Monday, October 18, 2010

Circus or Fair?

There was a hint of something slightly unusual lingering about the morning of our long awaited fair. My usually very pleasant, helpful, and amusing little man was not himself, instead we could say.. he was a tad, challenging. Which resulted in the shortening of our already limited time frame for foraging at fairs, before having to hastily make it to the market to fill my basket with vibrant vegetables from my organic vege man, so to get to his swimming lessons on time.
However, the moment we stepped out into the slightly drizzly, cold, damp, not-so-fair-like air of the day, one said attitude improved. Maybe it was remembering the past few weeks anticipation of this day, mixed with a six year old's developing conscience; or maybe it was the thought of not being paid his $5 pocket money for a whole weeks worth of being elbow deep in suds at the kitchen sink. Either way, we forgot the earlier moments of discomfort and rekindled the mutual excitement for our rarely local fair.

We found a park just near the two uncertainly placed.. police officers outside the church fair; and he armed with his weeks 5 and myself with not much more, prepared ourselves for some well refined foraging.

Disappointing was my initial reaction in the thrifting department. How thoroughly disappointing. Although, it was temporary disappointment, when fortunate redemption came in the slightly rusty form of two beautiful old pairs of scissors...


The little man had disappeared to later be found throwing gumboots at the cost of a dollar, and as soon as he'd finished, with arm yanking enthusiasm quickly directed me to the gardening section. This was where the real redemption came. Run by the cutest old man, surely with at least fifty years of green thump experience and knowledge behind his fragile little frame, we found an abundance of delicate new life. Together with his equally age-full sidekick, he informed me on the several punnets of varying varieties of heritage cherry tomatoes and eggplant seedlings that I departed with for the total sum of five big ones. I felt a little like I'd cheated them having paid so little, but I think these two old chums were just simply chuffed to see youthful vegetable-gardening enthusiasm reminiscent of their own long-passed, once young selves.


In deed there was then the heritage linen section inside the hall, and yes I did venture past the... several men with largely lensed cameras.. to have a wee squizz. Although my budget did not allow my indulgence, nor did my rather limited time allowance. More unfortunately was however, the hovering crowd of people impairing my view, due to their flocking like seagulls around our country's Prime Minister and his politician friend; who'd so kindly ventured out to visit this little old church fair. Hmm, kissing babies, smiling so nicely at their mothers, shaking hands with happy little children, men with big cameras, police babysitting outside... I see, this was a circus with side shows.. not just simply a fair; and having studied two politics papers this year, progressively becoming more and more disheartened by the party for whom this man stands for, I was pleased to move our days journey along.

My market was fantastic as usual, and my little man was back to his normal self. I filled my basket with vegetables, and he again disappeared only to return having spent his remaining four dollars pocket money on a bag of organic apples, and a bag of organic tangerines. "Because they looked soo organic and delicious" he said, and then refused to let me pay for them, because that was what he wanted.

We made it to swimming with two minutes to spare and he was like a shark in the water, so proudly was I father. Once home, we concocted a marvelous ball of sourdough in preparation for our evenings eating activities with friends; and while it proved we went on a brief adventure, I by foot and he by shiny retro wheel. We strode in the unusual inland direction as opposed to our normal ocean orientation, and stumbled upon a lovely though slightly airy little woods.


On our way home the clouds began to clear, and in flowed a calming sense that matched. Our evening was successfully filled with delightful company, delectable food, ginger beer, tiddly winks, the smell of baking bread, and laughter that caused tears.

And somewhere in-between, beyond the field that's rather neighbourly with the lawn behind our house; the sky opened and offered us this...


...with an endless abundance of life x

2 comments:

  1. What a beautiful poetic tale about a days adventure.

    Your little man with his desire to contribute with his bounty, brought a tear to my eye.

    How wonderful to find those vintage scissors.

    Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You can always rely on politicians to turn a good idea into someting ridiculous!
    Some very impressive art work going on with your sourdough, that must have been delicious. Nothing better than spending money on good food though, probably why I have to be so thifty, I got so carried away at Thursdays farmers market. Keep us updated on the plants!

    ReplyDelete