piggies. We got to see them being born, which was something to see. Mama would contract, a baby would emerge, and the vet would get the baby breathing, and set it with the other babies who were nursing. There were 15 babies in this litter, but 2 were stillborn. There was another mama pig who is ready, and she was very uncomfortable. The vet is expecting that she'll deliver on Wednesday. 

Our food of choice was the toasted ravioli, and it's served with marinara. This food trailer is just east of the Old Mill. It was good, Julie and I shared an order, and we really liked it. Head over there and see what they've got! Go see my buddy Tanner, he'll fix you up good!

We ate our toasted ravioli and waited for AlleyOop, an entertainer, to begin his program. I spoken with him before about when his next show would be, and I found out his real name was Rob as well. This must have given him inspiration, because when he started his show, he referenced me quite often, and then had me assist him with his grand finale. Julie took video of this, and it's on my Facebook page. Its about a 9+ minute video, but it's very fun to watch. He performs near the fountain. If you see him doing his show, stop for a few minutes, you'll be sure to get a laugh!

Free ice cream alert: Across the lake and west, almost to the Main Street entrance, there's a log cabin that's really cool to look at. Right next to it is a gazebo sponsored by Dillons. They are giving out free cups of ice cream on a regular basis. They had either vanilla or birthday cake flavor, and the flavors change throughout the week. Go get you some!

At this point, we met up with my friend Christy, and we adventured through the buildings on the hunt for free stuff. We were not disappointed. There were still plenty of goodies laid out the tables for the taking. We took. One booth had Freschetta pizza to sample, and another booth had a device that could make grilled cheese sandwiches in the microwave, and they offered us some samples which were pretty good. Pens, pencils, cups, notepads, it was there. My collection comtinues to grow. We also stopped at informational booths to chat with them concerning what they were selling. 

At the end of our journey through the buildings, we decided it was about time to call it a night. Christy was tired, and I was feeling a bit wobbly. We made one more stop to check on the baby pigs and calves, and then we walked to the car. It was a fun fourth day. And we have 6 more days to enjoy the fair! I'm not sure what were going to do tomorrow, but we'll figure it out. Usually we just like to walk around and see the sights. 

I want to again thank you for reading. If you're a state fair junkie, you use the menu to the right and search for my state fair ramblings all the way back to 2014. It's fun to go back and read about what I did 10 years ago at the fair. Again, please excuse any typos. I'm tired and don't care, Lol. I bid you a fond goodnight, and God bless you!  

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 3

 Today would have been Father's Day at the fair. On this first Sunday of the fair, exactly one month after his passing, Julie and I celebrated my dad at the fair by doing everything he and I would have done. We stopped by all of the animal barns and looked at all kinds of animals. We stopped in the birthing center to see what animals had been born that day. We rode the Skyride (his favorite thing), we gathered free stuff in the buildings. I really had to keep my eyes on my dad, because he would take things off of the tables that weren't free, but actually for sale. In his mind, if it was laid out on the table, it was free for the taking, Lol. We ended our day by eating Bernard's BBQ at the food court. Pulled pork and fries. The only thing missing was my friend Des, who always came out and picked on me, good-naturedly. My dad always got a laugh out of that. My dad also enjoyed Ron Diamond and Pronto Pups, but we had already done those things during our first 2 days. It was fun retracing my dad and I's steps today, but at the same time, I sure missed him.

While we did things that my dad and I had done, Julie and I also did some other fun things. We rode the big Ferris Wheel and got pictures and selfies. We looked at storage barns and tried to imagine living in one. It would be a tight squeeze, but it could work. At the merchandise booth, I saw a friend of mine who serves on the State Fair Foundation board, and has also been on the State Fair board. I asked him how one gets on one of these boards. To get on the State Fair board, you have to be appointed by the governor. They take care of basic policies and financial things. The Foundation Board is a more hands-on, behind the scenes type of board. A person get on that board by invitation. He asked me to write down my information, and said that as board members step down and rotate out, new board members are invited to join! How exciting would that be! I told this gentleman how much I loved the fair, and he said that is a perfect qualification to be on the board. I will definitely keep you all posted on how things develop with this. 

