Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Is That Fair?

We're back!!!! From where you ask? Well... Every year we go back to my husband's family farm for a week. We always plan a trip back to our farm in the month of July, so we are there during the time of the Iroquois County Fair.  It gives us a chance to see a lot of people in one place. Plus our little grandsons get a chance to ride some rides and eat a lot of fair food AKA junk.  Little boys go for county fairs in a big way. 
Fair food covers the major food groups, fat, sugar, and salt.
From year to year there isn't much that changes as far as visiting our farm.



Corn still grows
Beans still grow

But this year we did have a few unexpected activities that brings me to quite a different subject than what I initially thought I would be writing about today.


Thought Number One:  Genetics:  Who To Blame for What

What does going to a fair in Illinois have to do with genetics, you ask?  I will get to that in a moment.

First let me introduce our daughter.......Meet Kiddo #1

My cartoon doesn't do her justice. Kiddo #1 is a beauty.


There is a family resemblance, don't you think?

Over the years my husband and I  have played a game called "They got that from your side of the family!" regarding both of our kids. Yes, we have dissected both the physical and the behavioral aspects of both Kiddo #1 and Kiddo # 2 to take credit for or blame the appropriate gene pool.

For example: Both kiddos got their daddy's height.  Both kiddos got my dark hair.  We both take credit for their sense of humors which we credit not to the fact either of us are particularly funny but more to the fact we have provided them with enough chaos and crazy they have had a steady stream of material to laugh at.

BUT WE ARE STUMPED about how Kiddo #1 is so calm when things go wrong.

Thought Number Two:  OOPS Something Went Wrong

As it tuned out...our normal routine of meeting up with relatives,  eating fair food, seeing demolition derbies, seeing lots of livestock...all the things that go with visiting farm country for a week...there was the added component of a call from the hotel desk to Kiddo #1 and her husband.

Desk:  What  kind of car do you drive?

Now you know that is never a good thing when the front desk calls your room and asks what are you driving......AND ...it wasn't in this case either.

AS it happens....a semi truck was parking his rig in the Hilton parking lot.  Parking wasn't the problem really.  It was the LEAVING that got him in trouble.
Coming out to the parking lot...SURPRISE!!!
WHO BROKE MOMMY'S CAR????


Don't you think this would make someone irritable.  Not our daughter.  When hubby and I arrived amid the police taking the report and tracking down the truck driver that had decided to leave, she had made some necessary calls and tracked down a rental car so they could get on with their vacation. All of this was being done with a smile and calm demeanor. 




Daughter tells us that all will all be taken care of.  She has the truck driver's  insurance information and everything is under control.  She is being all rational and level-headed.  There is just no accounting whose gene pool this is from.





Come
Join Top Sites Tuesday and be #1 on BlogDumps!
The purpose of this Meme is to encourage
Networking between bloggers and to have fun while doing it!
Make sure to visit all the other participants and leave comments

38 comments:

Just Keepin' It Real Folks said...

Dang, that sucks about the car. But, don't you just love the smells of a fair. The fried food, the cotton candy, the BO?

Liggybee said...

Wow! My husband and I kid each other about the same thing - who got what from whose side? That is so funny.

One thing I'm glad is that the kids did NOT get their height from me. I am just under 5 feet and while being short has its advantages sometimes, there are jobs I could not get because I was too short. (My exciting dream of becoming a flight attendant when I was in my 20s went down the drain when I learned I had to be at least 5'1"). Oh well!

Cheryl P. said...

You are so insightful...yes, fried food, cotton candy, BO and cow poo. It's an acquired taste, I think.

Cheryl P. said...

Hi Liggy! I know what you mean. I am 5'3" and my husband is 6'5". My kids are both tall and we can thank my husband. It's quite funny to see the traits children get from the parents but it's even more interesting to see what grandkids end up with.

Chubby Chatterbox said...

I can easily understand your anger and confusion over your daughter's calm attitude. I mean, what;s wrong with her? Ha! Actually, i wish I could remain calm in these sorts of situations.

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

And here I thought you were going to post about genetically engineered corn or some such thing.

You guys are lucky. Had the exact same thing happen to me, also in Illinois, Skokie to be exact. I was on business, staying at the Holiday Inn, driving a rental car. A truck backed into the back of my car. Unfortunately, he not only took off but nobody caught his license. I had alot of "splaining to do" with the rental car company. It was the first and last time I tried to save money by renting from some fly by night car co at Midway. They hounded me for months even though I had auto insurance (just not with them.)

Cheryl P. said...

There are times I am awed by her. She has the funniest sense of humor and rolls with whatever is going on. During all of this she kept her sense of humor. The semi that hit her car was a car hauler. She joked that she should contact him and after the repairs are done perhaps he could deliver it back to Overland Park, KS. It's really the least he could do. (our farm is near Chicago..so there still is that to work out how to get her car back)

lisleman said...

