No rain to speak of but plenty of hot weather for the week of the Marcus Fair! Thursday was the funeral of Joan Johnson at Faith Lutheran Church at 11 a.m. Pastor Cummings came down with COVID again so Pastor Liz Pfeifle came from Sioux Falls to officiate. Because burial was in Cherokee, we had a light lunch following the service before going to Cherokee. Those going to Cherokee made a last trip past Corky’s Corner and then on to Cherokee. Joan was a person who did for others without wanting to be recognized. She will be missed by those whose lives she touched. May she rest in peace until we meet again.
That Thursday night was the beginning of the Fair. Not as many as had been there in previous years, came to see which one of the eleven contestants would be Little Miss Marcus for 2022.
Kirk Letsche spoke on four people who had been involved in the Marcus Fair but had passed away this past year. Jim Hoefling and Marv Simons were very much involved in the Fair for years. Steve Smith of Smith Amusements passed away this past June. His carnival had been in Marcus for many years. He was not a member of the Fair Board as Nancy Hier also was not a member. Nancy gave us something most Fairs our size would never see—the Westernaire’s from Colorado. They are a group of young people that perform on horses. Nancy was just there but never wanted to be recognized. She will be missed as well as the other three Kirk mentioned.
Babies on Parade were next, but because there were so many, I’m still going to have to wait until next week before I receive any information on these.
Steve still couldn’t drive so we needed a ride to enter our exhibits. We want to thank Jesse for taking us and patiently waiting for us to take back home. Thanks to Zachary for taking us to and from the Little Miss Marcus contest. And, Bethany needs thanks for taking us on Friday to and from.
Zachary and Bethany are delivering Steve’s Sioux City Journal paper route until he can drive. I started getting my articles ready for the Marcus News when they left to deliver Sunday’s papers. That was 3 a.m. Sunday morning. I will soon have to leave my writings and go to the noon Cooking School. Once again we will have to find a ride or else walk. (I hope I don’t fall asleep at the Cooking School!)
Saturday we went to Main Street and watched the half hour parade. This year there were no horses or the Shriners’ with their buggies that do turn-a-bouts in the street.
Friday there was a magician but if we wanted a ride home, we couldn’t stay for this. There was a fireworks later on Friday night. We started walking for home after the Kiddie Parade when Bethany didn’t show up to pick us up. We got as far as Allie Vasher’s house and took a step to sit on. Soon a man walking stopped by and asked if we needed a ride. We explained that Bethany was coming. He introduced himself as John Addy from Omaha. I don’t know how we got on the subject of the Marcus News. He said he read it and Steve said I was one of the writers. Then he paid me a compliment that after the day I had had, I gladly took! I was glad he reads the paper! Bethany arrived and home we went!
When I look over the Fair schedule, I do see where there were many events involving young people. When you look at the number of exhibits in the sewing department and vegetable/fruit departments, the number was way down. These two departments depend on older people who are no longer with us. What young person is going to sew a garment? When I go to patch blue jeans (the way some of the jeans I have seen worn, I really shouldn’t worry about patching!), Bethany says, “I would just throw them in the garbage. I wouldn’t waste time fixing them!” Can you see why this department is down on entries?! The vegetable/fruit could have been down because of weather. There weren’t the usual many entries of flowers from the little people. Although, the kids did have many, many entries in their coloring and artwork.
Saturday night every street close to the Street Dance was filled with vehicles. People did come to this. The streets looked like 1960 had arrived again!
I’m still not having this computer working. I have spent all these hours on writing and hope that they are saved. If not, I have printed out each one so if I have to do it over, I have a copy. Something has to be done to get this to work. Half the time I cannot find any of the files to save it to. It is very frustrating.
When I went downstairs to get some of my information, I by chance passed by the sink in the kitchen. Zachary had a roast thawing out and forgot he had one in the refrigerator already thawing out. So, there went some time as I got the earlier one out and got it ready for the crock pot. I think he is tired of hamburgers! (I found out later that he was going to put both roasts in the smoker! Oh, well one of them is done in the slow cooker!)
Jeffrey is celebrating a birthday on Sunday, August 14. Time does fly! I will call him and wish him a Happy Birthday, hoping he will answer. I did call and his voice box was full so I couldn’t leave a message.
The Lions’ are having their usual cookout on late Sunday afternoon. This year they are going to go into the building the Methodists have used for serving food. The Methodists are closing up at 2:30 so it is available for the Lions’ later on. After I pick up my exhibits, I have to hurry home, get pictures ready and hopefully send the articles to be printed. I hope I can get some time for a late nap after sending them off!
I picked up my photo exibits and went to the Hall of Progress where the woodcarvings were supposed to be auctioned off. It had started to “sprinkle” so the Anthon City Band went into the Hall of Progress to play. They did an excellent job! The auction of the woodcarvings never made it to this building. I will have to see if I can get some information of what the nine carvings went for.
I got some ice cream and went home to get some articles ready to send out.
Someone decided that the stop sign by June Palleson’s corner wasn’t needed anymore. It was laying there when I saw it had been broken off and now someone said it disappeared from where it was laying. A person would think that the front of a vehicle would be in need of repair after hitting that post.
Remember in your thoughts and prayers those who have lost loved ones to death, are having health problems some of which are terminal, are trying to make ends meet even though they have a job, encourage those who are not working to try and find a job, and be with those who are still trying to shorten the distance between family and friends by building a bridge instead of a wall.
I will leave you with this quote from Pearl S. Buck (1892-`973) American novelist, “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.”