We had the opportunity to test-drive a massage chair today. The gentleman running the booth invited us in to try them out. I was not a big fan of these chairs. The guy let me test out two of them, and they just didn't feel good on my back. I only liked how they felt on my feet. The gentlemen didn't high-pressure sell us, he was pretty low-key and gave us some info on the chairs. Later on in one of the buildings, they had Shiatsu foot massagers. You stick your feet into these, and oh, wow. I suffer from foot pain due to diabetic atrophy, and these machines made my feet feel so good. They are just over $200, so that is a luxury that will have to wait for another day. I'm trying to save and get out of debt so that I can go back to Manila. They are in one of the Sunflower buildings. If you see these guys, have sore feet, and have about 25 minutes, take these things for a test-drive. Maybe they should give me a free one for promoting their product??

What a day. I am really tired. I do not work tomorrow, so I'm going to rest in, and head to the fair around noon. Julie has to work, :-(  but we'll meet up later in the afternoon. Thanks for taking the time to read my daily blogs. Let me know if you have questions about anything fair-related, and I'll do my best to answer your questions. Be sure to comment or like this post to give me a general idea of how many people are reading. Good night and God bless! 

Rob's State Fair Ramblings Day 2

 Well, an eventful Day 2 is officially in the books. It was Mother's Day, the day I take Mom out to the fair and let her experience all that the fair has to offer. Normally, I would rent her a scooter, but scooter rentals are around $70-$75 dollars for a few hours! I love my mom, but that cost is ridiculous! Fortunately, we have a friend who has a manual wheelchair that she let us borrow at no cost. Julie and I took turns pushing Mom around the fairgrounds to see the things that she wanted to see. 

We started off with a yearly tradition, seeing a Ron Diamond show, He is in his 22nd year at the fair. I'm sure that if the fair ceased their partnership with bringing him out every year, there'd be a riot on the fairgrounds offices. We enjoyed Pulled Pork Parfaits while we watched Ron Diamond. A Pulled Pork Parfait is served in a clear ice cream cup and is layered with pork & beans, mashed potatoes, and BBQ pulled pork. Julie and I gave our parfaits an A+ rating, while Mom rated it a C, stating that hers was a bit dry, and didn't have enough beans. Anyway, despite that, Ron put on a good show that we enjoyed thoroughly. 

Next stop: Domestic Arts building to see the results of my cookies. I'd been waiting since Thursday morning to find out the results, and I was told on Friday evening that I'd need to wait even longer, as the cookies hadn't been placed out yet. This afternoon when we went out, we were told that the cookies STILL were not placed out yet. Grrr... However, the lady told me that my cookies were probably on the next tray she was preparing. She asked for my name and then walked over to the tray and began telling me the results: Chocolate chip: 3rd place! Peanut Butter: 3rd place! Snickerdoodle: 2nd place! Monster Cookie: 2nd Place! I walked away with 4 ribbons! The most ribbons I've ever won at the fair was 2. Only my Oatmeal Raisin cookie didn't place. My friend Brad and his family and Jonathan and his family were there to witness the results as they were given to me in real time. I was really excited. I went back later to get the pictures that you saw earlier this afternoon. 

We took some time to go and see a couple of free shows. One of them was Laura J, who does acrobatic acts on a trapeze. The other act was Lady Houdini, who is an escape artist who specializes in escaping from strait jackets while hanging upside down. She also does an escape from a tank of water while handcuffed. We were pretty impressed with both of them. 

From there, we decided to just walk around. We walked over to the animal birthing center just as a baby calf was being born. Unfortunately, the crowd was so compressed around the animal pen that we couldn't see a thing. But we got to see some very pregnant pigs that looked like they could deliver at any minute. We explored the buildings and collected the cool free stuff that as being given away. We stopped for a bit and watched a kids activity where the kiddos get into giant beach balls and then float on the water. 

