I took my children to the
Ohio State Fair today. It was hot but not so much, and the fabulous smells were everywhere. I felt like one of those cartoons when a scent wave floats by, my nose twitched until I was airborne,
floating on that wave of delicious right to an
elephant ear, fried up, coated with cinnamon and butter and powdered sugar.
I went down the big bumpy slide with Katie and we squealed the whole way, flying smoothly down the track of slick childhood memories, faster and faster for three stories. We would glide our potato sacks right to the bottom and wish like hell the ride was not already over. The best part of that was watching my husband pretend he did not want to go. Katie took him by the hand, “Come ON Papa, this is so fun!”, and soon enough they had climbed the million steps and his smiley face and delighted laugh rolled out, and when they got to the bottom his eyes were all wet.
I watched Katie gripping the pole on the carrousel, kind of nervous when the horse started forward and up and down, then ear to ear smiling, her hair blowing back and her face beamed like I have never seen before. We went on that thing four times, around and around, and it never got old. When it was Jay’s turn to stand with her I waited on the side, watching for Katie’s face to come back around, like the sun coming up a hundred happy times in a row. Every time, every single time, I would wave like a maniac, heart swelled up and eyes all weepy. I think I was watching the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.