Count Down to end of Summer

It is official summer is coming to an end. The Canadian National Exhibition opens tomorrow. As long as I can remember, the opening of the CNE marked the end of the summer, the last two weeks before things changed and we all went back to school. Since I was always in school either as a student or teacher, Labour Day weekend meant a serious transition. I have not visited the fair for many years, I am almost tempted to visit this year but without the wonderful Food building which offered many opportunities to sample free food and buy Tiny Tim donuts which I think are still available, I am not sure that the attraction is there. I also remember watching the waterfront show with the water skiers. Wonder if that still happens? Maybe it is time to get down to the waterfront.

This fair that started in 1879 as an agricultural fair does not have the same allure that it once did for many people since we have Wonderland with its many rides and people are more mobile and visit Disney World which is a year round attraction and has a different purpose. Hope that children visit and have the same fun that I once did. I remember the summer that a group of us collected Telefun coupons and arranged for neighbours to give us their papers so that we could get extra coupons. We were able to take our Telefun coupons and exchange them for serious discounts on the rides. That summer, I actually rode the roller coaster- that will never happen again- don't know why my motion sickness did not strike that time. I did not ride the Wild Mouse- that would definitely have been too much.

Enjoy these last two weeks of real summer.