May Fair Affair

It was a bit cloudy when I headed out this morning. My first stop were two yard sales in Oaklyn. One was on Cedar Avenue, the other that family on West Oakland that sells the collectibles. Neither had anything of interest. I moved on to the bank, which was dead; I was in and out quickly after a short chat with the cashier about my vacation and Lauren's visit.

The main reason I wanted off today was to attend the May Fair in Collingswood. The May Fair is a huge craft show/car show/midway that runs on Haddon Avenue the Saturday before Memorial Day. I've seen it every year I've lived here...but I've never been able to see everything. I always had to rush to get to work. I'm tired of rushing.

I was exploring around Collingswood's City Hall when I ran into Rose, Craig, Khai (snuggled in his daddy's arms), and their puppies Toby (I forget what mix he is, besides "big" and "cowardly") and Kelsey (a very frisky miniature pincher). They were strolling the Fair as well. Rose said they'd just come from the Classic Car Show, which was so long, they didn't take in half of it!

I did better. I saw all but the last few before I got bored and turned back. I'm not really a huge car fan, but I did see some interesting cars. My favorite was an absolute gorgeous, mint cherry-red Bel Air. I'll have to tell my nephew Skylar, who is a huge fan of The Love Bug, that I saw Herbie in person...or at least a late 60s-era Volkswagen painted to look like Herbie.

The rest of the Fair was much busier. I browsed in a doll clothes seller (though I didn't buy anything). I ran into Rose, Craig, and their brood again at the Farm Market (which is on a side street and absorbed into the main Fair for this week). They'd apparently come for the Farm Market and hadn't even known about the Fair. (That happened to me in 2007, when I first started going to the Farm Market.) I ended up buying apples, asparagus, grapefruit, spinach, carrots, mushrooms, strawberries, and a surprise for our dinner this week.

Kept strolling down Haddon Avenue, this time to the Midway. The "midway" is several blocks of kid-oriented games, rides, and booths from the PNC Bank and Bank of America to the Philly Pretzel Factory shop. I'm too old to ride the midway, but they're still cute to look it. I love the little Ferris Wheel, "helicopters," Whip Ride, and bounce houses. There were pony rides in a church parking lot and a train-like "fire truck" on a side street. I bought a present for Lauren from a booth here, but didn't get anything else.

By 11, the clouds were gone and the sun had come out. While a nice breeze prevented it from getting as hot as it could have, it wasn't as cool as the morning, either. I bought a bottle of water from a booth on the corner of Collings and Haddon Avenues, then headed for Oaklyn.

I was kind of tired by then, but I did make one last stop in Oaklyn. I saw signs for a yard sale on Kendall Boulevard, across from the ramp into Oaklyn from the Black Horse Pike, on my way home from work yesterday. They had a couple of good records that I picked up - Jackie Gleason, the Andy Williams Christmas album, a collection of 50s love songs, and a two-disc "best of" collection of early Rod Stewart.

Went straight home after that. Spent the rest of the afternoon doing things around the apartment. I hung out online. I scrubbed the inside and the outside of the refrigerator, which I hadn't done in the five years I've lived here. It was disgusting, especially the top. I crocheted. (The "hat" I was working on for Molly may turn into a purse.) I made another surprise for Lauren, this one home-made. I watched Road to Rio and National Lampoon's Vacation.

And tomorrow...Lauren arrives around 7:30. I can't wait! I'm going to spend the day picking up around here and grabbing a few last things I need.

And...go Flyers, who are 5-5 with the Chicago Blackhawks at press time. Come on boys, you can do it!