The Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. The change of seasons is one of greatest things about living in Kansas. Waiting on that first "cool" front to take the edge off of the summer heat and humidity is a great thing! Being a weather geek, I knew that last weeks cool front was the first sign that the summer heat would becoming to an end. No more two to three week stretches of 100 plus degree temperatures and high humidities. No more national debt electricity bills because the air conditioner runs twenty four seven. Relief in site for the dying lawns, which this year seemed to be extremely prevalent around my neighborhood.. Finally, no more stepping out the door and being drenched- that's one of the worst things about summer, especially this year, the humidity was like living along the Gulf coast without the coast.
Don't get me wrong, I like summer, but only for about 1 month, then I am over it. The only downside to Fall is that the Fall weather patterns can give my arthritis heck. The jetstream starts to strengthen and moves South from Canada, thats when I become the "human barometer". Pressure differences typically dont affect most people, but in the last couple of years I can tell you when a storm is within a few hundred miles.
Fall is definately coming, and that gives me many things to look forward to. Besides those refreshing cool fronts, there are many thing I look forward to.. Football is number one- High School, College and Pro. Bring on those "boys of Fall" , as a friend said recently. We have a fantastic High school program and it is always nice to take in a couple of games at our new state of the art football stadium.
Another thing I like about this time of year is the Kansas State Fair. As a kid I lived a block away on 24th Street, just East of Plum St. In the 70's the carnival would come into town by rail and tractors would bring in the rides and concessions, it was a spectacular site to sit in the church parking lot on our bikes and watch everything come together. Especially for a kid who thirsted all year long for those annual 10 days of fun. Living so close to the grounds it wouldn't be out of the question to go 5 or 6 times and a couple times we would go twice in one day. It wasnt cheap going to the fair so I launched what would be my first business. We had a undeveloped lot on the corner down the street from my house, which was a block from the entrance on 23rd St.. When I was in middle school the owner of the property gave me permission to park cars there, we could park 75-100 cars per day. Weekends were the best and busiest days for my little money making venture. I got half of the $3 or $4 per car fee we charged, I was rich!!. Me and a couple of neighborhood friends would bring our lawn chairs to the lot around 7AM every Saturday and Sunday and someone would stay until after the Night Show started which was about 7:30 if I am remembering correctly.. It was a cash cow which allowed me and my buddies to have a ton of spending money for the rides, "Fair food "(the food that you can only get for those10 days) and of course those games of chance. We would have to try and try and try to win one of those 3ft tall, brightly colored, stuffed animals that you always see people carrying around. I became the master of shooting baskets throught a small sized hoop and tossing softballs into a tilted bushel basket without them falling out . I cannot remember how much the "master" title cost me, but it wasn't cheap- I didnt care because I was a high roller!
We parked cars for 2 or 3 years and had a great time doing so until the lot was sold and a new house was built. To this day I think the reason I still like the Fair so much is that it was something I always looked forward to, almost as much as Christmas..It was a big part of my childhood and definately part of my neighborhood. I could go on and on with fair stories..maybe in another blog..
Enjoy the unofficial beginning of FALL and the Kansas State Fair..I hope you can create some great memories!
Cheers, BF
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