The County Fair

Today began the week long marathon event of the farming community affectionately known as The County Fair. Kids have been working hard all summer and joyously anticipating it's arrival. Parents have been ticking off the day on the calendar in dread like an upcoming root canal.

We left this morning at 7:30 with 3 pigs loaded on the trailer. One of them did not make weight and was left at home. (The kids are learning that life is not always fair.) After waiting in line for an hour to check in, we settled the pigs into their pens and my husband and daughter ran home for round two. My son and I decorated the pony's stall and checked the needlework, photography and drawings into the exhibit hall.

When the ponies arrived we settled them in then went for lunch. The entire fair was waiting at the meat counter of the local deli waiting for lunch. The lady in line behind me made me chuckle. I was born and raised here, so it's hard to get an outsider's perspective. Here is what she shared with me.

After moving from Baltimore to Nowheresville, PA she was shocked that we only have three washing machine repairmen listed in the yellow pages. Not three pages of repairmen. And could not understand what she was hearing when the repairmen all told her the same thing. It was the first day of trout season and she wouldn't get her machine fixed until next week. Imagine the shock she had when she realized the first day of buck season was a school holiday!

Wow. I had to laugh at myself because I take all this as "the way it is." I've never given a thought to the backwoods ways we have here. Mental note: I've gotta get my kids out more so that they experience "real life." haha

So tell me what's different about where you live! I love learning about cultural differences across the country. And I promise to keep you updated on the fair. Because I know you're on pins and needles waiting to know how our pigs place.

1 comment:

Toni said...

This sounds a little like my small Montana town. All the kids who are old enough to hunt take vacation days during hunting season and bring the antlers to school to show off! Our fair is next week.