Pointless Venture

Day 326: Several years ago, the Puyallup Fair (Washington State Fair) announced that it would no longer be open seven days a week through its run. Henceforth, they would not be open on Tuesdays, the day of lowest visitation and, for that reason, the day I usually attended. I was not the only person upset by the decision, but we've learned to live with it. Yesterday being Tuesday, I was anxious for today to arrive so that I could see in person the yellow "Judge's Craftsmanship" award attached to my tartan shawl. A friend had sent me his phone photo, but that's not the same as seeing it for yourself. When this morning dawned, I could hardly wait to get going. I checked the hours of operation and was horrified to see that instead of opening at 9, they wouldn't open until 10:30 on weekdays. I should have read a little further down the page...

Next pictures and story, I parked in the Walmart lot at the top of South Hill, walked the 2 1/4 miles down the steep hill of Meridian, and began noticing that something was amiss just before I got to the freeway underpass. There was no line at the Blue Gate, no cars in the Blue Lot. A couple on the sidewalk seemed as confused as I was, but I walked on to the Gold Gate, only to find an elderly man just leaving in frustration: "They're closed today," he said. I pulled out my phone and called Kevin. "Do me a favour. Go on line and look to see if there's any reason the Fair ought to be closed today." He checked, and yes, there it was: Fair closed on Tuesdays and (rather parenthetically, to my way of thinking) Wednesday, September 3. Back up the steep hill I went, having only paused long enough to spare the breath required for the phone call, and mad as a wet hen.

Other than getting a 4.5 mile pavement walk in today, this was a pointless venture. But that'll teach me to read the whole page, not just the part in big print. Will I try to go back again? Maybe. Maybe not. I'm pretty peeved.