An Invitation to Tea

 

 

A Witches' Tea 

will be served at three

  For all my magic friends

      And Me 

                                                          

You're invited to prepare the pot

And drink it while it's piping hot

We'll have some treats upon a tray

And nibble til it's time to play

We'll practice all our games and spells

Until we all can do them well

And from the cups the leaves we'll read

And tell some fortunes with great speed

For it's a busy day,  you see

And yet we must make time for tea

And afterwards a fond goodbye

As on our brooms to home we'll fly.

       

If I forgot to tell you where

I guess that we won't see you there.

                                                                 SMB

(This is a reprint of a post I did a few years ago. I did add a few more lines to my poem to make it new again. This will be my last post before Halloween. And we all know what comes next.)

Almost Halloween

 

I do love Halloween decor, even though I keep it pretty simple. I've shown this bookcase lots of times, but I will never get tired of it. Most of my Halloween books are for children, just because they are the most fun. I can't resist cute-scary witches and haunted houses.

Most of the places I have lived have had fireplaces. We still haven't used this one, but I always enjoy having a mantel. The picture is non-negotiable. John's mother had this print of Captain Bly for as long as he can remember, and then it was passed on to him. It's always had a place in his houses, but this is the first house where there has been a fireplace. So now he has a place of honor. I really need to read about him. All I know is from the old movie "Mutiny on the Bounty". I always wonder why I have this portrait of a crazy person in my house. My taste usually leans toward florals and landscapes. 

The rest of the items on the mantel change frequently. Right now I have three pumpkin candlesticks that I made from a Dollar Tree video. I do have a passion for that store, but it's always hard to find things. I did manage to get the little witch hats for the pumpkin heads, but never saw another one. They either don't get them in, or they disappear quickly. I know there are women out there buying up all the supplies, especially when I only need one of something. But I digress. The pumpkins are something I will take apart and re-use, probably for Christmas.

I found the orange shelf many years ago and decided it was perfect for Halloween potion bottles. It changes from year to year. One year a grandson (who is now all grown up) and I had a good time deciding what to put in the bottles. The Witch's Brew was green and sparkly paper. Ghost In a Bottle was stretched out cotton balls. Poison Ivy was dried plants. My favorite label says "Rue--Adds a Touch of Regret to Any Dish". I used to have rue growing in my herb garden. It was lovely but could leave a nasty rash if touched without gloves.

I planned to decorate the Witch's hat but it hasn't happened yet. The boots remind me of the ones I wore every day when I worked at a Living History museum.

Today is just a little touch of Halloween about the house. Fall has finally arrived after many days of tricking us into thinking it is still summer. So the furnace is on and so are the sweaters. I have to remind myself that it is time to wear socks! I hope we all enjoy this peek into Halloween!

A Witchy Wish

                             When your fortune on Halloween is told                                   Your beauty will last and you will never look old.

GALENA: A LITTLE TOWN WITH A BIG STORY

We enjoyed our little trip to Galena, Illinois last week. It was the second time that we've been there together. The weather was beautiful, even though most of the leaves hadn't changed yet. It is a very hilly and wooded area, so it will be beautiful in another week or so. Galena is a river town, built along the Mississippi. There are a few old mansions open to tour, including the home of former President, Ulysses S. Grant. The oldest house in Galena was built as a trading post in 1826. There is also a very long main street with many shops and restaurants. We spent a lot of our time walking around seeing the shops and sampling the restaurants. We had been to some of the houses on a past trip, so we didn't go this time. I can always visit the stores more than once!

One night we had dinner at VinnyVannucchi's which is up a steep stone street. Once we got there, they only had one table open and it was on the third floor. I truly felt like I was back in Italy with all the walking! There were several Italian restaurants. I looked in some of the windows and a lot of them reminded me of the wonderful places that my friend Kris and I went to exactly a year ago. 

We stayed at the Irish Cottage which is a very nice place just a few minutes from the town. It isn't an old building though it has a wonderful ambience. The connecting pub was actually furnished with fixtures from Ireland. The bar has a snug at each end. I watch a lot of British tv, and people always seem to be going to the snug for private meetings and conversations. Each one is a small room with a window connected directly to the bar. We sat in the Victorian snug one night and drank Irish drinks and listened to the band. It was lovely.

I liked the other Snug too. It was a little smaller, but naturally I would like to have the cupboards and drawers. I will always miss my little she-shed cottage, but maybe I should have a snug.

