April 29, Rising Sun.
We finally got to do the group picture for the 2009 program today, and as we had decided to include everyone, not just the performers, there were more than 60 people to line up. Later I also took a picture of John Ringling North II, Kelly Miller Circus' owner, who is here with us, to include in the program along with a short bio he's written.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Myrna's back.
April 27, Brownstown.
This is Myrna's home town. She's here visiting.
It's good to see them again, her and her battered Suburban, even though she wasn't exactly easy to get along with when she was with us. Funny how absence makes people dear, the way dead people's bad traits tend to fade out once they're buried.
This is Myrna's home town. She's here visiting.
It's good to see them again, her and her battered Suburban, even though she wasn't exactly easy to get along with when she was with us. Funny how absence makes people dear, the way dead people's bad traits tend to fade out once they're buried.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Treasures.
April 25, Tell City.
Our favorite day of all: garage sale day.
Found shoes for Castro, a winter jacket for Dylan that should fit him easily before he's ten, toy cars and used movies, and the little old-model Radio Flyer tricycle I've been dreaming of.
Our favorite day of all: garage sale day.
Found shoes for Castro, a winter jacket for Dylan that should fit him easily before he's ten, toy cars and used movies, and the little old-model Radio Flyer tricycle I've been dreaming of.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Whoops!
April 24, Oakland City.
This was a circus Mom's dream lot: we were literally surrounded by whoops, a cornucopia of whoops, all the kids were out all day, and mine are out and so am I.
This was a circus Mom's dream lot: we were literally surrounded by whoops, a cornucopia of whoops, all the kids were out all day, and mine are out and so am I.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Earth day.
April 22, Spencer.
I remember this town well from last year because we found a recycling center here that took everything, not just soda cans and plastic bottles, and in the middle of rural Indiana that was surprising.
On the route slip this morning Tavana wrote: Happy Earth Day! How green are you?
Since this day last year I've been thinking about asking the Kelly Miller Circus to take a relatively small step that could have big consequences, that of arranging with the sponsors or the towns to have recycling bins brought on the lot in addition to dumpsters. This would in effect mean a small village takes up recycling at the same time.
Small steps.
We are already pretty green without knowing it in the traveling circus business. Living in a trailer uses more than three times less water than conventional house living, at least in the U.S., thanks to toilets that don't flush and small water tank capacity. You turn the tap off when your water is counted (as you should whether or not it is.) A reduced living space also means lower electricity use, not to mention there is no light at night. Of course all this is counteracted by our driving diesel-belching trucks, and is probably more than unwelcome for many of us. Still it gives a glimpse of a lifestyle that carries a much smaller footprint, to use the current buzz word, with little sacrifice.
Small steps.
It will require a lot more than small steps to heal our planet and promote a sustainable lifestyle. In an interesting piece in The New Yorker a couple of weeks ago David Owen also pointed out that to get the economy going again will mean turning the clock on efforts to do just that: "(Obama's) commitments to economic recovery and carbon reduction - to bringing the country out of recession while also reducing U.S. greenhouse emissions (...) - don't pull in the same direction."
In other words the freedom to live in McMansions out in the suburbs, drive to your heart's content, take extra long showers and light up the house like a Christmas tree while you go shopping for stuff you could have bought used although really you don't need them at all will be difficult, and immoral, to maintain if we want future generations to enjoy our world as much as we do, albeit not as unconsciously.
The small steps may require big jumps.
I remember this town well from last year because we found a recycling center here that took everything, not just soda cans and plastic bottles, and in the middle of rural Indiana that was surprising.
On the route slip this morning Tavana wrote: Happy Earth Day! How green are you?
Since this day last year I've been thinking about asking the Kelly Miller Circus to take a relatively small step that could have big consequences, that of arranging with the sponsors or the towns to have recycling bins brought on the lot in addition to dumpsters. This would in effect mean a small village takes up recycling at the same time.
Small steps.
We are already pretty green without knowing it in the traveling circus business. Living in a trailer uses more than three times less water than conventional house living, at least in the U.S., thanks to toilets that don't flush and small water tank capacity. You turn the tap off when your water is counted (as you should whether or not it is.) A reduced living space also means lower electricity use, not to mention there is no light at night. Of course all this is counteracted by our driving diesel-belching trucks, and is probably more than unwelcome for many of us. Still it gives a glimpse of a lifestyle that carries a much smaller footprint, to use the current buzz word, with little sacrifice.
