I usually go to the fairgrounds and submit my list later on in the week, but
this year I had a doctor's appointment and the office is in the Fairgrounds
Business Center, so I toddle on over to the Ag office. This year they went
computerized......to say it really, really confused the heck out of all
those 80+ year old ladies who do the records was an understatement. This
year, the premium books were smaller, as they segmented them into what you
normally submitted before they sent them out (farm equipment, farm supplies
in one crafts and cannings in another) which confused alot of people, Then
the book suggested mailing your submissions instead of personally doing
it....some mailed and came in to get there tags rather than wait to get them
sent out.......it was a zoo. I sat in line for 2 hours (hey, I just had the
kids at home to get back to....can't say I rushed). Ended up putting in for
20 items (including the cooking contests - chili, confort food, etc.) and my
kid's coin collection.

While I was sitting there, the lady started to key in my name and it pops up
on the screen....'welll, it looks like you do this alot, the computer
remembers who entered in the past'......I lean over and whisper quietly, "I
don't mean to be offensive, but there must be more than a few ribbon whores
out there." She gets this startled look on her face and asks 'WHAT?". I
explained that a ribbon whore was someone addicted to getting the ribbons at
a fair. She starts to laugh and say 'ain't it the truth, we don't pay
enough in prize money to put gas in the car to get here'...then she calls
over the other lady at the table and says 'Go ahead, tell Vivian what you
told me people who love are ribbons are called'......I told her, she hooted
and laughed and went and got yet a third lady who came over with a pad of
paper. She wanted to write down that lovely expression and the definition.
When I left with my tags, they all hugged me and laughed and thanked me for
the new term to use in the office for the people who start calling in
January for their premium books.....

BTW. On the application, there is a section for county and school district.
I asked if it were restricted as I had heard from a few acquaintances that
some fairs are very restricted limiting competitions to only 4H or members
of the Ag Society. I got a definitive no from the first lady I asked this
of, she said that due to the fact that so few people do this anymore they
take applications from anywhere.....so anyone in the surrounding area of
Eastern PA (or farther) that wants to submit something to the fair, you have
until the 4th to get it in to their office in person (mail has closed).

Virginia Tadrzynski > wrote in message
...
> [..] really confused the heck out of all those 80+
> year old ladies who do the records [..]
> While I was sitting there, the lady started to key in
> my name and it pops up on the screen....'welll, it
> looks like you do this a lot, the computer remembers
> who entered in the past'......I lean over and whisper
> quietly, "I don't mean to be offensive, but there must
> be more than a few ribbon whores out there." She
> gets this startled look on her face and asks 'WHAT?"
[snip remaining future sitcom dialogue]

I wish I'd been there! That would have been SO funny to witness.
And the best part is you made everyone's day and gave them
something to talk about for the remaining portion of the week.

The Ranger
---
"Grits are akin to Elmer's Paste with less flavor and more sand."

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Virginia Tadrzynski > wrote in message
> ...
>> [..] really confused the heck out of all those 80+
>> year old ladies who do the records [..]
>> While I was sitting there, the lady started to key in
>> my name and it pops up on the screen....'welll, it
>> looks like you do this a lot, the computer remembers
>> who entered in the past'......I lean over and whisper
>> quietly, "I don't mean to be offensive, but there must
>> be more than a few ribbon whores out there." She
>> gets this startled look on her face and asks 'WHAT?"
> [snip remaining future sitcom dialogue]
>
> I wish I'd been there! That would have been SO funny to witness. And the
> best part is you made everyone's day and gave them something to talk about
> for the remaining portion of the week.
>
> The Ranger
> ---
> "Grits are akin to Elmer's Paste with less flavor and more sand."
>
People who sit on line at the fair office usually are an unusual bunch.
Thank you for your compliment......coming from the author of RangerWorld,
that is priceless. I wonder if Steve is ****ed off yet?
-ginny

Virginia Tadrzynski > wrote in message
...
[snip]
> People who sit on line at the fair office usually are
> an unusual bunch. Thank you for your compliment......
> coming from the author of RangerWorld, that is
> priceless. I wonder if Steve is ****ed off yet?

You're welcome.

BTW: We can only hope... <VEG>

The Ranger