Location: Washington State Fair Campground, Puyallup, Washington

Dates: Aug. 13 to 20, 2017

After arriving at the Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 13), we scoured the entire trailer looking for our receipt that says we paid. We were supposed to put it in the window of the trailer somewhere so that they would know we were legit. Malcolm walked over to the fairground office on Monday morning and got a duplicate copy made and we tacked it up in the window.

Malcolm also contacted the wheel supplier for our trailer and started a warranty claim on our cracked wheel. He also asked if they would send two more wheels  so we would have a complete set of four wheels of the newer version. They said they would as a goodwill gesture. Now, we just wait on the wheels to arrive.

On Monday afternoon, we met Elizabeth and the girls for lunch at Trackside Pizza – one of their favorites. We were treated to several trains running by the restaurant while we ate. We headed back to the trailer so Malcolm could work the rest of the afternoon. We headed on over to Cole and Elizabeth’s house after work and had dinner with them.

Tuesday was kind of a quiet day for us. Elizabeth was babysitting some children so we hung around the trailer while Malcolm worked and Val worked on some sewing projects. We headed over to Cole and Elizabeth’s after work for dinner again.

On Wednesday, Violet had a dentist appointment, so Elizabeth dropped Scarlet off with us for the morning. She got some alone time with Nana’s iPad so that Pa could work.

On Thursday, Elizabeth was babysitting again, but brought her charges along with her to the trailer. They wanted to see Callie. They also brought along crafts and made “slime” while they were here.

Elizabeth realized she left the house with her own girls’ lunches, but forgot the lunches for the children she was watching. We made an executive decision to walk over to Don’s Drive-In restaurant which is on the other side of the fairgrounds from our trailer.

On Friday, Elizabeth asked if we could watch both girls since she and a friend were going to do a photo shoot. We watched the girls most of the morning, then headed to McDonalds for lunch (the girls’ choice). Afterwards, we met Elizabeth at the Meeker Mansion in Puyallup. It was a very interesting mansion that has been under restoration for some time now.

Ezra Meeker was known as an ambassador of the Pacific Northwest to the world and was one of the primary promoters of the Oregon Trail. He and his wife joined a wagon train in 1852 at the height of the western migration along the trail.

Ezra was an adventurer, farmer, businessman, philanthropist, writer, civic leader, and hops king to the world at various times. He earned and lost several fortunes after settling in the area.

Ezra Meeker platted the town of Puyallup, naming it after a local Indian tribe. Ezra continued to be a proponent and champion of the Oregon trail well into his elder years, making several trips back and forth on the trail well into his 80’s. He lived to be 94 years old.

On Saturday morning, Malcolm headed out to Fox Island where Cole’s grandmother has a place on the Puget Sound. It is traditional that the family congregates there most every weekend during the summertime. Malcolm was helping Cole and some of the other men replace the shingles on the front of the house.

Elizabeth and the girls picked up Val and they did some shopping and looking around at various places in Puyallup. They found a Cajun restaurant in Puyallup and enjoyed lunch there before heading out to the island to join the rest of the family.

The men worked well into the evening and Malcolm was sore and tired when we went to travel back to the trailer around 9:00 PM (most everyone else stays there in their travel trailers).

We both headed back to the island today (Sunday the 20th) after stopping by to grab some donuts for breakfast. Malcolm assisted the men again as they finished the siding and did some painting. He also took a walk along the beach with the granddaughters.

Val’s sister, Anne (who currently lives in Tacoma) and our nephew Jonathan came out to visit, as well. We all had dinner together and, after helping clean up a bit, we headed out around 7:00 to head back to the trailer.

We’ll be here at the fairground through this coming Friday, the 25th after which we’ll be moving to Gig Harbor which is closer to Fox Island. The fairgrounds has to chase all us regular customers out on the 25th to make room for incoming fair vendors since the fair starts the Friday before Labor Day weekend.