On the wall by the stage is a quote from the poet Arthur Shaughnessy. His poem "Ode" was written in 1875.

Another of my favorite places was the library with names of Irish authors above the shelves. I did spend some pleasant hours there.

The guests were friendly, and we enjoyed talking with some of the other travelers. I do admit to being an eavesdropper and peoplewatcher. This was a habit I developed when I spent so many years eating alone. I would always look at other diners, imagine their lives and listen to their conversations. One of the funniest things we heard was at breakfast our first morning. A woman walked by an older gentleman who was innocently enjoying his meal and asked him if she could rub his bald head. She commented that it was very shiny and then asked him if he used a moisturizer on it. I warned John that he had better keep his hat on. We didn't see her again. There was another woman at breakfast with a gravity defying bun on the top of her head. We saw her several times in the shops and it barely moved. I was in the buffet line with her friend who told me all the reasons why she couldn't eat eggs. They were part of a "girls trip" who all had matching tee shirts. You see a lot of those in Galena. It's a fun place to go and I recommend it. We had a really nice time. John and I are very good at short trips, but we have really become homebodies in our golden years. I'm looking forward to many more anniversaries for us.

Wedded Bliss

 

October 12 will be our sixth wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that we have been married that long. I still think of us as newlyweds. Crazy young kids. Even though at our age, we should be counting every year as ten. That would make this our sixtieth. How time flies. We've decided to take a few days and celebrate in Galena, since it's such a cute little town and only a few hours away. We spent our original honeymoon in Laramie, even though that wasn't our plan. Our car (practically new) broke down, and so we spent most of our time either driving or being stranded or waiting around in dealerships. It wasn't the best way to start a marriage but we managed to survive it. Our trip was cut short, and we drove our loaner car home and returned in mid-December when ours was finally fixed. This was my first hint that John isn't a great traveler. One of my favorite places in Laramie was a bookstore called "The Second Story". It was upstairs in a building originally used as a brothel back in the wild, wild west. There were lots of little rooms.

The name may just sound familiar since it is what I call my writings. It seemed very fitting since this is the second story of our lives. It was also the name that I gave to my little she-shed cottage. Sadly, I had to leave it when we moved. My cottage and the front porch are the only things I really miss about our first house.

I have a very nice book of wedding photographs, but since it is the middle of the night and I should be packing for tomorrow I don't have much to show. 

Getting married for a second time is very different than the first. Jim and I were very young even though we didn't think so at the time. We were both barely nineteen. Keeping a home and a marriage were both very new to us and we learned together. We were married for almost forty-three years. After that I was on my own for nine years. I became very independent with my time and money. I got used to never telling anyone where I was going or when I would be back. I hadn't dated anyone until I started seeing John. I think we were both surprised that we fit so well together. And we were also surprised that we could love someone again. Every day I am grateful that he came into my life.

Usually, I don't spend a lot of time thinking about what I want to write. I just write from my heart. (I hear that a lot on cooking shows. "Just measure from your heart". It makes me laugh.) This time I really spent some time thinking about it. I asked John what he felt was different about a second marriage and what changes he had to make. He couldn't come up with a single thing. Of course, I had a very long list. Most of them are minor and not very important, but they were still changes in my life. When a person has lived many years as an adult, she becomes accustomed to doing things a certain particular way. And then she marries someone who is also used to doing things his own way. Most of these are not very important at all. They are just things I've noticed along the way. 

When we got married in 2019 I moved into the house where John had been happily living for over thirty years. It was a nice place but it never felt like mine. I always said he had the home court advantage because he had lived there so long. Two years ago, we moved to our house. It's the right home for us.

Here are some of the things that we never really think about because we have always done them our own way. One person has to change. I'm pretty sure it is usually the woman.

How do you make the bed?

What brand names do you buy?

How do you cook certain foods?

Are you a cuddler or do you like to sew and work on craft projects while you watch tv?

What kind of tv shows do you watch?

Do you like to be early or are you always late?

Do you stock up or wait until you are almost out of whatever?

What are your politics?

How do you put the toilet paper roll on the holder?

Which side of the bed do you sleep on?

Do you like to read yourself to sleep?

Do you go to bed early or late?