By 8:00ish, we were getting tired and it was starting to get dark. We decided to call it a day. It's pretty tough getting out of that huge parking lot at night. We all had a really good time. 

Tomorrow's day is going to be reflectory. Normally, I would take my dad out to the fair so that he could have a good time. I always took my folks on different days because their interests were so different. I miss taking my dad to the fair. Tomorrow we will honor my dad's memory by doing everything he would do on our day. We'll look at the animals, ride the Skyride, eat BBQ at Bernard's and look for free stuff in the buildings. We might toss some other activities in there, but the stuff that dad and I used to will be priorities.  

I'm getting tired, so I'm going to sign off for now. Please excuse any typos I may have made in my tiredness. Tomorrow evening, I'll post the day's activities. Remember that this blog thrives on your likes and comments. That helps me know how many people are reading. Thanks for being faithful readers, and God bless you! 

 

Rob's State Fair Ramblings, Day 1

 I apologize that this post is releasing about 2 hours later than the anticipated 9:30 time, but a late blog post is better than no blog post, right? 

This year's posts will have a different ring to it, as this year I'm experiencing it with my girlfriend Julie. She's planning on spending every day with me there. She's not really had the opportunity to experience our state fair before, so I'm going to show her everything, as she wants to experience it all. She picked the right guy to help her do that, as I pretty much know all that there is to know about the fair.

Our first stop was the Domestic Arts building, to see how my cookies fared. Unfortunately, the cookies had not been placed out for display yet. They had been judged and awarded, but they just didn't have enough people to help them set the cookies out. I was a little disappointed, but I get it. Things happen. It's hard to wait for something, though, especially when you've worked so hard on it. Julie had some things displayed in the Oz Building that we wanted to check out. She had entered some items in the antiques division. We were excited to see that 2 of the 3 things she had entered took third place (white ribbon)! A sewing basket dating back to the 1920's, and a bonnet & booties set dating back to 1844 that had belonged to her great great grandfather. How exciting to receive ribbons on a first-ever entry in the state fair! 

From there, we went out to the Lake Stage to hear local singer Ryan Shaban. This guy can sing! he was worker with such people as Tony Orlando and The Righteous Brothers. Ryan's repertoire of music is a style that dates back into the 60's and 70's. Some people took an opportunity to slow dance to some of his songs. Afterwards, we went up and chatted with him for a few minutes. Julie know him, so there was a connection there. We enjoyed his music and genre. 

Then we were off to the buildings! We were on the hunt for free stuff. We gathered plenty of pens and pencils, and scored some free samples of pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, and several types of flavored honey. I showed Julie where the best stuff was (Union Booth in Sunflower North), and we shamelessly filled our bags with goodies. We took some time to love on the therapy dogs in the Pride of Kansas building, and marveled at the over 1,000 pound pumpkin and the cow butter sculpture (still a work in progress). And all of this without spending a penny! We plan to take in more free offerings, such as free music at several stages on the grounds, visiting the animal birthing center, and taking in the pig races. 

Finally, we decided it was time to eat. Julie had never, ever had a Pronto Pup (gasp!)! The "Banquet on a Stick." Basically, it's a corn dog, but it's not your typical corn dog. This thing has it's own taste and personality. They are selling at $6 this year. They also sell deep-fried cheese on a stick, and a Papa Pup, which is a king-sized Pronto Pup. I like a stripe of ketchup and mustard on mine, while Julie prefers ketchup only, There are many ways to dress up a Pronto Pup. Julie really liked her Pup. She gave it an A- overall. We rate our food items according to taste, service, and value. I've never classified a Pronto Pup lower than an A. They are an icon of the State Fair! We walked around the Midway as we enjoyed our Pronto Pups. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the rides and the carnie that was yelling at me to "win a prize for my wife." Lol. 

