It's Good to be with Family - Part 5

Do you still need to read Part 4?  Do so here.

When last I blogged, Jim, Leigh, Chris, and I drove out to Rancho Palos Verdes after Chris got off work and watched part of the sunset.  On the final full day of their visit, Jim and Leigh chilled out at the house while I hit up my normal Wednesday yoga class, and upon my return, we headed again toward Orange County - this time, to the OC Fair!

Blue ribbons all around!

Dad and Risa would be attending the Fair with us, and we met them first for lunch at Barley Forge Brewing, a nearby spot for good brews and foods.  We made it there a bit earlier than they did, so we killed time with the gigantic Uno game on hand.

Leigh finally finished destroying Jim and I in Uno right when Dad and Risa walked in, so it was perfect timing!  We figured out what we wanted to drink and eat, and we hopped in line to put in our orders.

Attempt at an artsy beer shot

Ready for lunch and Fair time!

After a delicious lunch (and a few more drinks), we headed to the fairgrounds.  Every Wednesday, the Fair held "We Care Wednesdays," so on this day, for three new or gently-used children's books per person (previously acquired at our local Goodwill), we all got in free!  Once we got inside, Risa made a beeline for the shopping areas, and the rest of us headed to woodworking and other crafts, which was one of my "sleeper" favorite sections last year.

Learning from some of the master woodworkers

in residence

"I am Groot!"

A vertical chessboard

After the crafts, it was on to the food pavilion!  They didn't have much food for sale here; instead, this area was dedicated to the ribbon-winning cakes, pies, and other treats that had been entered by their makers.

We even found the craft brewing competition!

Sadly, no tastings in here

Inspired, we stopped at a nearby beer cart, and I picked up a taste of AZ - a Four Peaks Kiltlifter:

Not as good as if I was drinking this 

while sitting on 8th Street

and eating blackened chicken nachos, though.

We strolled for a bit, seeing the many sights and smelling the many smells of the Fair, and eventually, it was time to head toward the livestock area; we didn't want to miss the pig racing (seriously, the number one draw of the Fair for almost everyone), and we checked out the other animals on display along the way.

Cooing at some goats

No bueno!

Umm, did someone not tell this chicken

about the Newcastle Disease?

It's VIRULENT, yo.

Dreaming of future racing glory.

MUST.PET.ALL.THE.ANIMALS.

Finally, it was time - sweet, glorious time - to see the racing piggos.  Chris and I loved these little dudes last year when we went to the Fair, and I was so excited to share them with Jim and Leigh as well.

They're off!

I know you can't see much but a bunch of heads here,

but check out the pig 'tocks

flying over the barrier near the bottom of the shot.

A video of the baby pig race for good measure

After the pigs, we were getting ready to head out, but Leigh didn't want to leave without riding at least one horrifying attraction.  Dad volunteered to ride with her, while Jim, Risa, and I breathed sighs of relief that we weren't called upon.  After careful consideration of the options, they picked this ride:

Looks like fun - no really,

you guys have a good time.

We waited with them in line and once they were aboard, headed to a nearby shade patch to take pictures and watch:

They look rather calm about this whole endeavor

There's some raised arms!

They made it!

As we made our way back to the cars (which were now nicely toasty from sitting in the hot sun - they should add solar panel-topped shaded parking at the Fair lots, honestly), we stopped for a few family shots:

If you haven't taken photos in front of

giant, oversized animals in overalls,

did you even really go to the Fair?

We said goodbye to Dad and Risa, and since I was pretty wiped from drinking a beer in the hot sun, Jim did me a solid and drove us home.  Here he is, merging onto the 405 in the afternoon rush hour:

If you haven't gotten stuck in horrible,

completely inane traffic,

did you even really go to LA?

As it turned out, we left the Fair right as Chris was heading home from work, and we had the most boring, low-speed game of automobile Tag that has ever occurred.

We won, by about 10 minutes.

That evening, we hung out at home again, attempting to finish up all of the leftovers in our fridge (we ate those for at least another 2-3 meals once Jim and Leigh headed out), and watching the first episode of Making It!, which as you might imagine, is a goddamn delight.

The next morning, Chris and I both headed to work, and Jim and Leigh grabbed an Uber to take them to LAX; they arrived with plenty of time to hang out in the airport before their flight, and they made it home without issue.  Truly, we really enjoyed having them here, and they're welcome back anytime they can make it!

Later!

Amy