A Day at the Fair

[Controversy Meter: Low]

Last weekend we took the kids to the county fair. Most county fairs, at least from my childhood, were pretty small with a handful of rides and a few pigs and suchlike, but this fair was a real doozy! And therefore, the lines were really really long!

But we had lots of fun. The kids got to feed the elephants (yes, they had elephants), ride some ponies, pet an assortment of farm animals, ate funnel cake and corn dogs, and bravely rode a few pretty scary rides all by themselves! Esther was funny because she would act all grumpy before getting on a ride, but as soon as it would start slinging her around she would grin from ear to ear.

Zach and I rode the Black Widow - a ride that hurls you around and around, while you car goes around in circles and up and down at the same time. Despite that description, it was actually fun, although probably not if you've just eaten a ginormous Italian sausage. We yelled the whole time. Which was kind of embarassing because I think I was the only grown man yelling. My wife said she could hear me every time the ride swung us around... AAaiiiggh! AAaiiiggh! AAaiiiggh! ... like a broken record. Heh. I'm cool like dat.

We also rode the ferris wheel, which was scary for me because the kids kept wanting to stand up and look around, and I'm traumatized for life from watching people fall to their deaths from ferris wheels every year at Myrtle Beach area amusement parks (on the news). I'm dead serious. Do not rock the carriage! I made them sit down with my scariest Daddy voice, which always gets immediate results, along with strange looks from onlookers.

The Tilt-a-Whirl has to be one of the best amusement rides ever invented, if only because the way it works is just so nifty. Gravity makes the cars spin, and when everything lines up just right it feels like you're pulling 3 or 4 G's. Fun fun fun!

After we'd spent all of my money (seriously) we all piled into the car and drove to Longhorn's Steakhouse, where we really finished spending all my money (seriously). To say they make good food is an understatement. It's just too bad you can't get a Longhorn's IV drip.