Sister went to the State Fair Sunday, and I'm looking forward to going myself, this year. These are the moments when we as a state come together and compare basketry, quilting, butter-sculpture-carving and loads of sedentary arts as we all gasp over how many yards of denim it took to yet again rope in 52-foot-tall Big Tex' fat animatronic ass.
Local German-style sausage meister Hans Mueller (Our Wurst is the Best) apparently has gone WAAAAY downhill, alas. They used to have a restaurant in Dallas, but they closed some 15 years ago, or so. Anyway, I always looked forward to getting HM's German vittles at their big tent at the State Fair, but apparently it's not so good any more. My advice is to seek out some other purveyor of meats-on-sticks to be found at such events. I heard there was spaghetti-n-meatballs-on-a-stick at the Minnesota State Fair this year - must have been an engineering feat. Thomas Edison would be so proud.
[For the best German (in my opinion) go to Bavarian Grill at Park & 75 in Plano, or if you have time to go there, the superb (WORTH THE DRIVE) Rhineland Haus in McKinney is one of the things I miss most about living in that town.]
4 year old nephew who takes drum lessons was quite captivated by the drummers in the Marine Band. Nifty. Niece got the henna tattoo-thingie on her hands, and I hope I get to see that before they fade away.
My buff 6'4" Marine brother-in-law apparently got quite a bit of attention from unexpected quarters. Sister commented to him that groups of gay men kept seeming to notice him appreciatively. She told me he laughed when she said that and he said he felt violated. I said "that is SO going in the blog." Blog fodder: is nothing sacred?
Meanwhile, I went for a splendid birthday lunch with Mom and Dad and husband. I was telling them a story about someone I met recently and saying she was a couple years older than me, about 41, and OH crap, everyone was laughing at me because now I am 41. Wow. Didn't see that coming.
All that being said, 41 doesn't feel significantly different than 21, except that I have better clothes, shoes, furniture and at least one more clue than I had back then. I'll happily say that despite all my remaining quirky collections and decorative flourishes, I no longer have a bookshelf involving cinderblocks and top ramen is not the primary staple of the house, and that will have to do.
10 comments:
I remember going to the fair in the late 40's. My sister and I always had to see Elsie the Cow. That's about all I remember. Well, that and the french fries. That's where we ate our first french fries. A bunch of the food stands sold french fries and folks were walking around eating them out of the paper snow cone cups.
I'm looking forward to my first Texas State Fair. And I love food on a stick!
PS - Happy Birthday! (or have I wished you this previously?)
The fair is always so much fun. We bought a rabbit at a County fair one year. That was the most exciting day of my life back then.
myron - I remember fries from paper snowcone cups from probably the late 60s early 70s at fairs. At that time we were going to the Mid-South Fair in Memphis. Good times, eh?
kelly - thanks for the birthday wishes - it was lovely - and you'll really enjoy the State Fair. Be sure to go into the food sciences building - that's where you usually find the butter sculpture. My sister said there's the cutest miniature horse ever (I WANT one!) in the petting zoo, too, and it's worth it just to go through there and look at the baby animals.
zelda - yeah, even if you don't ride anything or really do anything but walk around and look at stuff, the fair is a dazzling spectacle. It's amazing what a big deal it can be for a little kid. When you grow up, you don't see the fantastically colored rides with dazzling bright lights, you see rusty joints, reprobate-looking ride-drivers and hear too-loud music! Funny how age alters perception. It's a fun time.
Happy {belated} Birthday !!
As far as the age thing goes, I'm 25, I just happen to have 26 years experience being 25, so take that for what it's worth. And I too, have better clothes, furniture, MUCH better jewlery, and drive my dream car now. And my chirrens are grown. They're a lot more fun in a lot of ways now than they were then. And I'm not havin' to cart one of 'em around on my hip, either.
I hope you have as much fun at the Fair as your neice and nephew did, sounds like they had more fun than your Sis and B'in-law. Just close your eyes and ride a few rides on the midway for old times sake.
happiest of days, although late. And thanks for getting rid of the comment verification!
hollyb - Thanks, hon! Yeah, grown up children should be more fun, even though they're incredibly sweet and cute when they are little. I'm looking forward to filling my camera's 300 shot capacity when I'm at the fair. Maybe I'll even get on the giant ferris wheel. Maybe not. Eek. I hate heights. Nah, you're right - I SHOULD get on the ferris wheel.
hoosierboy - Thanks! You're welcome - I'm still verifying comments, just not making anyone do the word verification - what a pain!
Just testing. I sort of miss those eye tests.
I figure on going to the fair after the rain tomorrow.
Lord, what is this nientology bullshite. Cookies are a curse upon my soul.
Happy belated Birthday girl!
Hope it was a good one.
In my younger days, the gays used to try and hit on me too. I've lost the touch.
Happy Birthday, Little One! (And I'm a week late, but the comments don't show dates!)
Did your Brother-in-law go to the State Fair in uniform?
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