My Day Off is Trash and I'm Excited About the State Fair

It's Friday. It's supposed to be my "day off". But Chickie is taking today and tomorrow for vacation while she attends a fund-raiser in Madison, Wisconsin, so I have to work today with DH, and DH has to work tomorrow with me. The sacrifices we make for a small business. I'll survive, of course, but it does cut into my "clean Sharon's room" time and that clock is ticking down quickly. I'll have to redouble my efforts next week, because the week after that, I'm pretty sure I'll lose my Friday again since Chickie usually likes to attend the State Fair on opening day. 

I'll have to plot down exactly how much time I have left before 
Sharon arrives. Right now, her room is still unusable, but 
I can take care of that fairly quickly, if temporarily. It's the 
vacuuming and dusting that desperately needs to be done, 
along with one more scrub of the bathrooms and shower. 
Those take time, and time is NOT on my side right now. 

I bought our Blue Ribbon Bargain Books earlier this week and spent a little time yesterday going through the coupons and folding down pages. Basically, the Bargain Book contains coupons from more than 100 different vendors/events and is broken down into three categories: Things to Eat & Drink (the largest category by far), Things to Buy, and Things do Do. I always take advantage of my book, and have always saved far more than the $5 cost. I buy one for me and one for Sharon. 

I buy two copies of the Blue Ribbon 
Bargain Book for each State Fair. One 
for Sharon and one for me. We go to 
the Fair for three days in a row, so we 
get our use from it. The Fairgrounds are 
closed now, while the grounds are 
being prepared for the Great Minnesota 
Get-Together. I can hardly wait. 

The Fair announced that they will have metal detectors at every entrance gate this year. That's new, although they have inspected coolers, backpacks and handbags for several years. We also have new policing this year. Our long-time State Fair Police Chief retired a few months ago and the police force was disbanded. Now the Fair is subcontracting with the County Sheriff's department and it's costing a LOT more money and might succumb to heavy-handed tactics, which could be a problem in the crowds we generate. Still, it's the Fair. There will be the occasional fight, and once in a while a robbery after-hours, but in general, the State Fair is a safe zone. It's a melting pot of people from all parts of the state and beyond to converge, oooh and aaah, and have fun with their friends. You'll see heavily tattooed bikers next to 80-year-old Grandmas, looking critically at the cookies and discussing the opinion of the judges decisions and which cookie they think should have won the Blue Ribbon. 

DH always wants to look at the baked goods competition. 
He's never entered anything, and really only bakes for the 
holidays, but he loves to look at what people have done. 
I've entered beadwork of mine in the past, and have the 
State Fair ribbons ranging from Blue to White to prove 
it. I think I have more Red ribbons than any other color, 
so I've got a fair amount of second place awards. 

I'm getting my head into State Fair mode, I just hope I'll also have my house ready to go. Somehow I'll manage, but it won't be easy. I'm super excited, though. I'll be so happy to see Sharon once again. We adore the State Fair and I can hardly wait to be there again, riding the Big Ferris Wheel to look over the grounds, looking at the largest boar exhibit, and the beautiful horses, eating food that's definitely NOT WildFit recommended, and people watching - so many people. I might believe we've survived the pandemic once I'm on the Fairgrounds once more, even if I probably will wear a mask. 

There is nothing WildFit approved about Danielson's & 
Daughters Onion Rings, but it's my favorite food at the Fair. 
There is NO WAY I'm not having my onion rings. I'll also 
probably eat at least one foot-long hot dog (with ketchup), 
and I'm sure I'll have at least one beer. I still have eight 
pounds I want to release, but if I indulge at the Fair for 
a few days, gain some back, and then return to healthy 
eating again, I'll be just fine. The weight will come right 
back off, and I'll have had a vacation at a place I dearly 
love for a few days with my Best Friend, Chickie and DH. 

Have an excellent Friday. Safe travels to my friend from Missouri as she takes her daughter to Grad School in northern Florida. I'll be back tomorrow with more "As My World Turns", and as always, please be kind and stay safe.