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Each year on October 31st Cam and I go to the New Hanover County Fair. By Cam’s description to Mary’s 4 month old baby girl… “Today is the best day of you life, Tamara… it’s fair day!!!!”. Ha, ha – - that’s my boy. He definitely has a flair for the dramatic.

I love fair day too. A few years ago Mary and I decided to take Cam and Rach to the fair on Halloween. Since we don’t go trick or treating and a majority of fair going population does… we figured it would be a pretty safe bet. Boy, were we right! The place was nearly deserted and the kids rode ride after ride with no wait at all. And, as a bonus, no crowds to send my a.d.d. in a tail spin. Each year a few more families have joined us…. now – - it’s pretty much ROCK night at the fair… and so much fun for adults and kids alike.

I love traditions… and our annual fair exploits have created several sub-traditions. The day, the people, seeing who will be the one to toss their corn dog (cam passed the hurl award off to Felicia this year – you can read Lori’s post about that here) , the final ride on the ferris wheel – just Cam and me (this story is really, truly worth a click) and the pictures…. I love taking fair pictures. The lights are awesome and the faces are priceless. My favorite annual picture is taking pictures of the kids while we are all on the swings. Which brings me to the reason for my matrix video (you were beginning to think I forgot, huh?).

It was late into the night and Cam and I were waiting to get on the swings with Eric and Joe. We love this ride and I had not yet gotten my flagship pic for the year. As we were waiting and chatting – - it happened. I didn’t even need to turn around to see the catalyst for the next sequence of events – - Eric’s eyes instantly told the whole story (like Jerry chomping down on Tom’s tail in a Tom & Jerry cartoon). What follows I am certain happened in super high def, slow motion. Eric did a matrix move as the chunks went hurling by like bullets, arms circling over his head, twisting and contorting to avoid certain contamination. LOL. Ok, I’m exaggerating a little – - but not much. There is at least enough of the truth in there that this analogy came pretty much instantaneously. Then they shut the ride down to clean it up.

And that is why I don’t have my annual swing shot. I have others, though… I’ll post them later.