I'm not saying these are problems! We just don't usually think about why we do things the way that we do. It is hard to change after so many years of being a certain way. And so, we have our own bathrooms and never talk about politics. I am very happy with my Second Story. And I am wishing for many more anniversaries together.

 Welcome to October, my favorite month. Even though it is unusually warm for this time of year, the trees are starting to turn and the evenings are crisp and cool. I could let these days last forever. Soon we will have the surprising first frost, which is almost always followed by warm, almost summery weather. Here in the midwest the seasons are always well defined. Black walnuts, acorns, and drifting leaves are thick and crunchy upon the ground. This is the weather that calls to us. It reminds us to spend as much time as possible outside while we can enjoy it.

October is a time to enjoy the colors. It's also a time to remember that the holidays are beginning. Years ago, when I was busy selling at craft fairs, I felt like I was already late for Christmas by now. Luckily, I've managed to overcome that October panic and to enjoy one holiday at a time. Now I just concentrate on autumn and Halloween during this month. And I take time to enjoy it more. But I still like to decorate the easy and inexpensive way.

Halloween has become the second most decorated holiday here in the United States. The stores are filled with creepy, scary, gory decorations early in August or September. If you don't want to get involved with elaborate decorating there are still lots of simple ways to welcome the season without spending a lot of money. I have some old ideas that are still adaptable today.

Grocery stores carry a large variety of pumpkins, squash and gourds this time of year. There are also some farmers markets open in October. Buy a few and arrange them in a basket, bowl or just on a table. When it gets closer to the end of October, these can be carved into jack-o-lanterns. There are artificial pumpkins now that can be more easily carved, last longer, and don't make such a mess. They can be stored for several years, but aren't nearly as much fun to make.

When you are out enjoying that autumn walk, look for fallen tree branches. A large one will make a great tree for your hanging decorations. Put it in a pot, goody bag, or pumpkin with a bit of plaster to keep it steady. Over-achievers may want to paint the branch and give it a little sparkle but plain works just fine. I like to add some ribbons and black netting or cheesecloth. Don't forget the fairy lights.

Fabrics come in lots of Halloween and fall prints. I made a table runner for my dining room with a Halloween print on one side and an autumn design on the other. I've also made pumpkins from old plaid shirts and sweaters. 

Ghosts are popular again this year. They are good to make from cheesecloth or old lace doilies. 

Grapevine wreath bases can be changed for the seasons. Instead of attaching the flowers and ribbons permanently, they can be woven through the vines. This doesn't work as well on a door that is used every day, but it is sturdy enough for a wall.

Some of my decorating ideas seem a little out of date because they are. These are things that I have been doing for years. Now the decor has definitely changed to trendier, flashier and bigger. People buy blow up yard decorations and sculptures that can be twenty feet tall! Inside the house, pink has become a staple color. I guess I am a Halloween purist. I like orange, black, and purple. No monsters, bats, or skeletons for me. I stick with witches, ghosts and pumpkins.

  

When I share that I have a blog the most common reaction is surprise. Because I write but also surprise that people still read blogs. I hear they are going quite out of style. I guess that is because reading takes too long. Even though my little articles take about two minutes to get through, that is too much time for modern readers.   I love to read but I find that I don't have the attention span that I used to possess. I keep checking out too many books from the library, but many of them are returned unloved and unread. 

 When I was unhappy, I used to journal almost every day but changed that habit after I got married to John. Now I keep a lot of random notebooks with thoughts and lists and things I learn from people who make vlogs and videos. I started watching them to see what they were like and if I would ever be able to film one. (I think no is the answer.) I do have a small tripod but have never tried to use it. If I had started years ago maybe I would have liked to have been an Influencer, but now the thought of it all is just too much. I have several you tube videos that I like to watch. A favorite is Jennifer L. Scott. She has written several books and started her Madame Chic series after spending a college semester in France. Now she is my idea of a perfect homemaker. Her house always looks quiet and perfect. She dresses beautifully, exercises on schedule, and gets up at 5:00 am to make her videos and write her latest book. I never see signs of her husband and four home-schooled children. I am enthralled just watching her cook and paint her fingernails. Not at the same time of course, but she probably could. 

