meet me at the fair...

Here in small town NC - we still have the county fair, complete with rides, pig races, petting zoos and blue ribbons for the best pie. Every September, just after school starts, the county fair graces us with its presence for a whole 10 days. I can smell the funnel cakes and cotton candy before we even get out of the car.

This year I decided to surprise the twins and not tell them where we were going. Daddy was going to stay home with Bradley (who is not quite old enough to "enjoy" the fair) and the twins and I would go brave the rides. As I started to round them up to go, the questions began.

"Where are we going? I won't tell Tyler."

"Please tell me where we are going, I won't tell Nathaniel."

"Someplace Special"

"Puuulease tell me"

"Someplace Fun"

"McDonald's?"

"More Fun, some place you haven't been in a year!"

"Pepaw's?" (they were there last month)

"More FUN! You really want to go!"

"Puuleaassse tell me, it'll be a secret, I won't tell Tyler!"

"Someplace fun and a little scary"

"THE FAIR!"

"you just told Tyler"

In unison, "WE'RE GOING TO THE FAIR!"

Cash in hand (the fair doesn't take debit cards), we headed out the door. After parking near enough that we could make a mad dash for the entrance, we went about buying our entrance tickets and then wristbands. Wristbands are the only way to go - otherwise you spend more money that you ever wanted to think about. This year I even splurged and bought my own wristband so I could ride some of the rides with them. First up, the maze house, where the whole first floor is a maze made out of glass walls. Tyler made fun of me for walking with my hands out in front of me, but my face didn't get plastered into the glass. Some of the rides I skipped, I chose to keep my lunch inside my stomache. I have no clue how I rode all those spinney upside down spinney rides as a kid. Kids must have stomaches of steel and sometime after 20 they turn to mush.

We were about halfway around the loop when I spotted the swings, now this was a ride I could handle! A nice cool breeze, and some relaxation on a hot September day. We got in line and I explained to the twins how to latch themselves in. They kept asking me how we wouldn't hit each other, and I tried to explain the outward force of the swings. Tried being the key word. As we got up and moving I attempted to relax. But then I looked up and saw where the chains connected to the top of the ride, then I looked down and quickly calculated how far out I would project if the chain snapped. Instantly I realized I wasn't holding on tight enough. Trying to breathe through the rest of the ride, I couldn't stop looking at where I would fall, and how the grass would be better than on top of the funnel cake cart.

Luckily it was over as quickly as it began, and I was DONE! We moved on to something simplier, the slide. This was more my style. Although it wasn't long before the twins found a ride that they loved so much they rode 10 times straight.

How is it that I love roller coasters but don't trust the rides at the fair? How is it that I let my kids continue to ride, because I believe rides are safe enough for them, but I was done for the day? Is there anything you let your kids do that you won't?

"Meet me at the Fair
Don't tell me the lights are shining
Anyplace but there"

Meet Me in St. Louis ~ Andrew Sterling