No fair

The rocket was behind me as I took this lame picture with my iPhone

OK so I still need to work backwards through time and tell you about a trip we took in September, and about our Labor Day celebrations.

I will get around to it.

But we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to tell you about our trip to the South Carolina State Fair last night.

You have no choice but to allow me to elaborate -- and you know that I will -- but let me preface my remarks by stating unequivocally that I despise fairs of any and all type.

Then why did you go? you have every right to be wondering.

Well. You probably don't remember but two years ago we went to the South Carolina State Fair for the first time since 2002.

We went in 2002 because it was our first October living in South Carolina, and in South Carolina in October, you go to the State Fair.

It's a big deal.

Then why didn't you go back every year? you may be asking yourself because I'm not there to ask.

Because I loathe fairs of any and all type. 

Then why on earth did you go last night, and why did you go two years ago? you may now be screaming at your screen because I'm not there to scream at.

Simmer down, haha.

We went two years ago because I had entered a photograph in the competition.

This was the ride that made Dagny cry

I didn't win anything, but I sold my picture to a fairgoer.

And I had actually forgotten this but my own blog reminded me: Three years ago, TG took Dagny to the fair. If it weren't for this post, I would not remember a thing about that.

Last year's fair, I recently learned, was strictly drive-through. I know; right? Doesn't that sound stupid? I'm sure it was but I took no notice.

(Apparently the entry fee was waived and you could drive on the fairgrounds and there were no rides, but there were concessions, and you could get out of your vehicle and buy food, which you were obliged to consume in said vehicle.)

This year the fair is back to normal. I entered two pictures. I didn't win anything and so far I have not sold either of them.

But while there's life two days before the fair shuts down, there's hope.

Anyway because my framed photos were on display in the exhibit hall set aside for such things, and because Dagny is seven and kids love the rides and so forth, we all went.

There was me, TG, our friend Andrea from church who occasionally hangs out with us, Audrey and Dagny, and Cherica along with baby Rhett in his stroller.

We met at the rocket and set out to buy tickets and ride rides and eat overpriced junk food.

Seriously you would not believe the prices.

You've heard of the supply chain issues we are having right now? And how it may affect the availability of turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner?

Well I am here to tell you that if you can be happy with a turkey that has no legs, there should be plenty of those running around.

Because one of the delicacies on offer at the South Carolina State Fair is smoked turkey legs. Sixteen dollars apiece.

Dagny got in line for this one but could not bring herself to get on

Sixteen dollars for a single smoked turkey leg.

I went slack-jawed when I read that on the sign. Can you imagine parting with sixteen dollars for a smoked turkey leg?

As we were leaving the fairgrounds last night at around ten, I noticed one purveyor of smoked turkey legs stacking his leftovers, each wrapped in tin foil. It looked as though he had at least fifty unsold legs.

I sent TG over there to ask the young man what they do with the turkey legs they don't sell.

He replied that his dad does not let him have any unsold turkey legs. The job is, sell them all.

I looked down the midway, nearly empty but for stragglers heading for the parking lot. 

Stragglers full to groaning of pizza and gyros and chicken tenders and ice cream and funnel cake and hamburgers and french fries and fried candy bars and sausage-pepper-onion sandwiches and cotton candy and corn dogs and tacos and shrimp and grits and cinnamon rolls and popcorn and so forth and so on.

Chad thought the fair was open until midnight, but nobody was queueing up at that hour to buy a turkey leg, I can assure you.

Is it possible there would be a run on smoked turkey legs between ten and twelve?

I don't know because we left, but it seems unlikely.

The young man attempting to peddle the legs told TG that at the Minnesota State Fair, they sell thirty thousand smoked turkey legs in twelve days.

He said that at our fair, on a busy day they sell one thousand legs. Do the math!

He claimed that yesterday they'd sold about four hundred. That seems low; let's pick up the pace.

Audrey riding the elephants with Dagny, who you can't see

I reckon that today, he is working hard to sell extra legs and I sincerely hope that he meets his goal.