There are so many more that I like to watch. An American countess who tours British historic homes is another favorite. I always like a good tour guide. There are so many women who live in perfect little cottages and wear velvet capes when they go outside to frolic in the snow. As you see, in my fantasy life I dwell in the possibility of perfection. (Apologies to Emily Dickenson)

****************

In our family September is the cruelest month. Even after all these years, I still spend most of the month in a fog. The closer it gets to the end of the month the more my mind jumps all over the place. Rich died fifteen years ago on September 23. It is by remembering that we keep our loved ones with us, but it never becomes easy. I miss you, Richie. Love, Mom

Reading and Writing

 I do my best writing in the middle of the night. But last night I decided to let it wait. It's still Wednesday so technically I am keeping my write-once-a-week promise to myself, but I am spending way too much time today just getting lost in computer land. There is so much going on this week, in the world, and in my own little area of the world that I just can't keep a focus on one thing only.

 Almost everything in my life revolves around books. There are books on any subject we can imagine.

We are having a much needed rainy day today, so nothing sounds better than a cozy nook, a good book, a blanket, and a cup of tea. Although I can't stop collecting books, I don't read nearly as much as I used to. I try to read at least a couple of chapters of whatever novel I want to finish every day. I am a grand one at making promises to myself. Sometimes I keep them. Other times I don't.

I am also a big fan of self-help books, diet books, and cook books. Oh, and all kinds of crafting books, histories, and biographies. About the only things I don't want to read are true crime stories. And, if it's a novel, then it must have a happy ending.

I have never been in a book club. A couple of online ones, but that's not the same. When we were dating, John said he'd like to start a book club, but he wanted to be the only one who talked. I think he just liked the idea of reading a book and then telling his audience (me) about it.

When I was googling all sorts of ideas today, I first saw ads for anxiety book shelves. I learned a lot about anxiety in a few clicks, and may write more about it later. There is so much for people to be anxious about lately.  These are boxes with a glass front that contain miniature books in a bookcase. The idea is to arrange it however you want and then shake it so the books fall out. Then you can rearrange it. I guess this helps with stress but that makes me feel stressed just by thinking about it.

I have a little bookshelf that I am planning to use in a Christmas miniature scene. I won't be knocking it over on purpose though.

The quotes I used in these photos are by Dr. Seuss.  I made the pictures using AI. I am just beginning to learn about it. It is amazing to say what I want and it just happens. I am only using the free setups so it's pretty limited but it's lots of fun. Unfortunately, this time I spent more time playing than writing.

And So It Begins

 

Today I started decorating for fall. This is early for me. I usually put summer away and take some time before I begin with Halloween after the first of October. I am planning to entertain a group of friends on the first, so I am starting now. It's a slow start. We are still expecting some temperatures in the 90's this week, so I don't feel autumn crispness. 

It was my turn to host the same ladies in February, but we had to cancel three times because of weather and illness. By the third time I was so done with it. I was over prepared and under inspired. I had gone through all my Valentine decorating, on to St. Paddy's and finished up with Easter. I don't usually decorate a lot for all the holidays. I do like to have some handmade and vintage items for the major ones. And I like to reuse and repurpose my old decorations. Earlier today this wreath was still on the door for summer. I started adding to it, and with a little ribbon it was transformed. I may add a few more things to it as I unpack the Halloween boxes.

My favorite items for decorating are garlands, buntings and banners. They are very English and I really enjoy finding and making them. I have more of them now than I have available spaces. I guess that is why this one hangs on the shower curtain!

My least favorite thing is that I will be wearing glitter for the next few months. No matter how careful I try to be, I somehow manage to sparkle at this time of year.

I don't really entertain much anymore. When I do, I tend to get into a panic about it. I've never been a person that can be ready for drop in visitors. Instead, I make lists and worry, and wish I'd bought new rugs, and had enough chairs and dishes for everyone. I have downsized so much in the past few years that now I have to buy or borrow household items when I need them once or twice a year. Luckily, I know people.

 I had an acquaintance once who spontaneously invited me to visit and showed off her laundry room. It was more decorated than any room in my house and looked just like a magazine layout. We never really became friends. I don't think that's the reason why, but it may have been.

I went to Hobby Lobby today. It's not a store that I visit often, but sometimes there just isn't anywhere else to go for emergency craft supplies. For me, most of it is overwhelming. There are too many choices, and much of it isn't a style I like. And they choose not to carry anything Halloween anymore! I miss the old fabric stores.