By this time, our day at the fair was coming to a close. Julie and I thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and we're excited that we still have 9 more days to enjoy! However, it's not all about us. Tomorrow, we'll be bringing my mom out to the fair. I call it "Mother's Day." I've been bringing mom out to the fair for many years, and we enjoy it. We have very similar tastes and interests. At the end of the day tomorrow, I'll fill you in on what we did. I also may sprinkle in some posts and pics throughout the day. If you like state fair stuff, be sure to stalk my Facebook page

As always, I depend on your likes and comments to let me know how many people are actually reading. Thanks for reading today's installment. God bless and see you tomorrow night!

Rob's Pre-State Fair Ramblings

 Yes, Rob's Ramblings is returning for the 2024 State Fair! We begin in 2 days! I wanted to post some facts and info concerning your visit to the Fair. A lot of this info has been posted in previous years, so some info might be redundant. However, I get new readers every year, so this is for those people, and for those who might want a refresher. Let me clarify, however, I depend on your input to keep this blog going. I need your likes and comments to gauge who is reading. This blog takes some work, and I need to know how many people are reading it. If numbers are low, I probably won't bother. Just saying....

Getting fresh food: Most of the food at the fair is fried and wonderfully unhealthy. When purchasing a food item, I try to get a look at the oil they use. If it's dark, I pass on it, as that indicates it hasn't been changed in a while. It really does affect the taste of the food. I also look to see how clean the place is. It needs to pretty doggone clean if I'm going to patronize that business. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not going to be indulging too much. A few things here and there. A lot of fundage (new word, Lol) went into my Philippines trip, and I'm saving for another trip there. In the past however, I've eaten a lot of things. If you're curious about a food item, ask me about it, I may have had it. I am your answer guy! I'm sad that I can't really dig into the foods like I have in the past, but I really want to go back to the Philippines. 

Use cash if you can. Many vendors use Wifi to power their card machines, and with thousands of people on the network at one time, card transactions can be kind of sluggish. I've had merchants thank me for using cash. The best drink deals are the root beer stands around the grounds, and Allen's P-Nut stand, with $3 bottled soda. That's my go-to. They are in a new location, across the street and east of the Old Mill.

If you're anything like me, you like free stuff. The buildings are loaded with tons of free stuff on their tables. Pens, pencils, keychains, etc. Just be sure that what you're grabbing off of the table is free for the taking. There's a story there that I'll be sharing with you throughout the week. I've found some pretty cool free stuff in the past. Just keep your eagle-eye out! 

Watch for me! I'm your info guide if you need help finding something. Maybe not on Friday, as I'm just getting the lay of the land. Come say hi, get a selfie, whatever.

Enjoy the free entertainment. There are several stages around the fairgrounds, as well as fun roving acts. Take the time to enjoy the shows, and toss a buck or two into the bucket if they have one.  

More info about the fair will come throughout the week. If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments section, or message me. 

Remember, this blog depends on your likes and comments. The posts will drop sometime around 9:30ish every evening. This post was fairly short, but the dailies will have more depth. Enjoy the fair, and I hope to see you out there! Thanks for reading, and God bless!! 

 

 

One More Day......

 It's been a long time since I've blogged. I used to be so faithful about it, but life just seems to get so busy. Since my last post I've had a difficult and unwanted move to a new and much, much smaller residence. I've had a broken leg. I have met a special lady. And now, tomorrow, I begin my journey to Manila, Philippines. 

This is a trip almost 2 years in the planning process. Many cookies were baked, many dollars were donated, many prayers were lifted up, and it all culminates during the next 2 weeks. I'll be taking off Wednesday evening, and will return the 7th of August. During my time in the Philippines, I'll be able to see the many ministries of the missionaries that live there, and hope to get involved with many of them, too. I'm not entirely sure of my itinerary, but I am sure every aspect will be exciting. I look forward to meeting the people of Manila, and form friendships with the people. I am praying that I can be a blessing to the missionaries that serve there. I am praying that God will lead and direct in my life. I am sure that this will be a life-changing trip. I will definitely be coming home as a different person. 

