The Hebron Fair 09.12.09

You know some cities have Superbowls, others the Olympics....some smaller places have zoos and museums and playhouses.  Here in my little neck of the woods, we have The Hebron Fair once a year in September, and this past weekend was the big event.  David and I went on Saturday at the invitation of Wendy and Eric. We left the house about 6pm and headed the two miles down the road.  Traffic was not too bad. It was cloudy and cool, but not rainy and cold....A HUGE improvement over last year.  It's a typical fair...food, rides, crafts, animals, and games.....First up was the rides for the kids!  I wish I had more skill with a camera. I could have got some great shots with the lights and the colors. But here's what I got:





They had a giant Texas Grill booth set up right in the middle of the fair.  I thought it was funny.....no California booth, no New York or South Dakota booth....but they had the TEXAS Grill! As you can see however, the Connecticut take on Texas food is frito pie, roast beef sandwiches and these fried onions that looked like the awesome blossom at Chili's.  They did, however, have a booth for lobster rolls....not something you see at the State Fair of Texas. 



We stood around in lines waiting for the rides.  Evan and Olivia rode their first roller coaster.



David with Jameson:



David and Wendy were in line with the kids to ride the bumper cars....doing the parenting thing.....so I was talking to Eric.  I had crouched down to take a few pictures of Jameson and I guess we looked like a little family of three because this girl walked by and said "Do you want me to take a photo of all of you?"  It was nice of her, but I quickly said "No, no,"  a little embarrassed by the mistake, honest though it was.  I looked at Eric and fortunately he was just laughing......He said "I can't believe you didn't get that for the blog...."  and thinking quickly I called her back over. "Sure, we'll take a photo...thanks!"  What's the line? It may be a crazy life, but it's our life.....This is funny probably more to us than anyone else, because we are actually living it, but follow this for a moment if you will.

IN THIS PHOTO: You have me and Eric who are the same age (Eric is Wendy's husband.  Wendy is David's first wife with whom they have a son, Evan)....and Wendy and Eric's new baby, Jameson.....all smiles and laughing and comfortable and having a good Saturday night at the fair.....so much  so that someone stops to take a photo of us "as a family".....while David and Wendy and their son and Wendy and Eric's daughter, Olivia, go ride the bumper cars completely oblivious to what we are up to..... all smiles and laughing and comfortable and having a good Saturday night at the fair...so much so that I'm sure they looked like a little family....and there's nothing really strange about it......the reality is that on some level in some strange way....we really ARE relatively all smiles and laughing and comfortable and having a good time quite a bit. 

Sometimes I think that Eric and I see the situation on a different level than David and Wendy do.....just a nature of the different circumstance.....They have the history with each other and each other's families and with Evan and on and on.....and while that seems like it should be harder then on them, I think it's easier.  They are like good old friends with lots behind them and a good team as parents.  And even though Eric now has kids of his own with Wendy and their families are getting closer and he has moved into a difference phase with Wendy than I have with David, I think he remembers what it was like to be where I am now, and he knows better than anyone what I'm thinking and feeling....and he can see different expressions and know what I'm thinking, where it passes by David because he gets it the way I get it.....I so all that said....I really like this photo.  (Even if the "hands in the pockets look" is one I should not go for in future photos!  ha) It's so symbolic of my life here.  It makes me laugh.  Again it's probably funnier to us than anyone else, because we are actually living it.

And one final photo.....I couldn't resist. For the big finale, after winning three goldfish and a giant bag of kettle corn and a stop to hear the local band and petting the goats and the sheep, we went through the barn with the "biggest sunflower" and "the reddest tomatoes" and "the crispest green beans".   And just as we were  leaving, I spied this......What does this remind you of:



I laughed when I saw it and it immediately reminded me of The Cosby Show when Claire took her prize squash (JUST LIKE THESE!) to the squash exhibition at the mall!  Remember that one??  Rudy got lost and they found her in a sushi bar?  I think that was my first exposure to sushi......well, anyway, it was quite a pair of squash!  Completely made my night and worth the price of admission......the squash pair.  And that, my friends, is The Hebron Fair 2009!