I've written before on my thoughts on Ease, Elegance, and Economy. To these I would add Comfort. I have a house where I seem to live in every room. I do like some cuteness in a laundry room, but not so much that it isn't functional. My newest favorite saying is from a tv show: " I was made for comfort, not for speed." (Vernon Scripps, not a role model, but I do like that quote)

MIDNIGHT MUSINGS

 

Happy September. This is the first of the autumn months that rhyme with Remember. For many of us, it is a favorite month, and also a month of contrasts. Some of my happiest memories are in Septembers, and also some of my worst.  Tonight, I have been going a little wonky looking for a specific computer file and bringing up just about every memory I have kept for the last many, many years. My trips down memory lane are always a little on the melancholy side. I don't really like to relive old memories and peruse forgotten photos. I know that isn't a popular thing to say, and I feel guilty for even thinking it, but it makes me feel sad. I have a wonderful life and I try to enjoy every minute of it, but when I look back, I always go into "woulda, coulda, shoulda" mode. I think I feel like everything goes too quickly. When I look at old pictures or read essays I wrote years ago, I wonder where the time went, and why I didn't get more done. I need to make a September resolution to count the things I've accomplished, and not just the projects and ideas that fizzled.  

I have accomplished one big (for me) thing so far this month. My recent blog post about my old house is in a new local newspaper called "The Highland Scribe". It is published monthly, and 5,000 copies are delivered to businesses on the north side of the city. It has space for ads, and articles about local businesses, but also asks for creative contributions. My goal is to have articles published more frequently and in other venues. This was something that I wanted to do in the past, but never followed through with it. I am particularly excited that my blog address is included.

And I admit that I am tickled to be called Local Author!

Mystery of the Poppy Plates

We have lived here for nearly two years. One would think that everything would be in its' place by now, but that wouldn't be true. Since I don't want to have every wall covered, many of them are still a little too bare. That isn't the way of the sun room, since it is mostly windows. There are very few walls, so I must be selective. 

I have always liked this picture, so I was happy to find a place where it fit. It's a print of an oil painting by a self taught German painter named Max Streckenbach (1865-1936) who specialized in floral still lifes. This one is called "Poppies in Vase". He painted another one that looks like the same poppies. That one is named "Poppies in Bloom". Since I didn't want my picture to feel lonely, I wanted to add a few other items I've acquired along the way, specifically two hand painted plates and a few postcards. Since I didn't have a place for them, I put them away for later. I will repeat that. I put them away for later.

Eventually, I bought a vintage shelf that John hung on the other side of the doorway. I went to get the plates because I thought I knew exactly where I had stored them. And they were not there. So the search began. I looked in all the drawers and spaces that I thought they could be. Every little box and basket around the house... The two shelves in the front hall closet... The linen closet... The laundry room cupboards...The extra boxes in the sewing room... The office closet... Then I went to the basement. I tried the storage room. And then I looked through the holiday boxes in the furnace room. I have to admit that I was on a mission, and not about to be defeated.

Finally, today I found them. For some reason, I hadn't opened the little desk right below the picture. I did open the drawer, but not the desk. I had set them in two of the little cubbies because it was the most logical place. Now they are finally on the little green shelf across the wall. And I am happy to report that I did not have to purchase more old poppy plates from the local antique mall. In desperation, I had started to look.

Unfortunately, during my poppy plate quest, I didn't find any of the other items that are still missing. I have a complete tea set, with cups and saucers for four. Somewhere. I hope to find it before next March, since it is decorated with shamrocks. I have some more framed pictures. There are various craft supplies. I know I have another antique quilt. Somewhere. There was a long hunt for my trifle bowl. I finally found two. I won't even mention the books that have gone awol. 

I blame all this on moving so many times in the past several years. A couple of moves ago, I finally started a little notebook titled "Oh, Wherever Can It Be?" I try to list all the cupboards and drawers and boxes where I might have put things. It isn't always up to date but it really helps me (sometimes) when I'm looking for something. I hadn't listed the poppy plates. That would have saved a lot of time. Live and Learn.

TEA AND THE TELLY

 

I visited England for the first time twenty five years ago, but I had already been in love with the country for a long time before that trip. British books and British television have been a part of my life for most of it.

