When a pigeon comes to greet you...

So things have been busy here. Since our last meeting, my class has ended. I thought it went really well, but it is weird for teachers I think just me? because everyone seems on this good and positive note at the end of the last teaching day just thankful it's over? and then we have the sadness of students that comes along with the final exam and in particular the grading of the oral presentations. So, as I like to say ever semester/quarter:

it's all over but the cryin'. 

The county fair, not to be confused with the countRy fair, was this past week, just a few blocks from our place.

We had to squeeze it in, because had a lot of stuff going on... and no, we weren't there that long. We went twice in one day. We had to go in the morning, because my man had to go to work in the afternoon and since we didn't have a chance to ride the ferris wheel, we had to run back for a quick ride at night before our radio show.

Some of the 'fun' of the fair is no longer available to us. We were so happy to see our favorite veggie hot dog guy there. When I told him so, he answered, "Yeah, you and a half dozen other people. " Apparently it's hard to compete with the funnel cakes and FRIED BACON SNICKERS.

 But other parts of the fair are alive and well...
Craftiness:

please note the second place finishing on this "flower arrangement"

Rides:

animal sightings:

I now want a horse. 

Or a baby goat.

Actually, I want a MINI horse

Not this guy though.

I had my first traumatic animal encounter of the day in the bird area (not surprising, right?). Just for some pertinent background: the other day at the farmers' market there was a dude with a bird on his shoulder walking towards me. I almost knocked two different people over trying to GET AWAY.

But at the fair, the birds are in cages, right? Safe, right? Someone who is fixated and petrified of birds simultaneously might really be looking forward to the bird area, right? And it was FULL of PIGEONS. 

There were lots of varieties, but this one area had the prize winning pigeon that had whatever variety of pigeon has feathers on its FEET. So I need to get a picture of this pigeon for my faithful readers. 

However, after running back and forth sporadically in its tiny cage (and please keep in mind that my lens was literally against the bars, and that my face was literally right behind said camera, and I was squatting uncomfortably to get a good shot, and that I am not too brave about birds), 

This pigeon tried to fly. 

I screamed and I fell down.

But then I got myself together.

We heard that the night before had been much more crowded due to an Uncle Kracker (?) performance. Which I thought was funny because actually went to see the band Cracker (yes, of eurotrash girl fame) the next night. (see my forthcoming post in a day or two about that good time). Unfortunately, we missed Joan Jett's performance at the fair due to a trip to Seattle this weekend for a wedding reception (probably also see the next post). Can you imagine playing country fairs on your way down? That must be a sad time. I mean, we just saw the Runaways, Joan Jett used to be kind of badass. Then last weekend she played at the Lane County Fair. And I am willing to bet we weren't the only town.  

The nighttime Ferris Wheel ride was great. Have any of you been on a Ferris wheel lately? My observations:

1) I forgot about the episode of Carnivale I just watched where the Ferris wheel broke down and the resulting fatalities until we were on the ride.

2) It also reminded me of the time my family and I were in Six Flags in New Jersey and when we were at the tiptop of the Ferris Wheel, we noticed that everyone seemed to start running on the ground below in one direction. When we got off we were promptly told the park was "closing early tonight" and to leave immediately. The next day we found out that there was a shooting. I think that the reason it was so disturbing to me was because we had to leave in such a rush that we couldn't stop to buy this bottle filled with different colored sand (which was decorated with feathers and googly eyes to look like a bird) that I was PROMISED. At least that's what I remember (see below comments because I am sure that momma bird might have two cents about this one).

3) The Ferris Wheel "loader" seemed to have an unnecessarily complicated and stressful job. There was constant counting of people in the parties and reshuffling and "stand here, NO, HERE." I wouldn't want that job. Dude is going to drive himself to an early grave. Never have I seen such a high involvement from a carnie.

And one last thing about the fair.

Where was the freak show? I mean, Geek Love had my expectations running high. 

So after the ride, we ran over to the station for our coda show. Tuesday we had subbed and had a great time with the food theme show. Since we were on air much earlier than normal, we had a lot of callers and it was fun. My favorite call-in yet:

Fanatic: "Are you playing WEEN right now?!?!"

Me: "YES!"

Fanatic: "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I JUST UNPLUGGED MY IPOD AND I WAS LISTENING TO WEEN AND I HAVE FIVE WEEN POSTERS IN MY ROOM AND I HAVE A WEEN SHIRT ON RIGHT NOW!"

Me: "Rock on my ween brother!"

He is going to deliver me a couple gigs of rare and live WEEN to the station next week.

So after the fair, we did the beverage version with all kinds of fun stuff. 

After midnight shows, my man and I always go out and have a dirty martini, then we have to walk Fdog.  

Wherein, for my second animal incident of the evening, we were attacked by a rabid(?) raccoon. I am not sure if it was rabid, but what raccoon in its right mind attacks a 70 pound dog that is barking its head off? Scary. 

Not the actual raccoon.