Boone County Fair, Thursday

The three 4-Hers, Roger (in his last year), Ali and Skyler, were all showing first thing this morning. It is a pretty big thing...their 4-H Club decks their end of the barn out with all kinds of decorations and the kids each have a "pig" sign on the front of their pens. Skyler, the youngest of Jeff's kids has already named her pigs--William and Wilbur for the Cummings' Twins. The results of the day are not that great, but, we all still had a great time being out their and supporting the kids. I must say this years judge was a welcome change...he was young and cute...and I just wish I could have got the girls to pose with him and their pig. LOL



The big food event of the day is the creamed chicken on biscuits at the Grange Food Tent...Ali wants to split it with me...but somehow the day comes to an end with us missing it. Somehow I think all the Fireman doughnuts, Boy Scout ice cream and other goodies took the place of the chicken dinner ok.



In the afternoon I have to go pick up Bruce and Dominic from somewhere around Bloomington. That's a two hour drive and I have to borrow my parent's vehicle to make the trip. (My work van has the rear passenger seats removed so I can haul more stuff!) Now stick with me here as I describe this...Bruce and Dominic are riding in the new big Suburan (with all the bells and whistles on it) along with cousin Angie and her three other kids (including one infant) and my Aunt Susan. Angie is going to visit one of her old friends at an airforce base near St. Louis and her Mom is going along to help with the kids and the driving.

They have GPS'd a meeting location in Bloomington. But, it turns out I can save some miles and time by intersecting them somewhere between Chicago and Bloomington. I really want to save time, because if we can get back to the Fair in time, we will see the kids auctioning off their pigs at auction. I will also get to see my favorite gentleman auctioneer. Yes, ladies, he ranks right up their with my crush on Edgar from the Deadliest Catch, Brad Pitt and skier Bode Miller!! :)

I had a great time on the trip back to the Fair. Dominic who is eight years old was a chatty little guy. Bruce and I had a couple close shaves with trying to explain how Jodie and Garry who won a pig at last year's auction didn't still have the pig now...I mean how do you explain a slaughterhouse to a kid that old....thank God Bruce was there. The other concept we had to explain was why birds don't get electrocuted sitting on power lines! That kid is a sponge for knowledge.



BUT, it turns out we get to the Fair just as the last pig is coming out of the auction building. Darn it. BUT, good news is that we catch Jeff as he is finishing up with the auction doings and now he can hang out with Bruce and I. As soon as Dominic sees the other cousins, he is scooped up and the kids probably make it to the midway in record time. I am not usually at the Fair this late, and I am surprised that there is such a great turnout. Later I find out that the turnout at this year's Fair surpasses last year's attendance on Saturday.

We end up staying late--it's nearly 11pm by the time we make it home to get Bruce and Dom home to meet Mom and Dad...and to find a bed.