But you still haven't told us why you hate, despise, and loathe all fairs of any type, you are wholly justified in thinking at this point.

I don't know if I can explain it any better except to say, the whole thing is a rip-off.

TG and I spent fifty dollars on two hamburgers, a bucket of fries to share, and two soft drinks.

We are not rich people. Especially not now that we've been to the fair.

Because in addition to that, TG got a slice of pizza and a second (five-dollar) soft drink because he was still thirsty, and he bought Dagny a slice because she was still hungry after sharing a ten-dollar bucket of fries with her mom, who was still hungry also and later bought the two of them some ice cream. It's relentless.

The rides are so scary that the only thing I got on was the little benches that move slowly across the fairground, suspended from cables high above the action.

Dagny and Audrey rode several things but one of them terrified the child so much that when she got off, she ran straight into my arms, crying,

It wasn't anything that threw you around up in the air or anything. You sat in a little car and went round and round on a wavy base, pretty fast. Then you did the same thing backwards, while singing Sweet Caroline at the top of your lungs along with Neil Diamond on the stereo system.

It looked like a fairly okay ride except that Dagny does not know the words to Sweet Caroline.

But Dagny did not think it was fun. She did, however, enjoy the giant slide and some whirling dogs and a boat that swung back and forth, and the flying elephant ride. All of which she did with her mom by her side.

We did not ride the Ferris wheel this time, or the jerky little roller coaster that practically sent Audrey to the chiropractor two years ago.

I'm pretty sure that we spent less money than most people. I think TG parted with well over one hundred dollars, between ride tickets and food and admission and parking, but we met a friend who said his first two hundred dollars were a distant memory and he was well into a third hundred dollars.

The view from on high

I nearly fainted. It's the experience, he told me.

Haha well if it's the experience, I'd say he got rooked. And so did we. But I suppose it is a matter of perspective.

You just need to get in the swing of things, you may be thinking. Don't worry about the money! Just relax and have fun.

I can't. It's not fun. I will not go back. It's too noisy, too busy, and too expensive.

Too many turkeys gave their legs for that nonsense. Turkeys we need! For Thanksgiving dinner!

My assessment may not seem fair to you, but it's the truth.

And that is all for now.

=0=0=0=

Happy Friday :: Happy Weekend

Comments

[Ginny Hartzler]

Your photos are amazing!!! They have such a unique look, did you use an editing program? I have never seen anything like them, they look almost dreamlike. Oh yes, we have gone to many fairs and carnivals, usually becsuse of taking the grandchildren. And the amount of money spent is more than if we would have taken them on a shopping spree! If we did that, then at least they could have gotten just what they wanted. I think your visit was well worth it just for these photos.

[Mari]

When I was young, our little town had a fair every year. It was a farming community and people entered their produce, I was in 4H and entered my sewing projects.. My dad loved to go to the tractor pulls and mom often worked at the Christian School food booth. We would get to go one night and go one a few rides. It was a highlight of the sdd3eummer.
Now I'm not such a fan. It's not nearly as expensive as your Fair, but still quite a rip off. We have brought the girls and checked out all the animals - Alaina loves the horses, Ruby is all about the bunny's. Neither of them are big on the rides.
PS - I'm sure your photos were deserving of a ribbon! I love, love, love the pic of the swing ride in action! You can enter that one next year.

[Jeanette]

I completely agree! Fairs are a rip off! Our state fair grounds closed down a long time ago and now it's held in a huge banquet hall, with the rides being outside in the parking lot! We've gone a few times but since I don't ride any rides anymore and I'm pretty tired of looking at chickens, cows and huge squashes we probably won't go again! Unless we go with the grandkids but that's not likely to happen soon! Good luck on selling your pictures!

