The Fair

This summer my friends the Danielsons and myself worked hard to plan for our part in the state fair. We were signed up to dance for half an hour in two slots. We had been meaning to go on a camping trip so we planned to go to the fair in the middle of the camping trip. That way it would not be a very long drive (as it was, to get to the camp ground was an hour and a half and then from there to the fair was another two and a half). The Danielson's aunt happened to live close to where the fair was being held and offered us to talk shawers there, which we were very thankful for. We would have been in the forest for three days already and still had almost three more to go, so on the appointed day we packed up and headed out. Everything went perfect tell I got sick. Still the day of the fair came and as planned. We spit up in to two cars (well actually one was a suburban) and headed out. We each had about ten minutes in the shawer while the rest of us eat and relaxed before the big moment. After my turn Greta helped me to fix my hair and make sure all my stuff was together. When all the dancers were ready we did a mini practice on the front porch. When it was time to go we again split into two cars with all the dancers (which numbered eight) in one and all the rest (four) in the other.

When we got to the fair we still had half an hour ‘til we needed to get ready so we got our stuff and put it in the dressing room and sat dawn to watch the group before us. Twenty minutes ‘til our first slot we started to get ready, first we gave the music person our CD, told him who we were, and asked him to give us a five minute warning. Then we put on our costumes and make-up, we ran through the parts we needed to and then it was time to go on stage. The announcer introduced us as “The North Star Dancers” and the show was on!

My dance came first and I nervously waited for the music to start. When it did I calmly (well trying to be calm while remembering the steps) did my dance, it all went good ‘til the middle where I missed a step which through me off but luckily not for long. When the music ended I hurriedly went off stage and changed into my next costume. I only had four minutes to remove a four piece set and put on a three piece set, luckily I had lots of help. Then it was time for the next dance, we all took are spots and the music started again I missed a step but the audience didn’t notice. When that dance was done the people who didn’t have more dances looked through the cracks back stage to watch the next dances. When all the dances were done we took our costumes off, stored our stuff, and went to look at the fair.

I was still suffering from the cold I had at the camp site but now I felt worse. My nose would not stop running and my ears were plugged so I couldn’t hear well and they hurt so bad it was all I could do to keep from crying. We got some food, looked at the exhibits and watched a lumber jack show. Then it was time to get ready for the second and the last dance slot. We hurried back and got ready all over again, I reminded myself of the parts I had missed and went through those parts again. I did it almost perfect again ‘til the end when luckily I didn’t mess up too bad. Unfortunately it took longer to get my stuff off because I was having trouble with the barrette so I slipped on the next costume over the last of the first(which kept me warmer) I didn’t forget any thing in the next dance, after that Theresa introduced us all.

Then it was time for the clogging. They all did good even Lucas who had never done it before (but back in the dressing room Leif and I agreed that it was a good thing that Lucas didn’t have taps on the bottom of his shoes). When the last dance came we all lined up and when it was over we bowed. After that we all went back stage and packed up all of our belongings and put them in the suburban.

Then the parents bought tickets and handed them out and we rode rides and played games ‘til we started to get tired then the people who wanted to go back to the camp site (Jim, Mom, Leif, Me, Karl, Gideon, Anya, and Luthien) said good night to those who were staying (Theresa, Greta, Lucas, and Olen) and got in to the suburban.

The boys all wanted to sit in the back; the adults had the front, so that left the girls the middle. That was not the best seating arrangement in the world because the laptop was back there and Gideon and Karl wanted to play on it and that put me in the seat in front of Leif (and Leif even though he is only four years older is much taller) so whenever he moved he would accidently kick me. I didn’t mind because I was used to Luthien kicking me. When we finally reached the camp site every one except Jim, Mom, Leif, and me were sleeping. We all got into our tents and when we hit the pillows we were all fast asleep.


P.S. sorry it took so long, but as you can see it took long to write!