Complaining...about the fair.

I take the kids every year, usually alone in some respect. I put on a happy face and try not to let my disdain for it rub on the kids but I seriously HATE it. It's so hot and zaps all my energy. I took the kids out of school a little early, generally we go in the morning and are home by 2 or so and next year we're going back to that way. I feel visiting the fair is an educational experience and therefore taking them out of school is just as educational as school would be. That aside however, for as much as we did yesterday, 99% of it we do at home every single day. There was a sow in the birthing barn who had just given birth to about 9 piglets. This is thrilling for me because baby pigs are incredibly cute but what's not thrilling is that the kids don't find it thrilling...at all! Why? Because we just watched our sow give birth to 7 baby piglets 3 weeks ago and after about the 4th one was born, legos beckoned. Oh sure, they like to go out and watch them run and jump around and try to pick them up of which their high pitched sequels have the kids nearly throwing them back onto the ground before mama sow gets irritated and wants to know why we are "hurting" her brood.We just picked up new baby chicks and the ones in the incubator are about fully "cooked" and will be hatching soon and aside from the new baby bulls, which we see nearly every day we drive to town, the quilts and crafts, it's just not very exciting for them. Rachel did get a kick out of looking for the types of chickens she will be raising in the poultry barn. She wanted some more barred rocks and buff orpingtons and was quite taken aback at how big they get.

The rides are, of course, the highlights for the kids. By the time we got to the rides it had cooled down a bit at 6 PM but the people, the mass exodus INTO the fair by that time was hell on earth. The loud music and the commotion, it was just too much! I grit my teeth and bared it though but swore never again at that late an hour would I go. I told Jeremiah the next time it would be like "old times" where we are at the fair by 9 AM, go through all the exhibits and see the animals, get on the rides when they open at 11 AM and be out of there by 11:04, ha! Either that or he can take them and I will stay home because I am the "no fun" Mom anyway who puts her foot down and does not allow them to ride certain rides anyway.

We were trying to make the demolition derby at 7:30 but Jeremiah had to work late and we didn't end up meeting and I decided for my sanity, I needed to call it quits and we went home. I don't understand how people in this town can go (and WANT to go) to the fair every.single.day for the 9-10 days it goes on. Now, if I could sit and watch demonstrations like sheep sheering or one of the small concert venues, fine. Especially if it's in the air conditioned buildings but to walk around being asked over and over if I am interested in wood stoves, combines (pshttt yeah, do I look like I need a $100K combine? NO!), any of the # of farming implements, wooden signs or anything else they are trying to sell.

It felt like a week long trip in an afternoon and I am happy to be back to doing chores this morning of which laundry and canning some tomato sauce, green chile sauce & grape jelly will be the highlight...oh, and feeding baby piggies grapes!