The Alameda County Fair

Another thing that kept us busy for a while was the Alameda County Fair. My parents were heading there to sell their Kangoo Jumps and Good Vibrations massagers/exercisers. They asked if Romney and I would be willing to come help them for a long weekend if they paid our airfare. We talked it over and decided that we would go on the 4th of July weekend since that would probably be the busiest weekend of the fair and that's when we'd be of most help. However, we also decided that since Romney didn't have very many vacation days and is trying to save up for our Christmas trip to her parents' home in Visalia this coming December, she would go home on the following Tuesday whereas I would stay most of another week. That way, I would be there two weekends, pretty much through the end of the fair.

The fair itself was kind of a disappointment. My parents had been told before going that the San Francisco Bay area was one of the least effected areas of California because of the number of people with really good jobs, so the fair hadn't been hurting the past few years as might be expected for California's state of its economy. However, the attendance at the fair this year was pretty low. And those who did come had their hands in the pockets as they walked around, stopping at no particular booths.

Romney and I have been married for three years now and not once had we been separated. We were a little nervous that we'd decided to let a week be the duration of our first separation (rather than just a night or two). But we were committed to helping my parents. I must admit, it was pretty difficult. I shamelessly admit that I am rather attached to her and I believe her to me as well. However, I must give credit to where it's due: Romney had the harder end of the bargain. Her parents drove up to spend a day and a half with us and ended up driving her to the airport on their way back home. So Romney had to say goodbye to me and then to them at the airport, board a plane by herself, and then walk into an empty apartment and spend each night by herself for most of a week. On the other hand, I was with my parents the whole time, busy working 12 hour days in the fair, keeping myself occupied the whole time. She's such an angel.