Updates & A Fair To Remember

Yo, yo. What it is, Tappers.

So, looks like I took the month of August off from the bloggy blog. Sorry ’bout that. Heck, let’s face it. You haven’t been reading anyway. You’ve been busy with summer, updating your own blogs and you know…doing your own thing.

I get it. I do.

Well, I wish I could say that I’m done with GOODHALO’S mammoth revision, but I’m not. It’s sloooow going, what with the other books I’m actually getting paid to write and the whole 2 other jobs and a family thing. My window of opportunity to get stuff done is small every night. Throw in the occasional late-night fire call and well…I’m shooting for the end of September to wrap this thing up.

Anyway, that’s not why we’re here. My family and I went out to the biggest money vaccum in the greater Twin Cities. I’m talking about the Minnesota State Fair.

It’s a tradition that we go every year and this one was no exception. I won’t bore you with a blow by blow, but the wackiest stuff happened about 10 minutes in.

As you know by now, I’ve now got two sons: Travis (4.5 years) and Jake (8 months). Since we’ve never been to the Fair with Jake, we had to bring a double-stroller that we had given to us from someone Laura knows from work. Her name might be Bernice, or Betty. I think it starts with a ‘B.’ Doesn’t matter.

This thing is pretty beat up and smelled like an ashtray in a cigar factory’s restroom. We aired it out, wiped it down and have used it plenty of times. We noticed one of the wheels looked a little funky, but we didn’t think much of it. We were ready to roll toward deep fried goodness on a stick.

Travis & Jake, decked in their Minnesota best, ready to taste the fair.

We paid the ridiculous price of $22 to get into the fair, which to me seems criminal. Think about it. You’re going in there to buy untold amounts of crap. The least they could do is let you in for free. But $11 a person? (kids were free) Can’t help but feel like we took it in the shorts.

If that wasn’t enough…

Old double stroller…we hardly knew ye.

About 3 minutes inside the fair, we took a turn to head down toward the Midway and breakfast (Mini Donuts). As we headed down the stretch, the stroller threw a wheel. I tried in vain to pound it back into place, but it was a total loss. We abandoned it behind a Sno-Cone stand.

Thinking we were in for a long day (and we were) we had to hit the rental place. We rolled out of the garage in a snappy new wagon for the low price of $13.

You can’t keep the Troupes down. No sir. Not when there’s deliciousness to be had.

For those keeping track at home, here’s how much we spent within about 10 mintues:
Parking – $8 (Park n’ Ride is for suckers with time to waste)
Admission – $22
Wagon rental – $13
Total – $43.00 (ouch)

The bonus? We got to see this brotherly love pretty much all day:

Travis zeroes in on the Mini Donuts, while Jake wonders where the hell we are.

A little while later, we’re enjoying sugary delights and I can smell the bacon. For some reason (as my Facebook friends can attest) I’ve been jonesin’ for the giant bacon they had last year. This year, the scent seemed to waft all the way out to Woodbury and I’ve been salivating ever since. Behold, the Excalibur of Bacon.

You don’t need to remind me how dorky it is to wear a shirt
that shows my excitement for bacon. I know.

Anyway, here a quick run-down of the rest of the day:

We saw some cows.

These cows were resting.

Travis and I went on the Giant Slide (not pictured).

He posed for a shot just outside the slide’s exit.

Travis pensively considering what ride he’d like to try next.

Jake enjoyed a bottle with about 4 horses butts less than 10 feet from him.

Best. Life. Ever.

We got our traditional Photo Booth black n’ white pictures taken.

Travis went on some bumper boat thing.

A rare shot where Travis wasn’t spinning out of control in the middle of Carny Lake.

Travis and I went into a funhouse (LAME), and he wanted to go again. (we didn’t)

Travis then went on an Atomic Drop-type thing. I think that’s what it was called.

No one wanted to sit by the boy on the end. I think his name was Stinky.

And I think he had fun.

Travis waving his hands in the air, like he just doesn’t care.

From there, the day went somewhat south. We were hungry and our tolerance levels were beginning to wane. I had to wait for some chicken tenders that took FOREVER to make. We had to make a mad dash across a football field length of slow-moving food grazers to a bathroom. We had ice cream cones that melted. Jake melted down a bit and fell asleep in our arms. And then we had the LONG walk back to our car (sans wagon).

All in all? A pretty good day. Not sure how people can go more than once a year, but that’s just me.

*sigh* Sad that this post constitutes the newest writing I’ve done in a while. It was a nice break from revising, but I can already hear the undead calling me. Calling me back.

Until next time, Tappers.

Your lovin’,

TKT