New Fair-Last Fair

As anyone who knows me will attest,  I'm a big fan and supporter of local county fairs.  I've been involved one way or another for around 30 years.  I started entering things in the Orange County, CA fair back in the 80's, lots of crochet, some other things as well.  In fact, for a couple of years I actually did crochet demos in the Home Arts Building.  When I moved to No Calif in 2000, the first year I just went to the fair.  After that I started entering in the Alameda County Fair.  A couple of years I actually entered in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Mateo counties.  Our crochet guild chapter has had a table at San Mateo for the last 2 years. 
So, when we moved inland, one of the first things I did was find out about the local fair.  I was really excited to see there were about 20 categories for crochet and only about 8 for knit.  So used to it being the other way around.  Well, I entered 6 items in the fair. 
On the day of delivery, I met the lady in charge of the Home Arts area.  She was not very friendly or talkative, did not seem at all interested in who I am or my experience.  Told me if I wanted to work for the fair to fill out an application and that I could not enter in the area where I work.  Huh?  Julie in San Mateo was so excited that I wanted to volunteer to set up the crochet and knit displays.  And I was allowed to enter my stuff.  I wasn't there to set up until after the judging was done, so I surely don't see any conflict.  Oh well!  Different strokes for different folks, as the old song goes.
Fair day- first thing we did (Penny, Kitty, & me) is find the exhibit building so we can see how I did.  I was very disappointed to see so few handcrafted items.  Very few afghans, quilts, even sewn items were scarce.  Penny only found one very tiny cross stitch item. There was an over abundance of fresh produce and photographs.
This is where I kinda lost it.  The items had obviously been displayed by the guys from the tractor pull!  There were some very attractive pieces there in addition to my own very lovely items, but you sure wouldn't know that by looking at the displays.  Looked like so much laundry hanging out to dry.  Then the doilies are all folded and piled up.
My Dots N Dashes afghan was hung upside down and inside out. ( Yes, I did turn it over!) There was no way you could tell that each color in the Color Me afghan is in the shape of a crayon.  The thing that makes the Crazy Eights Vest so special is the shape, but it is just thrown over a rail.  And tell me you recognize the doily as being the same as the one in the header for my blog. Anyway, here are the pics I took at this fair.
In case you couldn't tell, I was very disappointed in my fair experience this year.  I'm only a couple of hours from the CA State Fair, so I may follow my friends Kathy's lead and put my energy there next year.

Don't Pay the Ransom-I escaped!

I know!  I know!  It's been months since I've been here.  Well, they have been very interesting months at that.
I went on a very well deserved vacation last fall.  Almost as soon as I got back, Penny and I decided to move to Modesto.
Since we moved it has been one thing after another, Move from hell (stolen and broken) Cars won't seem to stay fixed  Penny in the hospital  New doctors, etc. 
We just don't seem to recoup as fast as we did when we were younger.
On a positive note, we do love Modesto.  Still adjusting to the different climate (colder in winter, hotter in summer).  Some of our plants are having some trouble acclimating also. But, so far, we have only lost a couple.
I have been crocheting right along, for Project Linus, myself, Penny, and some things for the house.
I do miss my friends in the Bay area- hi Peter, Laurie, and the others.
I have to go for now, but will be back to tell you all about the fair. Probably my last county fair.