Memories... 2010 Athens County Junior Fair

After almost three weeks of trips to the Ohio State Fair and the Athens County Fair, we ended our fair season tonight. Actually, as I type this message, Chelsea is STILL at the fair, attending and then cleaning up after the annual barn dance as a Junior Fair Board member. Fortunately, the storms that hindered our last day of the fair stayed away for the most part during the week, and we only had to struggle with heat, not thunderstorms.

Although Chelsea's rabbit show didn't go as planned, we're grateful that her rabbits remained alive and that they're safely back home now. Additionally, I bought a pen of rabbits at the auction last night to help out a friend of Chelsea's, and Chelsea decided to keep one of her friend's bucks. (We gave the other rabbits back to the friend.) Thus, we are now the proud owners of three rabbits, not just two.

Although we try to emphasize the animals at the fair, not the rides, Ellie-Kate and Emmy still had a blast on the midway, especially on the pony ride. Today, Patricia joined them to walk around the fair and ride on rides. Unfortunately, the thunderstorms hit just after we arrived, and we got stuck in the empty horse barn waiting out the storm. (We had dashed over there as part of a fair scavenger hunt, and we couldn't escape for 25 minutes!) Oh well... they were comforted by fair french fries and cotton candy when we were able to get back out to the stands.

During the county awards ceremony at the grandstands on Friday, Emmy received the county project award for dog care and training, and I received the Athens County Outstanding 4-H Advisor Award. I was (and am!) very touched by this award and grateful to all of the kids and parents who wrote letters of support for my nomination. Very cool, and very unexpected...

Sooooooo... overall, quite a special fair. Tomorrow, we work on organizing in the house and getting ready for tennis season and the start of school. I have no idea where this summer has gone...

Hope that you are having a great week-end!

Christie