Founder's Day & Wiener Washers...Oh My!

Today my husband, my son & I took a little walk into town to check out Templeton's Annual Founder's Day celebration.

Founder's Day commemorates the anniversary of the arrival of the first passengers off the train in November of 1886--exactly 123 years ago. Templeton was the end of the line for train passengers coming from Northern California. Thru travelers had to stop and transfer to stagecoaches heading south to San Luis Obispo. From what I hear, those travelers were not always the most savory of sorts. Templeton is said to have gained a bit of a reputation for it's saloon brawls and it's wild and rough streets. You would never guess it these days, believe me.

I have read that a huge fire destroyed much of the town in 1897, and that it was never rebuilt to it's former glory, but I think that what remains is very quaint and full of character--much more so than the surrounding cities and communities.

We got there towards the end of things but we actually had a really good time. There were free slices of pie (or cake), live entertainment, vintage car and tractor displays, displays of art created by the elementary school students, a face painting booth a hit-n-miss engine display, and a wonderful street fair featuring handmade items by some of the local crafters.









We were completely broke but still managed to come away with some towering ice cream cones, some goats milk soap, and um... a uh....(if you are easily offended, please stop reading here)....
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a Dirty Old Man Wiener Washer. Yes, you read that right....a Wiener Washer, LOL.

This little old lady came walking up to me as I was perusing the Victorian beads and baubles in the booth next to hers and leaned in and asked me if I had ever seen a Wiener Washer. I looked at her for a moment--not quite sure what she was asking me. Then she crooked her arthritic finger back towards her own booth wanting me to follow her. I looked helplessly at my husband, who had of course chosen that moment to spot a long lost friend across the street that he just had to go and say hi to, so I was on my own.

The little old lady led me over to her booth where she showed me her stash of Wiener Washers. And well, being me, I just had to have one. And, anyway, I was scared of her...





This is what the attached tag says:

Dirty Old Man Wiener Washer

"Hey, hey, hey" said Louie..."Look What I have for you."
A washer for your wiener,
so it can feel brand new.
Harriet made it special--
she knew you'd wear it well.
Cause where you've had that wiener
no one can really tell...
So next time that you take a bath,
be sure to wash it cleaner...
Cause there's nothing more disgusting
than a dirty, grimy wiener!