August 31, Watseka.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Tavo.
August 30, Lowell.
Tavo, short for Gustavo, one of the Perez brothers, is boss of the tent crew.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
In and out.
August 28, Benton Harbor.
Jason went back to the Carson and Barnes Circus yesterday and Josie came back.
Jason went back to the Carson and Barnes Circus yesterday and Josie came back.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Another absentee picture.
August 28, Benton Harbor.
Whenever the rain lets out the guys on the crew air the dirty laundry out, literally. They put their soaked work clothes out to dry, washing will wait for the next laundry day, for tomorrow's job will likely to be just as wet and muddy.
And that's all I can do without Courtney to help me with the kids, wait for one of them to take a nap and the other to go off with Fridman and walk around looking for a picture when everybody else is either sleeping or out.
I feel just as stuck, and frustrated, as Courtney, only it's with four extra legs, not a hurt one (admittedly much better.)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Boots.
August 27, Paw Paw.
In school the assignment was called "People without people" and I thought it was going to be easy; for once I would not have to battle the shyness I thought I had vanquished, only to feel it rush back behind the corner of the next time I had to ask someone if I could take their picture.
Instead the assignment turned out to be one of the hardest. How do you picture the hush people leave behind?
(I find words are no easier task.)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
After the fall.
August 26, Hastings.
Courtney was in severe pain for most of the night, crying out, her foot on fire. She spent the night with us, I didn't want her to be alone, and Fridman stayed up to help her take her pain medicine in the middle of the night. When it wears off it's horrible, she says.
From now on it's been decided she'll stay in the Jomar, Mr. North's motor home, where she will travel too, like this morning, laying on the couch. She is frustrated and angry about not being able to move, about being utterly dependent on others, unable to do even the most simple tasks, just to reach for something, to drink a sip of water from a bottle. She hated the hospital, said she got better care in China. Reyna and John, Tavana, the little sisters, Fridman and I are attending to all her needs.
She's having a movie date with Dylan right now.
Leaving the hospital yesterday afternoon.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Bad news.
August 24, North Holland.
Courtney broke her ankle in several places. She's at the hospital.
The season is over for her and I feel so bad, Courtney always with the smile, the biggest smile, Courtney so enthusiastic, so driven and passionate, practicing every day, impatient as a colt when she couldn't for one reason or another, Courtney the warmth of our Kelly Miller season this year, so gentle and enduring with Dylan, always there to lend a hand taking care of him and Nicolas for me, I feel so bad for her, and there is absolutely nothing I can do but hope she stays with us for a while yet.
Courtney broke her ankle in several places. She's at the hospital.
The season is over for her and I feel so bad, Courtney always with the smile, the biggest smile, Courtney so enthusiastic, so driven and passionate, practicing every day, impatient as a colt when she couldn't for one reason or another, Courtney the warmth of our Kelly Miller season this year, so gentle and enduring with Dylan, always there to lend a hand taking care of him and Nicolas for me, I feel so bad for her, and there is absolutely nothing I can do but hope she stays with us for a while yet.
An accident.
August 24, North Holland.
Just when you think life is getting a little dull, you get up in the morning, drive, set up the trailer, cook, clean, take care of the kids, take pictures, cook again, clean again, change a diaper or two, take more pictures, give the kids a bath, struggle to get them to sleep, lose patience, vow not to lose patience next time, fall asleep, exhausted, wake up, drive, do the whole thing over again, and you think, sometimes, life is getting a little dull, then you catch yourself, but it's too late, something happens that makes you wish you hadn't.
Courtney fell and hurt her ankle this morning during practice. Fridman and Castro rushed her to the nearest clinic and we're waiting to find out if it's broken or simply, hopefully, strained.
Just when you think life is getting a little dull, you get up in the morning, drive, set up the trailer, cook, clean, take care of the kids, take pictures, cook again, clean again, change a diaper or two, take more pictures, give the kids a bath, struggle to get them to sleep, lose patience, vow not to lose patience next time, fall asleep, exhausted, wake up, drive, do the whole thing over again, and you think, sometimes, life is getting a little dull, then you catch yourself, but it's too late, something happens that makes you wish you hadn't.
Courtney fell and hurt her ankle this morning during practice. Fridman and Castro rushed her to the nearest clinic and we're waiting to find out if it's broken or simply, hopefully, strained.
The hummer.
August 24, North Holland.
Following an already long list of nicknames I like to call Nicolas the Hummer now.
He hums all the time. Our days are filled with the familiar tunes of the show and he hums them all to himself, and then he hums the children songs he knows, the French songs and the American songs, it doesn't make any difference since he hums.
Following an already long list of nicknames I like to call Nicolas the Hummer now.
He hums all the time. Our days are filled with the familiar tunes of the show and he hums them all to himself, and then he hums the children songs he knows, the French songs and the American songs, it doesn't make any difference since he hums.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Last dance.
August 22, Grand Haven.
Casey has begun doing this thing where he lets go of the whip with one of the tigers at the very end of his act.
The magic of the circus.
August 22, Grand Haven.
The rain comes in gusts, goes, catches you again; it was in the forties this morning, and smelled like fall.
There is more than circus magic at Kelly Miller; it has managed to hop and skip across summer and go directly from rainy spring to rainy fall.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Play misty for me.
August 22, Scottville.
The first movie directed by Clint Eastwood has absolutely nothing to do with it.
I can't think of mist without remembering the movie, sitting transfixed in a musty arts theater in Paris in the eighties on an afternoon otherwise long since forgotten.
Two cups.
August 20, Manistee.
Shop sign somewhere on highway 31 south:
Free coffee for Indians
Free coffee for veterans
Two cups for Indian veterans.
Shop sign somewhere on highway 31 south:
Free coffee for Indians
Free coffee for veterans
Two cups for Indian veterans.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Zefta.
August 19, Empire.
Zefta and Yolanda both are leaving in a few days, back to Hugo and school for the former and to work in another circus with her mother for the latter.
I never tire of trying to paint their striking faces.
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