Show time!
Oct. 2nd, 2003 05:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hnpccOK, I'm getting way too much pleasure out of watching the rain bands sweep over Melbourne.
We went to the Show on the weekend. It was the last day, so there were fewer people than usual and most of the Clydesdales had gone home. :-(
But we still got to ride the chairlift (I had my mobile with me in case I needed to ring the soccer team to say I was stuck and couldn't make it... "you'll never guess where I am.. no, really, you won't...") and got 3 showbags ("Healthy living" - which was 2 for the price of one - "Freddo" and "Bertie Beetle" - both traditional and both cos I'm a tightarse where these things are concerned). And saw lots of cows and some incredible crafts. I'm very impressed by people who can decorate cakes. I did cake decorating as a subject in year 10 (it was one of my "bludge" subjects - um, der, I suppose) and while my cakes looked OK they weren't the absolute masterpieces being entered in the Show. Still, practice I suppose. The needlework was amazing as well - the time and patience put in is so obvious. And I bet they can tie off the ends properly as well.
But what really freaked me in the craft section? The first prize winner in the primary school "Calligraphy" section. This kid has better writing, and far more artistic talent, than I will ever have. I think the last time my writing could have been described as "neat" was about grade 3, and even then if I were attempting to do some of the beautiful swirls and monk-like lettering that this child had achieved I would have ended up with smears everywhere.
I'm jealous. :-) At least I could potentially learn how to decorate better cakes or practice at needlepoint. The calligraphy, though, just isn't going to happen.
From the crafts we wandered over to the ute muster, which made me giggle. Bundaberg Rum should be very happy with their level of sticker takeup and advertising if Melbourne Show's muster is anything to go by. And why does it not surprise me that "Daily Planet" has a ute? And a good one? Hm.
On the animal side of things, we visited the cows, although not the sheep/poultry/pets sections. I have to admit, I have no ambition to become a farmer whatsoever (unless of course society as we know it collapses, in which case it may become slightly necessary. But that's different) although I do like the look and smell of cows. I'm just happy to see/smell cows up close every couple of months or so, rather than on a daily basis. And Mallee bulls are huge. Really huge. And hung like a... um, mallee bull. Most of the other breeds aren't that small either.
And finally, of course, the baby animals. The cutesy part of the show. But look! Baby alpacas! Oooohhhh.... The funniest part of this was that they had a "maternity ward" of about 10 pregnant ewes, and whenever one went into labour she was whisked to the pen next door. That pen was surrounded by stadium seating so that the kiddies could get a (much) better idea of where the lambs actually came from. I haven't laughed so much in ages I have to admit. Some kids were fascinated. Some were in a sort of "this is horrible but I can't look away" mode. And some were screaming. Hee. The petting part was as popular as ever. Baby animals are cute, after all.
(Being what I am of course I did wonder what kind of ethics application they had to pass to be allowed to run it, but that could be just me. ;-))
On the way out we found a bush foods stall, which meant that Dean had to have a yabbie and scallop pie. This, of course, followed the emu burger he'd had for lunch. No point to wildlife if you can't eat it, it seems.
Main thoughts: there seemed to be a lot more crap stalls than there were the last time I went (1993). If I want to see crap I'll go to Vic market, at least there they don't charge $20 entry fee. The rides and animals are as always, but I did miss the grand parade thing where all the prize winning stock are paraded around the main arena. But then again, it was also the last day, so it may just have been timing that caused us to miss it. The ute muster was nice, but not necessary. It'll be interesting to see what changes after the refurbishment of the show buildings next year.
But hey, it was fun. And that's always the point.
We went to the Show on the weekend. It was the last day, so there were fewer people than usual and most of the Clydesdales had gone home. :-(
But we still got to ride the chairlift (I had my mobile with me in case I needed to ring the soccer team to say I was stuck and couldn't make it... "you'll never guess where I am.. no, really, you won't...") and got 3 showbags ("Healthy living" - which was 2 for the price of one - "Freddo" and "Bertie Beetle" - both traditional and both cos I'm a tightarse where these things are concerned). And saw lots of cows and some incredible crafts. I'm very impressed by people who can decorate cakes. I did cake decorating as a subject in year 10 (it was one of my "bludge" subjects - um, der, I suppose) and while my cakes looked OK they weren't the absolute masterpieces being entered in the Show. Still, practice I suppose. The needlework was amazing as well - the time and patience put in is so obvious. And I bet they can tie off the ends properly as well.
But what really freaked me in the craft section? The first prize winner in the primary school "Calligraphy" section. This kid has better writing, and far more artistic talent, than I will ever have. I think the last time my writing could have been described as "neat" was about grade 3, and even then if I were attempting to do some of the beautiful swirls and monk-like lettering that this child had achieved I would have ended up with smears everywhere.
I'm jealous. :-) At least I could potentially learn how to decorate better cakes or practice at needlepoint. The calligraphy, though, just isn't going to happen.
From the crafts we wandered over to the ute muster, which made me giggle. Bundaberg Rum should be very happy with their level of sticker takeup and advertising if Melbourne Show's muster is anything to go by. And why does it not surprise me that "Daily Planet" has a ute? And a good one? Hm.
On the animal side of things, we visited the cows, although not the sheep/poultry/pets sections. I have to admit, I have no ambition to become a farmer whatsoever (unless of course society as we know it collapses, in which case it may become slightly necessary. But that's different) although I do like the look and smell of cows. I'm just happy to see/smell cows up close every couple of months or so, rather than on a daily basis. And Mallee bulls are huge. Really huge. And hung like a... um, mallee bull. Most of the other breeds aren't that small either.
And finally, of course, the baby animals. The cutesy part of the show. But look! Baby alpacas! Oooohhhh.... The funniest part of this was that they had a "maternity ward" of about 10 pregnant ewes, and whenever one went into labour she was whisked to the pen next door. That pen was surrounded by stadium seating so that the kiddies could get a (much) better idea of where the lambs actually came from. I haven't laughed so much in ages I have to admit. Some kids were fascinated. Some were in a sort of "this is horrible but I can't look away" mode. And some were screaming. Hee. The petting part was as popular as ever. Baby animals are cute, after all.
(Being what I am of course I did wonder what kind of ethics application they had to pass to be allowed to run it, but that could be just me. ;-))
On the way out we found a bush foods stall, which meant that Dean had to have a yabbie and scallop pie. This, of course, followed the emu burger he'd had for lunch. No point to wildlife if you can't eat it, it seems.
Main thoughts: there seemed to be a lot more crap stalls than there were the last time I went (1993). If I want to see crap I'll go to Vic market, at least there they don't charge $20 entry fee. The rides and animals are as always, but I did miss the grand parade thing where all the prize winning stock are paraded around the main arena. But then again, it was also the last day, so it may just have been timing that caused us to miss it. The ute muster was nice, but not necessary. It'll be interesting to see what changes after the refurbishment of the show buildings next year.
But hey, it was fun. And that's always the point.
