Sunday, November 6th …..

The crowd at the Fair today wasn’t as large as expected which is very surprising as Sunday is usually a big day and the weather was beautiful. However, there are just as many jobs to do whether it’s busy or quiet; there’s no rest for the Rotarians.

The day was generally uneventful although there was one unexpected treat. While I was doing my duty on one of the gates a small group of young women walked in, all dressed in white, with white faces and serious expressions. They were being shepherded along by a middle-aged woman who never spoke. The group assembled itself and posed, clearly inviting photographs. One of the young women placed a box, containing some money, at her feet.

It turned out that they were a group of dance students from the local High School. The shepherdess was their teacher and the exercise was designed to teach poise and the ability to hold a pose. They had obtained their clothes at the local op shop and painted them with various white paints. It was a delight to see them and they attracted the interest they deserved.

Today, I was determined to get a bowl of Tempura Mushrooms. I had missed out on the previous two days as they had sold out early, so today I turned up before lunch, successfully, and they were delicious. It’s hard to eat carefully at the Fair, not only because of the range of fabulous food available among the stalls, but because of the great (and free!) slices and cakes made by the ladies at the Hospitality Area. The ladies belong to the Inner Wheel, an organisation of wives of Rotarians. The Deloraine group is a particularly strong one, famous for their catering which is along the lines of the CWA – sweet and creamy and old-fashioned.