July 30, Chesterland.
Garage sales day, finally, so Julie can discover an American ritual.
We started off on the wrong track, however, with a MacMansion in the woods and what will surely become a Torales family classic garage-sale tale: thirty bucks for a sweater jacket.
Is this a joke?, a lady asked, nailing the day on the head. MacMansion Mom drove in minutes later - in a Hummer. By the book nouveau-riche, and an instant classic.
The ones after that were actually garage sales.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tornado warning.
July 25, Corry.
At noon we were eating down to lunch when Fridman bounded in from practice to tell us there was a tornado warning and we were to leave at once to get to safety in the school gym next door. The sky looked harmless but I rounded the kids, grabbed my purse, computer and camera and rushed out.
We were only in the school for a short time but enough to scare Julie out of her wits and bring back ugly memories of the Pana debacle. This time Mr. North and others were about telling people about the danger and making sure they knew where to go.
At noon we were eating down to lunch when Fridman bounded in from practice to tell us there was a tornado warning and we were to leave at once to get to safety in the school gym next door. The sky looked harmless but I rounded the kids, grabbed my purse, computer and camera and rushed out.
We were only in the school for a short time but enough to scare Julie out of her wits and bring back ugly memories of the Pana debacle. This time Mr. North and others were about telling people about the danger and making sure they knew where to go.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday night at the circus.
July 24, North East.
I took Julie and the kids to lake Erie in the afternoon to beat the heat. After the shows we headed for the Dairy Queen just up a short hill from the circus, hard to resist.
A fitting welcome to all-American ice-cream for Julie, followed by one of our favorite movies, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Welcome Julie.
July 23, Westfield.
Julie arrived last night in Buffalo from Grenoble, in the French Alps, where my mother lives. We all went to pick her up, armed with a banner saying "Welcome Julie" in big bold letters made by Dylan during our homeschool. She is eighteen, the daughter of Dylan's physician; this is her first time in the United States and in a circus.
Julie arrived last night in Buffalo from Grenoble, in the French Alps, where my mother lives. We all went to pick her up, armed with a banner saying "Welcome Julie" in big bold letters made by Dylan during our homeschool. She is eighteen, the daughter of Dylan's physician; this is her first time in the United States and in a circus.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
East Concord.
July 22, East Concord.
The town is so small it doesn't come up on maps.
There is one stop sign.
It is still hot but not so inhuman as yesterday.
The town is so small it doesn't come up on maps.
There is one stop sign.
It is still hot but not so inhuman as yesterday.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
On chairs and such.
July 21, Warsaw.
As Jim Royal told me in an email earlier this month, it is hotter than the fringes of hell today. The Midwest has been suffering under a heat wave for longer than anyone cares to remember, but we had been relatively sheltered here in the East, until now.
Tavana's quote on the route slip said "It's a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do," (Walter Winchell) to which one can only add, if the pavement goes with the chair, you're in for trouble.
As Jim Royal told me in an email earlier this month, it is hotter than the fringes of hell today. The Midwest has been suffering under a heat wave for longer than anyone cares to remember, but we had been relatively sheltered here in the East, until now.
Tavana's quote on the route slip said "It's a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do," (Walter Winchell) to which one can only add, if the pavement goes with the chair, you're in for trouble.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Geneva.
July 19, Geneva.
Great location to advertise the circus, downtown and on the lake, within walking distance of everything; we went for breakfast just crossing the street.
Monday, July 18, 2011
After the storm.
July 18, Tully.
Storm this morning, storm tonight.
Lucky it was clear last night for the big BBQ at the Poemas, who had family visiting, and for the guys at the pie car, next door at John and Reyna's, who were having a party.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Split.
July 16, Mayfield.
Split lot, the big top is crammed next to a gas station with a few performers' houses and the rest of us are down the street, on a school parking lot. No light, but water.
Ryan when we asked him about the situation as we saw some people drive away from the school late in the morning: "Only performers can go back and park near the tent. My sister-in-law (Delena) does not qualify. Oscar does."
The Poemas set up their pool so I added ours and we beat the heat.
Split lot, the big top is crammed next to a gas station with a few performers' houses and the rest of us are down the street, on a school parking lot. No light, but water.
Ryan when we asked him about the situation as we saw some people drive away from the school late in the morning: "Only performers can go back and park near the tent. My sister-in-law (Delena) does not qualify. Oscar does."
The Poemas set up their pool so I added ours and we beat the heat.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Circus Smirkus.
July 14, Malta.
I did laundry with the kids while Fridman worked on the school house and then we rushed to see Circus Smirkus this afternoon at the Saratoga Springs raceway, a student circus performing during the summer, and were delighted by the show, as well as the equipment (a Canobio tent, state-of-the-art light and sound system) and overall professionalism of the whole production.
I did laundry with the kids while Fridman worked on the school house and then we rushed to see Circus Smirkus this afternoon at the Saratoga Springs raceway, a student circus performing during the summer, and were delighted by the show, as well as the equipment (a Canobio tent, state-of-the-art light and sound system) and overall professionalism of the whole production.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Travel day.
July 12, Cairo.
Today was another travel day and we didn't make it to this lot until four o'clock, this being an unusually long jump, and as always some problems arising on the road, first Casey's truck again, transmission went out, then Carolyn's truck, which overheated.
It was a wonderful treat, those five days in Rhode Island, the ocean, the little park beach, the endless parking lot perfect for kids riding their bikes, five days of not waking up early, we could get used to this, but it's over.
Today was another travel day and we didn't make it to this lot until four o'clock, this being an unusually long jump, and as always some problems arising on the road, first Casey's truck again, transmission went out, then Carolyn's truck, which overheated.
It was a wonderful treat, those five days in Rhode Island, the ocean, the little park beach, the endless parking lot perfect for kids riding their bikes, five days of not waking up early, we could get used to this, but it's over.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Friday, July 08, 2011
The pond.
July 8, Charlestown.
Yesterday was a travel day and we arrived just in time for cook house after having stopped for Casey and endured drivers going from bad to worse. I missed a left exit on I-95, driving almost two miles with my signal on trying to move lanes and nobody letting me.
The day turned hot and in the afternoon we went to the beach at the little pond by the playground, as we did last year. The circus is parked right next to them this year.
Fond memories of catching fish and teaching Dylan how to swim. This time around Nicolas was the one stealing the show with his antics. He started being a bit of a clown about a month ago, changing overnight from a shy little man into a relentless trickster and performer.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
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