[Jennifer]

@Ginny ... why thank you, my friend! I was just using my phone, hoping to capture what it's like, but that is so hard to do! Yes I do edit a bit but not much. I'm glad you like them because I was just fooling around. And you're right about the money! I was even saying as we parted with all that cash, think of what I could do with that money! But it's done now, and at least it was family time, which is important. xoxo

@Mari ... I think a county fair is more fun than a state fair. When we lived in Ohio, Andrew was a little boy and he did 4H and raised chickens, and he and TG had a ball with that. TG always gravitates towards the livestock and agriculture. I like to see animals too but the other night I didn't even try to see them, haaaha. I was too aggravated with the whole scene. And I have to say, the pictures that DID win were ... errr ... how shall I say ... NOT better than mine, haahaha! But then that's just my opinion. xoxo

@Jeanette ... tired of looking at chickens, cows, and huge squashes, haaaahahahaha! That's funny. Yeah a few of those certainly do go a long way. I'll be very pleased if I sell a picture but something tells me it's not going to happen this year ... xoxo

[Mari-Nanci]

Third from last photo... Looking up at that round, bright thing, with dark sky background. Amazzzzzzzzzzing...!!!!!

Mmmmm, now the Question of All Questions. Will you go again next year???????

I say, you won't want to. But you will not buck Family Decision, and will go. -grinnnnn-

🍁🌰🌻🍂🌻🌰🍁

[Barb]

"It's too noisy, too busy, and too expensive." This exactly sums up my opinion! I can't abide crowds and noise and always think of all the money people work hard for and probably NEED for essentials that is being thrown away. But, none of my business - I just wouldn't enjoy. I do love the photos though which I can pursue in the quiet of my home.... I love the ferris wheel pic because of all the elements you captured - the palm tree, the street light, the wheel, the carny lights, and that interesting sky. My favorite though is Audrey on Dumbo - it looks like her Inner Child is showing itself.

[Jennifer]

@Mari-Nanci ... most innnnnnteresting question! I think NOT but we shall SEE!!! Haahaha xoxo

@Barb ... I am so WITH you. I don't even know why I went; I really do know better. But I have zero plans to go back! I can't believe the compliments I'm getting on these iPhone pics because to me they are fuzzy and just kind of lazy but HEY! I do love the bright one against the dark sky with the swings and all the colors ... and I did like getting the wheel, the tree, and the streetlight all in one shot. Audrey was having a BALL! xoxo

[Audrey]

LOL! I am howling. The turkey comments HaHAHAH!

[NanaDiana]

Just lost my whole comment.🤬Fourth time today! UGH. Anyway- I am right there with you--No more fairs for me. AND you are right- WAY too expensive. Crazy! xo Diana

[Jennifer]

@Audrey ... you were there so you know it was no laughing matter, haaahaha! xoxo

@Diana ... That is so frustrating! Just like the fair ... so NOT worth it! xoxo

[Bijoux]

I hate fairs, too! But I've never spent any money because just the smell of the food makes me ill. There is basically no food there that I would consume. I also would never ride any of the rides because I don't trust the carnie workers to make them safe! I'm just there to see the 4H entrants and the animals, though I've gone to very few.

My maternal grandmother used to enter her pies in the county fair where she lived in western Ohio. She often won ribbons. Now that's a good memory of a fair!

[Carla TePaske]

We went to our Northern State Fair this summer. We had not been to a fair in years. For some strange reason I thought I would enjoy attending again.
Weirdness all around me.. at times I think I am living in the Hunger Game Novel's.. I cannot get over what people have done to their bodies.
Anyway, the only part I enjoyed was the animals.
I will not go again.
An Ice Tea was $6.00.

P.S. Your photos are amazing.

[Jennifer]

@Bijoux ... that is the absolute BEST memory of a fair! And I agree with you that it's all just nauseating. TG loves the livestock and agricultural things and that's really what he wants to do, is wander around in there. Seriously he may go back and take Dagny but I'm OUT. xoxo

@Carla ... I hear you! I hear you! Honestly when TG and I go to a certain grocery store near our house, we are almost frightened by the way people look. Everyone seems to want to be either a freak, or downright dirty. I can't deal with many more tats; they make my stomach turn. Can NO ONE think for themselves anymore, and not just follow the dumb crowd? Six dollars for an iced tea? I thought five bucks for a soda was bad. And it is. Thank you for the compliment my friend. xoxo