Another Iowa State Fair in the books

      Debbie and I were in the Des Moines Register Building on the Grand Concourse late last week looking at Iowa State Fair souvenirs when a couple said they saw our display in the ISF Museum across from Pioneer Hall.
       “I thought that was you,” the lady said as her husband drew near. 
       We visited for a moment, made our purchases and Debbie and I headed toward the camper.
       It was 20-years ago in 2003 that Debbie and I met at the Iowa State Fair Campground while I was doing a story on state fair campers from the Montezuma area for the Montezuma Republican newspaper.
       This year, we were futured in the Ralph H. Deets Historical Museum at the fairgrounds in a special display on state fair attendees who found love at the fair. There were five couples featured in the display.
       We visited the museum and display twice during our stay in Des Moines.
      The first time at the museum, I was visiting with one of the attendees and shared a story about the time I left my lights on in my S-10 pickup and ran the battery down. It was 2002, the year before I met Debbie.
       I had just put a new battery in my truck a week earlier. I walked to the on-site car repair at the parking lot and asked about getting a jump.
       “That will be $15,” the fellow said.
        I opened my billfold only to discover that all I had was $5.
        So, I walked to my truck, got in and bowed my head, asking God to send me help.
       I sat the truck with the windows down for about 15-minutes. Then a family came walking behind my truck headed to their vehicle across the aisle. It just happened that their vehicle was backed into the parking spot.
        I got out and approached them, asking if they could give me a battery jump.
        “Do you have jumper cables?” the fellow asked.
        “Sure do,” I said.
      The man and his two boys pushed my truck out into the lane and across where their van was at. They hooked me up and I was back on the road again in a couple minutes. I offered them my $5 and they told me to keep it.
        I will never forget that experience.
      Anyway, on Sunday, the last day of the fair, we revisited the museum. As we stood there looking at the love display, Debbie said, “Look at all we have done.”
      It is amazing how God brought us together, two complete strangers from two different states and more than 500 miles, and what we have accomplished in our nearly 19-years of marriage. And it was nice to be recognized on the grand stage at the Iowa State Fair.
       It was also nice to spend time with family at the fair.
      And as always, I entered antiques in the Pioneer Hall. I didn’t fare as well this year as I have in past years. There is always next year.
     My favorites things at the state fair, outside of eating at Beattie’s Watermelon Stand, is people watching and visiting with folks.
      It’s fun to watch people open up and share more about their lives. I’m pretty much an open book, so I feel comfortable talking to total strangers. My ability to talk with others has helped me a lot in the journalism world.
      My dad was like that. It used to drive me crazy how he could stop and visit with a total stranger. He had the uncanny ability to meet people who had a connection to his growing up days in the sticks east of Tulsa, Okla., my hometown.
      Overall, it was a nice fair. We didn’t spend as many days on the fairgrounds as we have in the past. We did attend two of our oldest nephew’s goat shows and watched a portion of the Cowboy Action Shooting the first Friday of the fair.
      I enjoyed grilling out at the campground on my new grill. I also spent a couple hours walking around the campground the first weekend, visiting with folks and taking photos of camper yard ornaments and decorations. I started the camper yard ornament project last year and I still have a good portion of the campground to cover next year. There is a mixture of everything from political signs to welcome to our camper and more. It’s a city on wheels.
       I hope you enjoyed a day or two at the state fair.
      Next up is the Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant. I enjoy seeing the steam engines, learning about farming history from back in the day and antique hunting.
       I leave you with this, if you don’t go inside a door, you’ll will never know the opportunities that await.
       Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always.