Plymouth County Fair

A lot has transpired over the past week. 

The weather has been like a mild California spring.

We only had one heavy rain day and that turned us into a mud show. But the fair brought saw dust and we were right as rain.  

After a week in Le Mars with the best fans ever.....we moved on to Janesville to stay with friends, the Ver Steegts, for a couple of days. Jim had a one day booking at the Breamer Co Fair.  He performed it today. 

Below is a brief story of the week. 

No mentioned is the cool owl on the fence post off of hwy 20 in Iowa and the deer that decided not to run in front of us and run into the corn field instead. Beautiful.

Welcome to the blog after a bit of an absence. The location I was at limited me bandwidth and you can imagine my frustration. Above its a a pix Jim tool of the girls backstage at the Plymouth County fair in LeMars, IA. It was our third year and they asked us to block off next year for them. I tell you we had audiences so large they couldn't provide enough bleachers for. Everytime they added a bleacher it filled an another was needed until there was no more real estate to put seating. Well over 600 people at some shows. And we did three a day.

It was Go fish in between shows.

Victor's Birthday Lunch. He had a great birthday. He spent it in three states.  We were in Sioux City which is three cities in three states...North Sioux City in SD (that is where we camped), South Sioux City in NE, that is where we fished mid-day on his birthday on the Missouri River, and Sioux City itself where we fished on the day we left, the day after his b-day.   We also had ice cream as a cake and lit candles on it. Vic enjoyed trying to eat the full gallon...everyone helped a little.

This pix was in the newspaper that featured what was happening at the fair.

Here is a group of "Salkers" (fans) They made a great poster for us and call themselves the Flying Tator tots.  They came to almost every show.  They also became part of Jim's Mustache group (a picture in here somewhere.

A fan got this shot of Tator.
While in LeMars we added over 250 new Facebook fans.

Here is a sign one of the stalkers made.

This picture is from the local paper. I think it is the first time our tortoise made the paper.

Homeschooling backstage. 

 Amelia's new firehoop...yes it is on fire. Look at the crowd....that is only a portion at one of the slow shows.

 They all drew moustaches on their faces....great fans.
BTW Mami wants to thank all the "stalkers" for their kindness to our family.

 We let Cookie the new puppy make one stage appearance. we even taped it. Below is the life stage shot.

 A Park bench is no challenge for Jim's Chin.

 Even, Ryan, the sound guy had his fans. Read the shirts.

 A first for Jim he balanced my cane while on a walking globe....he will be adding more.
At the Breamer fair today (5/31) he ate a hamburger while juggling it...another first for him.

 These Stalkers made a great poster for us with our whole family on it and their autographs as well. On the back are quotes fromt he show with my, "I'm Spicy" line from the fire-eating act dead center.

 Cookie and Victor as proud daddy, tator tot looks on.

 I'm shucking corn. Afterwards I grilled them. Man were they tasty. We bought them from some kids selling them on the roadside...imagine that selling roadside corn in Iowa.

 Back at the start of the tour we suffer hail damage in three skylights. Here Miles is prior to the shows replacing the vent covers.

 Getting Mami out of jeans, tennis shoes, and an apron is hard work. I bought here three pairs of shoes, two sun dresses, nail polish and we went out on the town.  I couldn't stop staring at her all night.  I think she looks pretty darn sexy. Yet she stuck with rolly polly me. We went to a BBQ place...

A great fortunate event was while at dinner Mami told me the hinge on her glasses   were broken. Turned out there was a lense crafters right across the street from the Rib joint. It only took 12 minutes and she had new frames.

 Today we hit two watering holes, one is the Cedar river here in Waterloo.  Over all the kids caught 11 fish; 9 blue gills and 2 small mouth bass.  The girls helped scale and cleaned them later that night. (or earlier this night. Our lunch for tomorrow.

Our friend Steve Drilling caught a bag of water.  

In between running around with the fishing, getting a blood test (as ordered by my doc three mo.s ago), getting two new trailer tires, getting some hardware at an ag store and such a buddy, Marty (Steve's bro) showed me an antique farm equipment museum place he is a part of.  That is a 1911 Avery steam tractor....and it still works.

I still have a lot to say a more pictures to share but I have to wind it up now.

We leave early to start our drive to pick CC up in Michigan tomorrow. 

Beaver......And set up in Le Mars

We decided to try our luck on the Missouri this morning. We went to spot we saw anglers doing well yesterday but it was 11 am and there were no fishermen around....a bad sign. But we wanted to at least try before heading inland to our next gig in LeMars. While on the rocky shore I noticed a lot of movement off to one side. I told Victor to get his line over there asap...then the little rodent stuck his head out the water as if to say hi.  It was a very cute beaver.....flat tail and all.   What made it even more special was that Mami had tagged along.
I think he was just as curious about us as he spent a moment studying us then moved on. Very cool.

The folks here at the fair are expecting a lot for us. A record 9 bleachers have been brought out for us.  Last year we had 7 and still had over flow.....  BTW as Cali goes through Hunidty and hot weather we are in the mid 70s dry and comfy.

Happy Birthday Vic Jr....Three States in 5 minutes

First let me say... I hate flies. RVing means they become a regular part of your life. You find all kinds of tips, ideas, inventions and stuff to keep them away.  But inevitably, even though you thought you killed everyone of them the night before having spent time, energy and patience, there is always that one or two that end up buzzing you at 6AM. Then it starts all over again. You yell at everyone to keep that door closed. Don't lolligag around the door, just get in or get out. But in those short seconds those masters of getting in....get in. Then the hunt, night after night......I hate flies.  Not to mention fruit flies....how do they even get in. Where do they come from????????????
Cookie Report. He has grown so much in the one month and 3 days of his life. He gets out of his whelping box often and we have to be very careful where we step.  He doesn't have sibling so we put a small stuffed bear in with him and they wrestle around.  The kids also spend a lot of time playing with him.  He is even beginning to play more with his mom...but she would rather just fee him then get out. He is now beginning to have gerber rice and dog mile supplement besides the mom milk he gets.

We finished our shows at the Cherokee Co Fair and have been invited back for next year.  The crowds were great.  I can't believe how mild the weather has been this entire season. 

We packed up yesterday and pulled out this morning. Since we wanted to go fishing on the MO River we made the grueling hour drive to Sioux City.  This part of the Missouri River sits on the corner of three states; Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa.  Today, in search of various things Vic Jr and I visited all three states. 

It is Victor's (JR) 12th birthday today.  He was quite excited to get a Dr WHo Sonic screwdriver and go out to the lunch of his choosing with dad. (a tradition with all the kids). We then went fishing on the Big Sioux River and the Missouri.  We fished....we didn't catch.  We did however spot a honey hole across from where we were trying today and may hit it tomorrow morning. 

Here are come pix from last week at the fair:

 87 year old magician Cletus, from Cherokee.

 At the science and history museum in Cherokee.

 Pre robot stage.....I look good in spandex........?

 I am the groomer now in the family.  Here is Little Girl.  She was so Matted I had to take it all it all off...now she looks like one of those naked Chinese Naked dogs....I will trip her top knot this week.