I had an car accident on vacation in Paris (unusual once in a lifetime trip so don't think I'm a jet-setter, more of a commuter train setter) once and the kids expected that I would just blow-up which they have all witnessed at multiple times. I didn't.
Maybe it just depends on what else is going on at the time.
So are the tractors bigger and more high tech than ever and the sheep still full of wool, cows mooing, goats chewing on kids clothes and all that stuff still happening at the fair.

Cheryl P. said...

That really sucked. How odd that it was in Skokie. Very near where we were staying. This was my daughters new car that she does use for her job but not a rental. A friend of mine had to deal with a rental company over a wreck and it was horrible. I would rather deal with my own insurance company, I think. knock on wood..

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

Well, I used to go regularly to work with a large printing company. I kept my eyes open for neo-Nazis who populate the area. No run ins with them, luckily.

Cheryl P. said...

What a bite that you would have an accident on a vacation like that. Paris has the craziest drivers ever. It had to have been someone elses fault. Probably a good thing that you remained composed. I think the French might of had the upper hand in Paris.

Yes, tractors are bigger and more expensive than ever. Easily a combine is now more than half a million dollars. Still plenty of mooing cows and baa-ing goats. Our grandboys think the bunnies are cute.

Wendy said...

Cheryl, Cheryl , I read this twice, and realized that perhaps this accident is your fault. Weren't you the one who said, "From year to year there isn't much that changes". Doesn't that sound like someone who is looking for something new and exciting? Even asking for it, so to speak. So, it seems the 'fates' (whomever they may be, depending on whether you are a Shakespeare fan or not) got together to make certain an eventful and memorable holiday would be had by all. So, if you aren't feeling so grateful about their choice of 'event', best take it up with 'them'. Although, it would seem to me that it should have been Your car that got smashed..oh, no, of course not, because you would not be as calm as your daughter. See, 'they' knew, 'they' understood. :) Loved last pic of you and hubby (I presume) but the kitty is the best part. Glad for all that no one was in the car at the time, and everyone is well.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

She must have got a recessive gene or two. Her calmness probably comes from some long-deceased ancestor in the mists of time.

lisleman said...

It was the other guy's fault. He was from Tunisia or some other North African country. He had all the forms which made me wonder if he had accidents on a regular basis. It was a leased car (long story), minor damage and apparently not a scam.

Cheryl P. said...

I have long suspected the "fates" (whomever they may be) are out to piss me off. Maybe they were confused on whose car was whose. Sounds like pretty inefficient fates at work.



Yes, the last cartoon is supposed to be me and hubby but I needed a sign holder as well. The cat volunteered.

Cheryl P. said...

Yes, there are some very calm people among our families. I had an aunt stall her car in a busy intersection in downtown Chicago some years ago. (before cell phones) She was holding up traffic in a BIG way. Cars honking, traffic jamming. She just calmly sat while people screamed out of their car windows at her. She figured at some point someone would come up to her car to help... either try to fix the problem or get her some help. They did. She never broke a sweat. She is still around and still totally calm.

Cheryl P. said...

He must of been a serial car wrecker. Although, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Those circles/round-abouts in Paris are SCARY!!!

Jo-Anne said...

I don't get how some people can remain so calm but then I have been known to remain calm in a crisis................yeah this from the woman who tried to ring 888 instead of 000 when youngest rode a pee wee 50 through a fence without a helment..........lol

Nicky said...

First off, I love what Kiddo #1 is wearing - very stylish! Secondly, your hubby is very handsome for a cartoon. And lastly, your daughter is freakishly calm. I don't know anyone who would remain calm after finding their car smashed while on vacation.

Riot Kitty said...

Certainly doesn't come from my gene pool. I admire that, as I'm much more like the cat in your picture! Good to know beans and corn still grow, btw, thanks for the update ;) (Seriously, thank you for the laughs!)

Cheryl P. said...

I have on some occasions remained calm when a crisis demanded me to take charge.I am totally pragmatic when blood is involved. However, I tend to become unglued when some petty bad behavior on someone's part makes me mad. Maybe the mother in us keeps us on target if someone gets hurt.

Cheryl P. said...

My daughter is stylish and like you she loves high heels...with everything. I don't know how you younger women do that. She claims they are more comfortable than flats. She did not get that from me.



She assures me that she isn't always calm but I rarely see her lose her composure. As far as the car goes she didn't get upset about it. She figures it will be taken care of, I guess. Knowing that it would all turn out OK wouldn't of kept me from losing my mind.

Cheryl P. said...

I would be closer to the cat as well. I would be calling that trucker some very nasty names. Maybe not to his face as he didn't stick around after ramming daughter's car....but I would still be sending evil thoughts his way.


Thanks for laughing...I appreciate readers that find some humor in my posts.

Trina said...

Wow, now that's awesome. I would be ranting and raving at everyone about the luck of m car being smashed while on vacation. I would have been given the run around from every one - insurance, cops, rental car etc... And she just calmly handled it like nothing happened? Man, she's good
The Delaware State fair started this week here in Harrington, Delaware. I can't wait to get a fried Twinkie or fried snickers or a giant bloomin' onion or a funnel cake.... Yep, fair is synonymous for "heart attack waiting to happen" But I wouldn't change it a bit (well, maybe the prices... they seem to go up each year)
Clicks!
--Trina

Wolfbernz said...