Prayer needs: First and foremost, please pray for safety while we are there. We will be in a safe place with people who will keep us safe and not take us into dangerous situations. Still, prayers for safety are always appreciated. Second, we have a very tight transfer in Denver. We don't have much time to de-board our plane and catch our next one. Please pray that we make this flight! Missing this flight will mess with our whole travel itinerary, and could delay our ETA in Manila. Third, please pray that we will be the hands and feet of Christ, and that we will be a blessing to all of those that we meet. Finally, please pray for my health. I have a nagging cough that would love to turn into bronchitis. I can feel it trying to come on. I am praying that God will kill this cough so that I can fully enjoy and immerse myself in this trip. 

Tips: First of all, I will post to Facebook as often as I can. Where I have available internet access, I  am hoping to post pics and update. Feel free to stalk my Facebook page for all of the latest info. I have also been told that people would like to keep in touch by way of text and phone calls. Please keep in mind that I am 13 hours ahead. Think before you send: What time is it in Manila? I'm hoping to not be called or texted in the middle of the night. I'm sure I'll need my nightly rest to be charged for the next day. So...do the math before you message me, LOL. 

I have more packing to do even tonight, so I am going to end this post. I have been asked multiple times when , where, etc, and I hope this post gives you the info you need to pray and stay informed. 

A HUGE thank you to those who prayed, donated and helped me in any way. I would not be able to do this without you, and I would be remiss if I didn't thank you for all that you have done. I pray that God will reward you for your kindness. Good night and God bless you! 

Updates

 Slowly but surely, little by little, I am seeing the dent. I am still a long way from being done, but I'm getting done, one step at a time. Today I was blessed by a crew of people who came to my house, packed up  a huge amount of boxes and miscellaneous, and hauled it over to my storage unit. I was so overwhelmed by the kindness of these people who came out on a cold day to help me out. They played "Tetris" in the unit, stacking and organizing so that the boxes took up minimal space, because there is more to come. While at the storage unit, I had an extreme low blood sugar crisis. I was trying to help the crew put things away, and I simply couldn't put my thoughts into words. People were asking me where things went, and I couldn't answer them. My vision went hazy, and I felt like I was about to pass out. I managed to pull out my phone and open my Dexcom app. I was at a 48. 48! I've never been that low before. Some of the people recognized the issue, and began giving me snacks. Craisins, chocolate snack cakes, etc. After several minutes, I began to get my bearings. I started feeling like myself again. Thank The Lord that I wasn't alone during this episode. I most likely would have passed out completely. It could have been really bad. At the end of the day, we got some much accomplished, and I felt so blessed by the kindness of my friends.

I take over the apartment on Friday the 26th. I'm going to take as many loads of things as possible over to the apartment that day. The following day, Saturday, we're going to finish the job. More than likely, we will make a couple of runs to the storage unit (items too big to fit into my car), and then the big stuff to the apartment. I'm expecting quite a few people to help with that. After that, I'm hoping to be completely free of the house and done.  I'm hoping to use the remainder of the day to organize. That's going to be the fun part. Seriously. It's fun to set up house and make it yours. Make it a home, even if it is an apartment.

Prayer needs: 1. Safety for all of those involved in the move. Would hate for someone to get hurt.  2. My stamina. I'm tiring easily, and my back and shoulder are starting to bother me. Also for my safety as I pack. I'm going up and down stairs many, many times a day. Pray for my safety on the steps.  3. The weather. I'm praying that the low temps predicted will be higher than expected. We need this ice and snow to melt! That would improve the safety element.  4. Finances: This move is costly, I'm praying for a financial blessing.  5. My attitude. This is a lonely process. As a single guy, I don't have anyone to sit with me and chat with me as I do this. I can talk to people on the phone, but that gets awkward after a while as I try to carry boxes. I'm lonely. I'm sure that this weather is contributing to my sad feelings as well. Please pray about that. 

All in all, I am a mix of emotions. I am so ready to be in my new place, have everything done at my other place, and get on with my life. Soon. I just keep telling myself that. Please don't forget about me out there. Feel free to call, text, whatever. I could use the encouragement. 

