It's Day One

Thursday the 9^th

5:50am

First day of the fair and morning after the monsoon!! I’m at the Jeep ready to head to the Red Radio. Again, the soft windows were off the Jeep during the night. The doors had to windows rolled up and top was enclosed. That means the back seat was open and the drivers seat should have been dry, but NO!! The seat was soaked and the floor board had at least an inch of water!

9am

I take the golf cart back to the camper to grab something. At the entry one of the “gate keepers” stops me for not having an ID number on the cart. I grab the tag from the administration building then head back to the Red Radio. (the ID was something the engineer used to take care of so I’m learning as I go)

When I make it back to the Radio, it’s time for our first remote report from the fair. I zip over to the Floriculture building to do an interview. When that’s done, I’m on the golf cart ready to leave when a man who I will refer to as the Golf Cart Nazi stops me for not having the ID sticker on the cart.

Me: I’m sorry I just picked it up and it’s at the Radio. I’ll go get it

He reluctantly allows me to retrieve the tag from the Red Radio, but wants me to come back so I can prove I have it. A couple minutes later I return. He “thanks” me for putting the ID on then hands me a written warning for the mistake!!.

This is day one, BEFORE 11am and I’ve already been in trouble!!

Over the Technology Cliff

MySpace, Facebook, a blog and a work website.. Holy Internet Batman! It would seem I’ve grabbed a spot everywhere, each linking back to my adventures over the radio airwaves. I’m happy to report that not only do I have online access at work, I now have it within these four walls where I sleep, eat and create a disastrous mess. But that’s not all! I have a new cell phone that’s sent me over the edge of technology into a pile of tech toys and gadgets. Among other things, this phone remains charged for more than 5 minutes, a calendar, a great contact program, serves as an internet modem for my computer and most importantly I have internet access anywhere I have phone service right there on the phone itself. For some that may be too much of everything, but after years of working in radio I confess I’m a news/internet/communication junkie! Now I can feed that addiction anywhere!!!

So, as I swim through the world of gadgets and hope not to erase, destroy or lose the new toy, I move on to the promised state fair. The 2008 state fair runs August 7-17^th, so plans are coming together now and we’ll have some concert information to share next week.

As for last year, the KMZU Farm Department spends the entire 10 days at the fair in Sedalia, MO. Mike and I will each have a camper on the grounds so we don’t have to make the drive everyday. I pretty much move into my trailer as if it’s an apartment. For me that means things tossed all over the place, but that’s just to make it feel homey. Mike will alternate a couple days so he can see his family (and keep himself out of trouble). Last year the fair officially started on the 9^th, so from the beginning …..

August

6^th For the fair in 2006 we had an engineer at the radio station who took care of setting things up for the annual event. In 2007, we didn’t have an engineer so I took the Red Roving Radio to Sedalia for set up. Miles, da boss, arrives climbs on top of the grandstand a few times, engineers a few things and to make a long story short, 9 hours later things are pretty well ready to go. That afternoon our trailers arrive (homes away from home). We set those up and turn on the air conditioner so it’s cool when I come back in a couple days.

Wednesday the 8^th

6pm I arrive at the fairgrounds in the evening so I can make sure the printers, computers, audio equipment are hooked up and I know what I’m doing. 2 hours later, printers work, computers work…. Audio….. it’ll work somehow.

10pm I head to the trailer and find the air conditioner is NOT WORKING. Call the RV folks and it’s just the breaker. While the trailer cools down, I’ll make a late night run for groceries. When I get back, no AC.

Get it running again and I’m in bed by 11:30.

12:30am Air conditioner quits again. First thought…. It’s going to be a long, hot 10 days! I check the breaker but that’s not the problem this time. I look outside and notice the wind is really picking up and other campers are scrambling to get the trailer awnings rolled up. Gee, I’m glad I don’t have to mess with that, I wouldn’t know where to start.

I open the windows and go back to the sauna/bed.

3am The wind is really blowing, it’s pouring down rain and lightning and thunder is rumbling through the skies. I try to go back to sleep when I remember the windows on the Jeep are off (the soft top is on but no windows.) With a full blown storm outside, I decide, it’s a Jeep, she's tough, it’ll be ok.

Stay tuned for day two..

Daddy's Girl

A sad time for the world, that’s how I would describe the past few weeks. I say that because two weeks ago my dad passed away. He’d been fighting cancer since early last year when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The following months included several weeks of radiation, chemo, major surgery, an infection, an “all clear,” a “there’s more,” additional treatments, and a different cancer treatment center at the beginning of this year with more tests and aggressive treatments.

Dad continued receiving treatments this Spring and really liked the cancer treatment center where he started receiving his medical care this year. Throughout the months dad maintained a positive outlook, but after a physically exhausting year dad’s battle against the disease came to an end. It’s been a rough time for my family however we were all with him. All I can say is losing him is one of the hardest things I’ve been through, but at the same time there’s a sense of calm knowing that he does not have to experience that unbearable pain any longer and can finally rest.

We all had a great weekend together beforehand, and the following week was the expected emotional rollercoaster but filled with wonderful people. I could be wrong, but I truly believe relationships are where rural America is far above and beyond what urban dwellers could imagine. Not only did family and friends call, write and email condolences, but so many traveled so far just to show their support for us and their love for dad. In addition, some of the smallest gestures mean so much…. Family and friends dropped by with loads of food and love but one afternoon when some friends were leaving, mom, my brother and I were so touched when we saw three neighbors (they actually live about 6miles away) in the yard unloading lawn equipment. The three family friends then spent the next hour mowing and weed eating the overgrown yard for mom. So many gestures, and it still brings tears to my eyes to know so many wonderful, caring people. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. Dad was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed. He would be so touched to know that so many people cared so much about him and his family.

Tomorrow I’ll get back to the schedule I promised, sharing some of the events from the fair, but also over the next few weeks I may bring up a few dad stories too. I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I will enjoy remembering them.

With love,

Janet

Heading to Springtown

I finally spilled the beans about this blog to a few friends who may be checking it out for the first time. Thanks for stopping by!!
Today is Friday, TGIF once again. I hate to wish the week away, but some weeks need an earlier weekend. We had another monsoon last night. I’m not sure what the forecast is for the weekend, but if this continues I may add flippers to my shopping list.

Tonight I’m Springfield bound. Missouri State University’s Dr. Anson Elliott, the Dean of Agriculture, called a couple weeks ago to see if I could moderate the MSU Collegiate Farm Bureau’s 2008 Agriculture Forum.
Absolutely! The panel this year will be small, but informative with Missouri Farm Bureau President Charlie Kruse and Congressman Roy Blunt. I know there will be a number of issues discussed so I’ve been trying to brush up on issues and will continue to do so for the next 10 hours! You can attend the dinner and forum for $20. Dinner starts at 6:30 with the forum to follow around 7pm. If you just want to attend the forum, that’s free of charge and should start around 7. The event will be at the Bass Pro Museum. This will be my first experience in the museum, so I’m looking forward to a peak inside.

I mentioned I would recap the 2007 State Fair. I think my memory is tapped so I’ll be posting the events that inspired this blog next week.
Have a great weekend!