Saturday, July 19

Up around 7:30, and did stair stepping, resistance band, and weights exercises after breakfast. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house around 9:30, and she went to her puzzle while I got ready for the day.


Did this and that for the rest of the morning. After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the library, to a grocery store to pick up this week's free item, and a two-pound block of cheese for making pimento cheese.


At the store, I met a member of the Extension Homemakers, We talked about the low number of exhibits at the fair. She is one of the superintendents of the educational building, and she said she thinks that a new system of registering exhibits online caused a dwindling of exhibitors, because most of the ladies who enter items in the fair are older, and many are not computer literate.


She also commented on the large number of white ribbons awarded this year. She said the judge was very critical of everything, and therefore harsh in her awards. This kind of judging is guaranteed to discourage entries next year.


She went on to say that she is not pleased with the fair board, which seems to be trying to squeeze out the Extension Homemakers. They want to tear down the educational building to make room to build...we know not what.


That building is the only one still not air conditioned, and the fair board apparently has no intention of doing anything about it, even though the EH council has offered to pay most of the expense of having it done. It was a bone of contention way back when Mother and I helped at the fair. Some years, when the temp rises into the high 90s, it's insufferable in that building.


There are only a few ladies left who will still agree to work at the fair. And now, we don't even have representation on the board. Once a couple of ladies resigned from the board for various reasons, the board didn't invite another Extension Homemaker onto the board.


Our organization is not the only one being squeezed out...the Master Gardeners are getting the same treatment. It's a puzzle to me in what direction the Fair Board is trying to take the fair. I always thought county fairs were specifically organized for the purpose of exhibiting the products of the local people...livestock, garden produce/flowers and plants, and homemaking skills.


Without these, the fair will only be about the carnival and entertainment.


This year, there was a new supervisor of the Educational Building. She has never done it before, and she was the first to admit she didn't know what she was doing. Always in the past a lunch was provided to the exhibit workers and judges, since the work often extends into the afternoon. This year, no lunch, because the new supervisor was unaware she was supposed to arrange one.


The lady commented on how much she misses Mother and me at the fair. We have been away from it for several years, and after talking to this lady, we know we are well out of it.


Hubbie and I also visited with a lady we know from our community theater days. She commented about the first play that Hubbie and I appeared in way back in the 80s. She said she has often wished that I, and a man who played opposite me, could reprise our roles in a one act play that she found hilarious. She's not the only one who has mentioned this. Over the years, others have mentioned that they'd like to see us do the play again. It's doubtful it'll ever happen.


From the grocery store, we went to the farmer's market to get zucchini and tomatoes; and finally to the WDCS for other groceries and incidentals.


Back home, we didn't accomplish anything much for the rest of the afternoon. I cleared away scrapbooking materials, and then read newspapers, and my novel on tablet.


Supper tonight was leftovers...mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed squash, along with cream corn, and sliced tomatoes, and French bread.


Mother was ready to go home shortly afterward, so Hubbie accompanied her. Later, I went over and put drops in her eyes.


As usual, Hubbie and I continued binge-watching episodes of "The Good Wife" tonight.