Thanks for reading, and God bless you!  

From my heart

 Folks, I'm just going to put it out there. I'm tired, discouraged and overwhelmed. I don't usually post on things like this, especially first thing in the morning, but I feel that when I blog it, it helps me. This move is one of the hardest things I've ever done. First, because it was unexpected. Second, because I don't want to move. Currently, I'm looking at a tiny one-bedroom apartment on the 3rd floor. If you've offered to help me move, that might change your mind. And third, because I'm doing this by myself. There is so much to do, and it's overwhelming. I'm running out of room in my storage unit, and it looks like I might need another unit, which is another expense I really don't need. And, that's after I've thrown so much away. I'm only keeping bare essentials, such as pictures, favorite books, mementos, etc. 

Why am I posting this? Because I want pity or a handout? Not at all. I'm posting because I know that a lot of my friends who are prayer warriors are reading this. Many of you have told me that you have been praying for me, and I'm so grateful. Please don't quit. I also need encouragement. I need visitors who will keep me company as I sort through hundreds of boxes and pack away more things for storage. I don't need anyone to do the work, but I need the company and encouragement as I deal with this. I know we're in the dead of the coldest snap in years, so I know that some people won't be able to do that. I'd settle for a phone conversation.     I just feel so alone in all of this. I can't sleep, and I'm fearing that depression is going to start settling in. 

Please accept this post in the way I'm hoping it will be read. I'm not asking for pity or a handout as I stated before, I just need some prayer and encouragement before I fall apart, because that's where I am. If I'm getting negative vibes from you over this post, please stop reading now, because I don't need that. The experts say that if you feel like you're going to either lose it or withdraw into a shell, you need to say something. I'm saying something. 

Thanks for reading this, and it has helped some. I've never posted anything like this before. Everyone goes through their dark times, and this is one of mine. Please pray for me.  

Rob's Ramblings; Big Changes Ahead!

 As I write this, we're currently blanketed under about 7 inches of snow. Our city hasn't seen snow like this for a few years. School was cancelled, and most of the city was shut down. We were advised to not go out unless absolutely necessary. Snow days are always fun, but it also always means shoveling! This was a thick, heavy snow, too. It took me a while, but it's done, and I'm worn out! 

Big Changes Ahead: I'll just lead with it... I'm going to be moving. Not out of country, not out of state, not even out of town. The rental in which I have been living for the past 10 years has been sold. I have until the end of March to find a place, pack and move. This is a tough deal for me.  I have grown to love this house, and really hate to leave it. It's also an overwhelming task to pack up a house with 10 years of accumulation. I am currently going through stuff and throwing a lot of stuff away. I was planning a huge purge this Spring and Summer, and planned to do it at my leisure. Now, I have to hyper-drive it. On my fixed income, the only place I have found in my price range are 1-bedroom apartments. Going from a 2-story 5-bedroom house to a 1 bedroom apartment. A little bit...no....a lot bit...overwhelming.  Of course, I plan on taking my cat with me. She is family. The place I'm looking into is pet-friendly, so that's cool. 

So, what's this all mean? First, my baking business is on hiatus until I am settled. Second...and this is the one that pains me....possibly no more Christmas open house? It just depends on how much room I have. 

Folks, I need your prayers. First, I need to make sure I'm cleared out before April 1, and I will need help moving. Needing trucks and strong backs. Also, this is going to be more costly that it was before. I have crunched numbers to save money, but overall, this is going to be skin-tight. Especially with move-in costs, deposits, and etc. I'm praying for a financial windfall to pull me through. 

To close out this post (because I have work to do), God's got this, He's come through again and again....and again. This is a big exercise in faith. I don't know the future, But God does. I'm telling God how big my problem is, but I'm also telling my problem how big GOD is. Please pray that I'll stay strong in my faith, and that God will supply all of my needs. I'll be sure to keep you updated along the way. I pray God's best for you. God bless you!   ***Rob***