Small steps.
It will require a lot more than small steps to heal our planet and promote a sustainable lifestyle. In an interesting piece in The New Yorker a couple of weeks ago David Owen also pointed out that to get the economy going again will mean turning the clock on efforts to do just that: "(Obama's) commitments to economic recovery and carbon reduction - to bringing the country out of recession while also reducing U.S. greenhouse emissions (...) - don't pull in the same direction."
In other words the freedom to live in McMansions out in the suburbs, drive to your heart's content, take extra long showers and light up the house like a Christmas tree while you go shopping for stuff you could have bought used although really you don't need them at all will be difficult, and immoral, to maintain if we want future generations to enjoy our world as much as we do, albeit not as unconsciously.
The small steps may require big jumps.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Squeaks.
April 21, Jasonville.
We've had rain every day for longer than any of us can remember now.
Josie was saying it looks like the rain is following us.
Spring time.
To make things worse the rain today kept shifting in intensity so that you had to keep changing your windshield wipers' speed too or you'd soon hear those annoying squeaks (I'm lucky that the truck has an adjustable system rather than the kind that lets you choose between nothing and full throttle.)
We've had rain every day for longer than any of us can remember now.
Josie was saying it looks like the rain is following us.
Spring time.
To make things worse the rain today kept shifting in intensity so that you had to keep changing your windshield wipers' speed too or you'd soon hear those annoying squeaks (I'm lucky that the truck has an adjustable system rather than the kind that lets you choose between nothing and full throttle.)
Monday, April 20, 2009
Yolanda.
April 20, Clinton.
Yolanda Luna turned thirteen a few days ago and had a birthday party under the big top today. She's Manuel Luna's daughter from a previous relationship; her mother, Marixa, who is Romani and part of a Peruvian circus family, is a childhood friend of Fridman's.
I remember Yolanda from the first year I went to visit Fridman on the road with the Carson and Barnes Circus. Manuel and Marixa were performers at the circus as well and Yolanda worked in the show the way children of performers often do.
I remember a little girl perched on a pony, looking like a porcelain doll in her frilly costume. I remember a little girl holding on to the reins with a fierce determination in her eyes as elephants, camels, horses and a slew of performers swirled around.
That was seven years ago.
Blow, blow your candles.
Her cake was decorated with Hannah Montana.
Outlooks.
April 20, Clinton.
We got a tad lost this morning, barreling straight into more than twenty miles of U-turn.
Family news: Nicolas went the whole day without his pacifier yesterday. It was as easy as simply not giving it to him and he went to sleep just fine too.
For my part I'm still struggling to get an appointment to have a breast ultrasound after my first mammogram, taken at the start of the season in Brownsville, turned out inconclusive. It is difficult to get doctors' appointments on the road, and the difficulty is compounded in this case because documents have to be released and sent in time. And yesterday one of my teeth started hurting to the point that my entire mouth now aches (it even hurts when I'm talking, surely a blessing in disguise) so the health department outlook is slightly wanting at this point on my circus life's road.
We got a tad lost this morning, barreling straight into more than twenty miles of U-turn.
Family news: Nicolas went the whole day without his pacifier yesterday. It was as easy as simply not giving it to him and he went to sleep just fine too.
For my part I'm still struggling to get an appointment to have a breast ultrasound after my first mammogram, taken at the start of the season in Brownsville, turned out inconclusive. It is difficult to get doctors' appointments on the road, and the difficulty is compounded in this case because documents have to be released and sent in time. And yesterday one of my teeth started hurting to the point that my entire mouth now aches (it even hurts when I'm talking, surely a blessing in disguise) so the health department outlook is slightly wanting at this point on my circus life's road.
A new baby.
April 20, Clinton.
It's a girl and she weighed seven pounds six ounces.
Natalie and Casey's baby was born early in the afternoon yesterday and everybody is fine (Lucky Eddie won the weight contest this time.)
We're expecting them back soon.
It's a girl and she weighed seven pounds six ounces.
Natalie and Casey's baby was born early in the afternoon yesterday and everybody is fine (Lucky Eddie won the weight contest this time.)
We're expecting them back soon.
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