Hi Cheryl,
We'll be taking the grandson to the Delaware State fair this week. I plan to spoil him with plenty of treats and rides. Sometimes, the fair just isn't the same without the smile and innocence of one of the kids to make it all magical all over again.
Kudos to your daughter, I'll bet Crabby Pants was beside herself the whole time. LOL
Clicks for you!
Wolf

Katherine Murray said...

"Who broke Mommy's car!" is HYSTERICAL! Holy COW!!!! Reminds me of when I turned my van in for the first oil change and they crashed it. Then they fixed it. Then they crashed it... AGAIN.

The calm is a combination of both of you.... ummmm.... both of you being examples of what happens if you are NOT calm?!? LOL! XXXOOO!

oldereyes said...

Our kids are both adopted so we don't really get to take credit ... or blame ... for their peccadilloes, not that we don't anyway. In most things, Muri is calmer but in the case of auto accidents, I am. But that's probably because I've had more of them. Fairs and grandkids are indeed a perfect combination.

Cheryl P. said...

Yes, ANYTHING that forces me to deal with an insurance company causes me to become "Crazy Pants."

I love state fairs. AND you are so right about fair food being synonymous with "heart attack waiting to happen". I didn't try the fried snickers or Twinkie but I did try the fried oreo cookie. Who knew you could make an oreo taste even better?

Cheryl P. said...

Kids make the fair more fun for sure. Especially a county fair. The little guys wanting to ride the ride and see the animals makes it far more entertaining. As hot as it was this year, I could of been done with it in a single afternoon.



Yes, Crabby Pants has a real problem with bad drivers that hit a car and then leave. Luckily Mr. Policeman agrees with Crabby Pants and goes after bad drivers.

Cheryl P. said...

Katherine...OMG...the oil change people wrecked your car twice???? I would love to hear that whole story. Were they dropping (battery) acid? or high on exhaust fumes??? At that point they needed to just buy you a new car!!!


Maybe you are on to something..hubby and my tendency to over-react cancels each other out like a double negative. OR maybe our kid sees what crazy looks like and is trying to avoid it.

Cheryl P. said...

Of course, there is a lot to be said for nurture over nature. How much of our kids behavior is due to the environment they were raised in. I see behaviors in both of our kids that came from us.



Hubby and I waiver on who is the calmer. Depends on the situation. Neither of us has been in very many accidents but the ones that involved uninsured drivers or hit and runs bother us more than a purely random fender bender caused by human error. Both of my kids had cars hit while parked on the street when they were in college and no one took responsibility leaving our insurance to pick up the tab. Things like that tick me off.


I agree that grandkids and fairs are the perfect combination.

babs (beetle) said...

I must say that I have learned to remain calm over the years, but a smashed up car, while on holiday, may just break my pattern of calm.

Cheryl P. said...

I don't know how I would of reacted really, had it been my car but it certainly would take some of the fun out of vacation. My daughter handled it extremely well.
As far as car wrecks, I think someone hitting my parked car would make me more mad than if there was a accident involving a right of way issue or some other traffic related error. Either way, the guy should of stuck around and talked to my daughter about it.

abeerfortheshower said...

Your daughter sounds pretty cool. It seems like you did an awesome job with her. Me, my cars are my everything. If I walked out to see one my cars like that I'd probably flip my lid - babble obscenities, uproot a tree, and overturn that semi. Hey, at least I admit it.

Also, it's fun to play the 'who got what?' game. I definitely got my dad's elbows. Definitely.

Cheryl P. said...

Yes, she is cool and extremely funny. I would react more like you...obscenities would be involved.


I hope your dad has good elbows. There isn't anything worse that getting short changed in the genetic lottery especially concerning elbows and possibly knees.

Anon A Mus said...

Great post. Could it be that your daughter was calmer because she wasn't as emotional invested in the car as you and your husband? She sees a wrecked car. You see YOUR wrecked car, the unforgiving paperwork to be dealt with, the nightmarish scheduling to get the car fixed, the impact on time for work and family life, etc - frustrations that can be put at bay with a magical word or phrase (known by the uninitiated as profanity).



Or, maybe it's an instance of genes that skip a generation or two before making an appearance. Which means her children will be ... well, gotta love them grandchildren.


Ultimately, I am glad to hear that you were all safe and unhurt. Broke cars can be replaced. (Just save some of those magical words for financing.)

Anon A Mus said...

Oh wait, which Mommy has the broken car? You or your daughter? Sorry, it has been a long day, and it's not even Monday yet.

Cheryl P. said...

I understand about the long day...even longer week. The car was (well I guess it still is as it is being repaired) my daughter's car. My husband and I have an SUV that appears in one of the pictures. She has the same practical point of view as you do. No one was hurt and cars can be fixed. I am sure it will all work out fine.
Her 2 little guys seem pretty excitable now but they are just little guys so whose to say how they will be as adults. Let's hope they are the calm, practical type.