Saturday, July 30, 2011

Is this a joke?

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 30, Chesterland, Ohio (43 miles, middle school grounds.)

Friday, July 29, 2011

At Market Square (second floor.)


July 29, Kinsman.

At Market Square.


July 29, Kinsman.

Kinsman.


July 29, Kinsman.

A trailer with a view.


July 29, Kinsman, Ohio (27 miles, Old Badger school.)

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Backstage.


July 27, Middlefield.

Backstage.


July 27, Middlefield.

Backstage.


July 27, Middlefield.

A trailer with a view.


July 27, Middlefield, Ohio (79 miles, school grounds.)

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Renzo.


July 26, Meadville.

Morning chores.


July 26, Meadville.

Family update.


July 26, Meadville.

A trailer with a view.


July 26, Meadville, Pennsylvania (35 miles, fairgrounds.)

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 25, Corry, Pennsylvania (32 miles, middle school grounds.)

Monday, July 25, 2011

On the water.


July 24, North East.

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

Gravel pit lot.

July 24, North East.

The name says it all.

A trailer with a view.


July 24, North East, Pennsylvania (17 miles, Gravel Pit park.)

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.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

A trailer with a view.


July 23, Westfield, New York (69 miles, Northlake Recreation Center.)

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 22, East Concord, New York (43 miles, Fire Department grounds.)

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 21, Warsaw, New York (50 miles, village park.)

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Out-take (red shirt.)


July 20, Bloomfield.

Morning chores.


July 20, Bloomfield,.

Onlookers.


July 20, Bloomfield.

A trailer with a view.


July 20, Bloomfield, New York (23 miles, Veterans park.)

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 19, Geneva, New York (75 miles, Geneva lake front.)

Monday, July 18, 2011

After the storm, encore.


July 18, Tully.

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 18, Tully, New York (68 miles, municipal building grounds.)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Tatiana's Nicolas, growing.


July 17, Richfield Springs.

A trailer with a view.


July 17, Richfield Springs, New York (64 miles, Skinner-Damulis field.)

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 16, Mayfield, New York (52 miles, Mobil mart.)

Friday, July 15, 2011

A trailer with a view.


July 15, North Creek, New York (65 miles, Ski Bowl park.)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Out-take (Gigi.)


July 14, Malta.

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 14, Malta, New York (65 miles, Albany-Saratoga Speedway.)

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.

A trailer with a view.


July 12, Cairo, New York (231 miles, Angelo Cana park.)

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Out-take (fog.)


July 9, Charlestown.

Friday, July 08, 2011

Out-take (Nicolas.)


July 8, Charlestown.

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.

Morning paper.


July 8, Charlestown.

Dash.


July 8, Charlestown.

Poles.


July 8, Charlestown.

Fog.


July 8, Charlestown.

Pool.


July 8, Charlestown.

Woke up to heavy fog and humidity.
A good morning for pictures.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Out-take (Delena.)


July 7, Charlestown.

A trailer with a view.


July 7, Charlestown, Rhode Island (136 miles, Ninigret park.)

Goodnights.

6, North Andover.

Nicolas: "Goodnight moon. Goodnight circus."

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Storm coming.


July 6, North Andover.

Baptism boys.



July 6, North Andover.

Trio.


July 6, North Andover.