We arrived in the car park just on opening time – as did tonnes of other people. We’d barely taken ten steps (remember, we’re still in the car park) before Keira saw her first food stall and asked, “Can I have some fairy floss?”

“Keira, it’s only 9.30am.”

{Insert blank expression}

“Can I have some NOW?”

******

So we animal nursery-ied. Keira held a chook. Riley ran around calling the pigs ‘little cows’ (we SO NEED to leg it to my grandparent’s farm at Christmas and re-educate them!)

We handed over a mortage payment just so we could all ride the ultra-exclusive-itevenhasitsownpersonalservicebutler-ferriswheel.

(I waved over to your house, Del!)

Then, in what was certainly a highlight of the day for me, I let Adam scoot off to a half hour Barista’s course/workshop where he could pick up coffee brewing tips while I babysat two sugar-hopped kids in the middle of the food pavilion.

Yep. That was fun.

******

{As we passed the last – when it was originally the first – food stall on the way out, Keira asked again, “Can I have some fairy floss?” we said yes. And it’s still in the car, edges nibbled. And the edges that were nibbled are now wet, which means it’s dried hard and crystallized. And you realise that when Keira looks at it she’s going to crinkle her nose and say, “I don’t want anymore.” Which means you wasted $3. But on top of a day of over-paying and playing the clowns for $4 for a $1 prize, well, meh, you say whatevah. You only do it once a year (and thank goodness it’s only once a year!)

******

The best part of the show?

This:

kids asleep

karen andrews

Karen Andrews is the creator of this website, one of the most established and well-respected parenting blogs in the country. She is also an author, award-winning writer, poet, editor and publisher at Miscellaneous Press. Her latest book is Trust the Process: 101 Tips on Writing and Creativity