It’s fair time again! Yuck! I was able to mostly forget about it during the rush of events around the trail ride but it started anyway. I am not a fair fan. This is mostly because people at this fair tend to be mean. I have a long and distinguished history of getting sworn at by parents and fairboard members during this fair. This happens not usually because of anything I’ve done but because I’m helping run the shows and tend to be in the line of fire.

I never realized how bad it really was until one year when I took off early to take Prize to a show. I got to my show and a lady walked up to me. She thanked me for coming. I almost burst into tears. I didn’t realize how tensed up I was in preparation for another cussing out.

Last year I skipped the fair entirely and went on a cruise. I was cussed out after I got back by the other 4-H advisors who were mad that they didn’t think of it first.

Yesterday I drove in and almost ran down three people in the roads because they were insistent about walking down the center. This involved multiple incidents not just one group of three. I started muttering under my breath at other people who looked like they were planning the same road wandering. I parked and saw another 4-H advisor. I told her, “I’ve been here 5 minutes and have already almost run down 3 people and cussed out several others. Happy Fair Week!” She agreed wholeheartedly. All the horse 4-H advisors can be identified by the slightly wary and haunted look we have because fair brings out the worst in parents.

On a better note, I declared my participation in the Eat Local Challenge to be a fine reason to frequent the ice cream booth daily. The ice cream is local and very good. Previous year’s reasons to visit it daily have included supporting the dairy group’s fundraiser and sampling every flavor in order to be able to scientifically rate them. There is inflation though. Before three huge scoops of ice cream was $1.00. This year it is $2.00. 100% inflation. What is the world coming to? Kept the lines down too. I only had to stand behind 10 people to get my ice cream.

I only have 3 kids from my club showing all week and 2 of them showed today. Today was the dressage show and the draft show. Later tonight is the open calf roping. I don’t like calf roping. I feel sorry for the calves.

Tomorrow is the rest of the English riding and jumping, Tuesday is versatility, reining, and trail, Wednesday is western, Thursday is gymkhana, Friday are the horse judging and the good grooming contests, and Saturday is the fun show. My goal for the week is not to be sworn at. I’m going to accomplish this by going to work three of the afternoons instead of staying there all the time.