EMPIRE FAIR

This past Sunday, my family & I went to the annual Empire Fair, in Springfield, Missouri. Since Regina volunteers every year, in the arts & crafts section, we got free tickets. We convinced my grandpa (Bailey) to come with us. He wasn't interested, at first, but we convinced him with descriptions of the air conditioned indoor complex. Outdoor temperatures were over 100 degrees. Non-air conditioned activities didn't appeal to me either. The kids didn't balk at our lack of plans to go on the rides. We kept them busy with other activities.

Grandpa Bailey got to meet his favorite news anchor & receive an autographed photo of her. While he did that, Forest & I explored the weather forecasting set. Pointing to the correct places on the green screen is more of a challenge than I had ever previously acknowledged!

Regina's parents had a booth set up in the corner of the vendor & exhibition section. They were volunteering as supervisors - kind of like security guards. Grandpa Bailey sat & visited with them, while Regina, the boys & I explored the agricultural section of the fair - in the open-air buildings.

We ate overpriced barbecue pulled pork sandwiches for lunch, then let the boys participate in the rubber duck scooping challenge. My meal was interrupted twice, as each of my kids decided they needed to go to the restroom, at different times. I should have taken both of them at the same time - this is a lesson that some of us parents are slow to learn.

Back in the air conditioned indoor expanse, Grandpa Bailey found representatives for his satellite tv provider. He took this opportunity to make some changes in his service - his favorite western channel had vanished & he was horrified that he had a certain provocative channel - these issues needed a remedy, which he received.

Our abbreviated trip to the fair was a pleasant one, and of course, we didn't leave without two plates of funnel cakes. Good stuff.