Clara got a free ticket from the Puyallup Fair and it would seem terribly wasteful for us not to use it. Never mind we'd have to pay for us to get in and would be required to get a second mortgage to buy Krusty Pups and elephant ears. I thought we'd dodged the bullet, but Katherine, Paul, and Josie needed company and we were it.

The kids loved it, of course, especially Josie. It seemed everything we looked at she was none to pleased to be torn away until she saw the next really cool thing. We saw everything from animals to food to rides before we called it quits to head home late in the evening. The only thing we missed was the monster truck show that was just revving up when we left.

My favorite moment was when Josie took off into the crowd and Paul and I wandered after her. Josie ran smack into a group of elderly ladies who looked all around for her parents, totally bypassing Paul. Their eyes opened wide with shock, amazement, wonder, and probably some less savory emotions when Paul announced Josie was his daughter and the two of us walked off with her.

Maybe Puyallup will be more enlightened next year. Or maybe they'll just have another monster truck show.