2 buttons, 2 rainstorms

 i went to the minnesota state fair and was there for most of the day, arriving around 8am after taking the bus. i wanted to arrive earlier than typical, as sometimes i would get there in the afternoon, as i new there was rain in the forecast. i got the history walking tour and all of its 12 stations in before a meetup friend arrived. the prize was some postcards, a bag and a kite. i had more beer than typical, three drinks- a grain belt, a lift bridge, and a michelob golden light. but i am aware that my meetup friend, a retired postal accountant, likes beer and was trying various beers throughout the fair, especially the 'flights'. not only at the hangar, but also at the agriculture building. i also spent more on food than typical, getting a pronto pup, 2 cones of ice cream, tex-mex tacos (from the international bazaar) and cheese curds (from the dairy building). i still got to the places i like seeing most, the fine arts building and the newspaper museum. the most memorable work of art from the former was called 'covid nightingale' and i got a postcard from the latter showing old logos of various minnesota companies including 3m and supervalu. the rain arrived in the afternoon just after having the pronto pup, went inside for my first of two looks at the fine arts building. the other was in the evening, just after having the tacos, then my friend decided to go back to his bus, he got on at mall of america. the staging area was the west end. i decided to get a second look at the fine arts building, then i got back on a bus as well, on snelling. the bus that brought me to the fair had finished its run for the day so i had to get on one that brought me to downtown st. paul and then transfer. oh, and the two buttons were of this year's fair and of 2019's. the former i got at an information booth and the other when i claimed the history prize. also claimed a smashed penny left on a wall next to some art, and bought two postcards under the grandstand during one of my friend's beer stops, next to the hideaway. one of them was of the first national bank building in downtown st. paul. during my walks i found 1 dollar 2 cents.