Thursday August 20th, 1957
Dave and I woke up early as this was a big day. Dad had promised that the crops had been good enough that IF we finished plowing Thursday he would take us to the Minnesota State Fair. We had never been to a state fair and the idea had been in our mind the last few days. Usually when we were plowing our rule was when the sun went down it was time to head home. Yes, the tractors had head lights but we were never much into working late in the field. However this day was different. We needed to finish the plowing so we could leave for the Twin Cities on Friday. If we arrived on Friday that would give us Saturday, Sunday and much of Monday, Labor Day, at the fair. Dad had written a letter to Aunt Maye and Uncle Philip and they invited us to stay with them. Dad said they were just a short way from the fair grounds. So Dave and I were up and in the field shortly after sunrise. We did not even bother to eat breakfast which made Mom somewhat upset. Really we did not have all that much left to plow but we wanted to be sure to finish. The last stubble was turned to dirt by mid-afternoon and the fall plowing was finished. With huge smiles on our faces we turned the tractors north from Jim's land down south and headed home with the fall work done and nothing but fair and school on our mind. This fall would be the very first year that we were going to school in town. Woodlake School had closed in May never to be used for school again. Even with the trip to the fair my mind could not stay on that all the time. Here we were no more walking to school but we would have to get on the bus and ride for a long time to get to Cayuga. AND who would know what school would be like. Whenever I thought about it my stomach kind of turned upside down and I had these thought about too many people and way way too many kids. Mom had assured us it would be fun but really what did she know about it? Anyway that was a few days out as we were headed to the fair and we were excited. Friday morning arrived and Dave and I were up with bags packed and ready to go shortly after the sun came up. As we hurried downstair with bags in hand and the fair on on our mind we glanced out of the west window and what we saw we could not believe. Dad had driven the car up on some blocks and was changing the OIL! What, that should have been done days ago! But Dad was Dad and he kind of did things by his time line which often did not mesh with our desires. But it was not so bad as he finished in a short while and by 10:00 AM we were headed east to the fair. We arrived at Uncle Philip's place by late afternoon and Dave and I wanted to get to the fair but Dad said we would go early in the morning. To our surprise Philip and Maye treated us to dinner (in those days it was supper) at the pancake house. Oh my gosh. They brought a pile of cakes and there were several syrup containers which I had never seen before. I know for sure I ate too much but it was so so good. For the next 2 and a half days we had so so much fun. We would leave early and have breakfast at the Farmers Union booth and then wander around all day looking, gathering free things and watching booths where they had games. Well we did spend too much time on machinery hill but it was not so bad. The fair ended on Labor Day with the stock car race which we watched. When it was over they proclaimed the winner and we thought another car had won. Later we found out we were right!
As we headed back to the car mid afternoon we were ready to get home but when the thought of school in town came to mind I kind of wished it would not be but as everyone knows you can't fight progress, if that is what you call it. The first day of Cayuga School which came on September 3rd is for another day.
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