Rose fest, rides, and lack of makeup

This past weekend was the Rose fest in my home town.  It consists of a carnival and a parade.  They even have a Rose Queen.  Growing up it was always exciting to see the rides starting to go up on Monday and Tuesday and it started on Wednesday and went through Sunday.  All the teachers would have a hard time this week keep up focused because we all were super excited and it didn’t help that the carnival was set up in the train station parking lot and that was a few blocks away from the middle school I went to.  It always so much fun and we would hang out Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday.  We went every year all decked out with our hair and makeup done and our clothes looking good.  What it was the 1980’s and we were teenagers.   There were people our age from surrounding towns there.  It became a place to meet boys for us.  Heck Mavis even picked up a carnie one year when we were in our early 20’s.  That got us some free rides.

Once Bertha and I turned 21 in 1992 we couldn’t wait to go into the beer tent.  So we decided to be responsible and walk the 2 blocks from her house to the carnival.  Well let’s just say it would have worked if Bertha hadn’t decided to go on a ride called the Zipper.  The Zipper had cages that seated 2 people that spun as the rest of the ride moved in an oval shape.  I knew I couldn’t handle it sober much less after having a few beers in me.  So she goes on and comes off and gets sick.  Neither one of us is in any shape to walk home.  Luckily her boyfriend who was younger than us came to get us.  By the time he gets to us we are on the curb and she’s having dry heaves.  Poor guy had to deal with us 2 crazy knuckle heads.  Good thing he brought some of our other friends.

I did go this weekend Saturday night with a friend.  Of course I had worked all day and didn’t care about wearing makeup.  I put a clean shirt on, washed face and brushed teeth.  A complete changed from 25 years ago.  Hey I still look good without the makeup and hair done.  I sparkle so I’m always good.  So we hit the beer tent and listened to Howard and the White boys play and we talked.  No rides were involved in this outing.  I didn’t want my sparkles flying off of me.