Since I live in the midwest, I had to find my England wherever I could. I first discovered Midsomer Murders on the public tv stations when we had few choices. Midsomer Murders will always be a favorite. The series started filming in 1997 and they are on their twenty fifth season now. (I know the numbers don't add up, but they have skipped a few, here and there.)The shows take place in the fictitious county of Midsomer, and many of the Cotswold villages. The villages have different names, but are real places in one of the prettiest areas of England. There have been over 388 murders in the 136 episodes. Many have been done very creatively.  And there has been very little blood. This series has some of the wittiest dialog and beautiful houses and scenery. 

I have learned a lot of valuable life lessons from this series. First, and foremost is to never go into the woods alone. Also don't go into the woods at night. Also if you answer the door and say "Oh, it's you." then you are almost sure to expire in a most tragic and unpredictable manner. Never plan a village fete. Someone will not live through the festivities. Don't eat mushrooms, especially if they were a gift. Elderly ladies on bicycles can be very dangerous. Don't eat the bunny cakes. Tea cures everything. Watch out for the milkman and the postman, or even the doctor. Sometimes they have ulterior motives when they come to call. It isn't always murder. There is a lot of hanky panky going on in those quaint little villages.

Other British channels to watch are Acorn and Britbox. Now there are so many choices. Some of the programs go on for years. Heartbeat has 18 seasons and each one has over 20 episodes. The Royal was a spin-off and some of the characters overlapped, especially in the first few seasons. Both of these shows take place in the 1960's and there are many, many songs from that time as background. Heartbeat focuses on the police force in the little villages and The Royal is set in a hospital. The two things I learned from these shows was that everyone offered visitors a cuppa tea all through the day and if you visited someone in the hospital you brought grapes! Neither of these programs focused on murder, but be prepared because they often killed off the main characters just when I really started to like them. It is very emotional television. There were many tears.

These are just a few of the many, many entertaining British programs. I like the mysteries the most. All the people are well bred and polite. We see the same actors over and over again as different characters. That's part of the fun.

When John first realized I was hooked on English murder, I think he was just a little bit worried. But he started watching them with me, and now I think he is just as involved as I am. Or, he just likes the nightly ritual of laying on the couch while I sit there rubbing his head and drinking tea. Old people romance.

 OUR STATE FAIR IS A GREAT STATE FAIR

 The Iowa State Fair is one of biggest and earliest fairs around. Many people will tell you that it is the best. It was established in 1854 in Fairfield Iowa. The fair was moved to its' current location in the capital city of Des Moines in 1886. 

It is perhaps most known because of a book written in 1932. The book, State Fair, became a best seller for the author, Phil Stong. He was an Iowan from Keosauqua. His book was first made into a movie in 1933, into a musical in 1945 and 1962 and a made for tv movie in 1976. The story was about a farm family who visited the Fair in the big city. They were full of hopes and dreams and the two teenagers were looking for romance. The book didn't end as happily as the movie. The parents did win some blue ribbons, even though their children ended the visit with broken hearts. I read that the book was banned in the hometown library for twenty five years because the teenage characters were considered to be too immoral to be Iowans.

Our own experiences at the fair are much tamer. John's family have been venders since1948 when his grandmother started selling lemonade. He retired in 2021, and two of his sons have taken over the business. Now that the young grandchildren are learning, they have five generations that have been involved with the Brafford concession stands. They currently have four stands and are best known for their lemonade shake-ups. They also sell hot dogs, tots, nachos, tacos and burritos and more.

Here is John with his three boys, and another little snapshot with the Pope. You can see just about anyone at the Fair.

John has gone to the Fair every year that he remembers. He's been working since he was old enough to shake a lemonade. Even though it only lasts eleven days, it's on the Brafford Boy's minds all year long. John's retired now, but he can't stay away.

A lot of my early family experiences revolve around the race track that used to be part of the fairgrounds. My dad was a stock car driver and later a race promoter. I went to my first race as a baby in a wicker basket.

My brother also had an interesting history with the Fair. In 1990, he drove a semi truck and jumped it over eight cars. It was called "The Great American Truck Jump" and was filmed at the Fair for the Guiness Book of Records. He performed this all over the country.  I guess my family had its' own version of the Shake-Up.  

My own experiences are quite different. Many years I didn't go at all. And I didn't really miss it. It was a big relief when I finally realized that I didn't have to go on the scary rides just because my friends did. The craziest thing I ever did at the Fair was perform with a belly dance troupe, the Rainbows of the Desert. That was quite a while ago, and there are no pictures. Now I like to see the quilts and needlework and especially the dollhouses. Other than that, I am just fine with people watching.