State Fair!!!!

It's that time of year again.

Time for the Wisconsin State Fair!

Our family has had our own State Fair tradition for a number of years; we get there right when the gates open on the first Friday of the Fair and head straight for the All-You-Can-Eat Pancake place. After an appropriate time for stuffing ourselves full of pancakes, we head out into the Fairgrounds. Our tradition was changed slightly last year when Joseph forgot to ask off work for the day so we had to go on Saturday, instead.

We used to hang together as a family, but that changed as the boys got older. For the last number of years, the boys head off after breakfast to do their things and Diane and I head off to do ours. There are certain things that are "Must Do's" for me; going through the Expo Center to see all of the people hawking their goods, walking through the Dairy Barns to see the 4-H kids showing their cattle, getting root beer from the Root Beer Barrels on the grounds, going through the Wisconsin Products Pavilion and, most important for me, going through the Poultry Barn.

I love looking at the chickens. I would love to keep chickens in our yard, but the village does not allow it. So I get my chicken fix by going through the barn and looking at all of the chickens and ducks. The first Friday is a great time to go through the Poultry Barn because they are judging the 4-H entrants' chickens. No one else ever wants to go to the Poultry Barn with me, but that's okay. Diane or Joseph will usually suffer through it anyway. This usually causes me to rush through it because I know they are bored stiff.

I, of course, avoid the horse barns at all costs.

It's amazing how the boys always manage to call us just about lunch time in a desire to get back together. They think they are being clever, but we know that the only reason they want to get back together is so we will pay for their lunches.

Shelley is going to the Fair with us this year. She has never been to a state fair of any sort, so this will be a new experience for her. Diane wants to go through the sewing and cooking competition exhibits with Shelley so maybe that will be my chance to go through the Poultry Barn all by myself - at my own pace!

So, today is the first Friday of the Fair. I will be tired and sore by the time we get home, but it will be so worth it; especially getting to see the chickens!