Sarah Nigbor

As I write this column, I am sitting in the Silver Barn at the Pierce County Fairgrounds Tuesday morning, trying to multitask by attending the rabbit show to support my daughter and fellow 4-H club members and finish newspaper deadline day at the same time. I am fueled by day-old Starbucks coffee that was sitting in my coffee pot from yesterday. It’s not half bad!

The week of the fair is always pure insanity and I swear every year that we will be more on top of things. I think Carolina did a better job at getting things done ahead of time this year; however, that only goes so far when you enter about 45 projects in the fair.

Last night was a scene out of a comedy sketch or a horror movie: I haven’t decided which yet. It’s almost become a tradition to check in her rabbits at the fair in a pouring rainstorm. Our large umbrella only did so much when trying to haul three rabbits and all their supplies through the driving rain into the rabbit barn. I’m sure those with larger animals had even more fun than we did.

Once the bunnies were settled, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the 4-H Food Stand. While walking there, a huge crack and thud shook the ground. The air was electric. A tree had fallen onto the roof of the horse barn not far from where we were. It scared the daylights out of me. Thankfully no one was hurt, that I am aware of.

After we were full of quesadillas and brats, we hightailed it home to finish Carolina’s numerous baking projects. This was the first year that I didn’t have to help her bake anything; I couldn’t believe how efficient she was and how good everything tasted. Maybe a little too good, because her brother almost ate the entire brownie pan before she could cut out the squares to take to the fair.

Carolina finally passed out on the couch around 1:30 a.m. as I looked wearily at the clock, back to my computer, then to the clock again. “I can do this, right?” I thought. I only had four more stories to write, four to edit and one column to complete. Fueled by more old coffee and Diet Coke, I pressed on. I finally threw in the towel around 4 a.m. The alarm coming at 6:30 a.m. was going to come fast.

Please forgive me if you find any mistakes this week or see me wandering bleary-eyed around the fairgrounds. I love it but it’s getting harder each year to get it all done on little sleep. Be gentle with me. It’s Fair Week!