... not a dress rehersal

After 8 days of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, we weren't sure why we had even participated in the Farm Show. We were both sick and needed to just take a break for a day or two, but we're gradually getting back to normal. Phew! Sometimes you just have to admit that you're getting too old for this stuff!

So, this afternoon I was listening to Dr. Phil. He's often my "backround noise" while I'm doing something else. I heard the expression, "Life is not a dress rehersal", and suddenly, I knew why we did the Farm Show. Of course, we would! What if we had passed up the opportunity? We would have always wondered what would have happened if we had. I know we met a lot of people and certainly have a lot of new contacts and opportunities as a result. But, "Life is not a dress rehersal" was my motto for years. Life is for living. So what if we're tired? We know what it is about now. We know what we will do differently if we decide to do it again next year. And who knows what will result from this experience? How could we NOT have done it?

Now for some highlights...

Well, Tina stole my title, but I can still start with this little piggie... well, a whole bunch of little piggies! We passed this gang each morning as we traveled the length (1 mile, I'm told) of the Farm Show Complex. One morning in particular the whole gang was nursing, but there was a terrible squealing going on. At first we thought it was some kind of squabbling over position, but then we saw that one little guy had been trapped on the other side of the pen and couldn't get to his momma. He ran back and forth, frantically squealing, desperately attempting to get through. It was such a pathetic sight and sound. Later, we checked back and he was happily sleeping with his littermates. He must have eventually gotten to the "trough" and all the horror of his situation was forgotten.

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I never pass up an opportunity to take a picture of an alpaca. There were a number of them there and, as always, they were adorable. They just seem so fluffy and gentle. I've never been on the other side of the fence with them, but I suspect I'm right.

This one's topknot seems to have flopped. The ones I am familiar with have very fluffy poofs on top of their heads. He must just be having a bad hair day!

One of the highlights for us every day was the balloon artist, Dennie Huber, who was across the aisle from us. Dennie created the most absurd animals and hats and hat-animals throughout the day. He would hold off some of his specialties and pull something new out of his hat each day.

He had told(warned) us about his "Chocolate Moose" and decided to pull that one out one day for the entertainment of the crowd. We saw the first one emerge. We knew it immediately from his description. Then he proceeded to make another and then two more only the last two were strawberry and blueberry.

The kids loved them. I'm not sure how the crowds they bumped through felt about them but it was amusing and most people were pretty good-natured about it. At one point, we looked through the double doors just in front of us and saw all four of the kids running across it. They looked like a coral forest floating down the fire hall!

It was like sensory overload. We weren't aware of the cacaphony that surrounded us each day until we tried to talk to someone or when I attempted to get cell phone verification for a charge sale. In the mornings there was a strange noise in the hallways which we eventually realized was the result of thousands of chickens, goats and sheep saying good morning to the world. Carousel music played constantly in the backround and from time to time a Civil War band would play patriotic marches. Oh, I almost forgot the screaming children!

I didn't realize how many very large families there are in our area, nor had I seen the double and triple strollers that are available now. What a diverse sampling of humanity passed our booth.

I guess we jumped in with both feet and experienced the whole shebang. All in all it was great!

I may even manage to light my torch tomorrow. It's been over a month. I hope I remember how to melt glass.