August 31, Shelby.
I tried to meditate on the way this morning.
Since I was driving and not just sitting around I decided to focus on Fridman's lights in front of me in addition to my breathing. I did that because it is the only time I can hope to have some time to myself, and also because of the voices in my head, but not because I had just been listening to a story on the radio about a schizophrenic twin sister with voices telling her she killed John F. Kennedy. Whenever I can't get a decent NPR radio station (too much static) the voices competing in my mind as I drive are loud and thunderous and all but drown the deafening diesel roar of the truck, Spanish English French tossed in as one thought pushes over the next and it is as if The Sex Pistols were back from the glory days of punk mania trying to outdo a New York Philharmonic representation of a Wagner opera with Karajan at the helm in a giant marble theater.
I needed a rest.
It almost worked and then Fridman missed a turn and I hit the brakes to veer just in time to follow the route to Shelby.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
A trailer with a view.
August 30, Hebron, Indiana (32 miles, next to Family Express and a bowling alley.)
Correction.
August 29, Momence.
Mr. Perfect Picture's name is Derrick. I met him this morning, he was walking around with a pocket Spanish/English dictionary and a pencil and introduced himself with bow and a kiss on my hand: wait, wait, don't tell me, "Je suis Derrick!"
Correction: it's not a shower he needs but a drastic haircut.
Mr. Perfect Picture's name is Derrick. I met him this morning, he was walking around with a pocket Spanish/English dictionary and a pencil and introduced himself with bow and a kiss on my hand: wait, wait, don't tell me, "Je suis Derrick!"
Correction: it's not a shower he needs but a drastic haircut.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Late summer.
August 29, Momence.
We moved from the field to an adjacent parking lot last night in anticipation of heavy rains that never came. It is so muggy the humidity hangs in the air like a veil.
St. Patricks school children.
Mr. Perfect Picture is here to help, and other news.
August 28, Watseka.
August 28, Watseka, Illinois (23 miles, behind Walmart.)
The route said: Arrows to lot BEHIND WALMART! You'd think we had parked behind the White House.
The lot reminded me of Circus Chimera, rough. As it happens, Jim Judkins, Chimera's founder and owner, was visiting today on business.
In other news we picked up somebody to help in the kitchen when we left Goodland this morning. I'll call him the Perfect Picture guy for when I was coming back from the whoop with the kids in the double stroller yesterday afternoon he was outside the circus smoking and told me we made a perfect picture, all three in our sun hats. I liked his toothy smile and easy demeanor even though he looked like he could use a long shower (admittedly not a good sign in kitchen help.)
August 28, Watseka, Illinois (23 miles, behind Walmart.)
The route said: Arrows to lot BEHIND WALMART! You'd think we had parked behind the White House.
The lot reminded me of Circus Chimera, rough. As it happens, Jim Judkins, Chimera's founder and owner, was visiting today on business.
In other news we picked up somebody to help in the kitchen when we left Goodland this morning. I'll call him the Perfect Picture guy for when I was coming back from the whoop with the kids in the double stroller yesterday afternoon he was outside the circus smoking and told me we made a perfect picture, all three in our sun hats. I liked his toothy smile and easy demeanor even though he looked like he could use a long shower (admittedly not a good sign in kitchen help.)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Free ponies.
August 26, Rensselaer.
There is a corral behind the circus in the fairgrounds and Ivan let them loose there. He is Russian, slight and quiet, he takes care of the ponies. When I went out with the kids after breakfast he was running them around it and I don't know who looked more exhilarated, the ponies or Ivan.
There is a corral behind the circus in the fairgrounds and Ivan let them loose there. He is Russian, slight and quiet, he takes care of the ponies. When I went out with the kids after breakfast he was running them around it and I don't know who looked more exhilarated, the ponies or Ivan.
Patriotic scrap.
August 26, Renseelaer.
On highway 41 a guy in a small white truck painted with "Patriotic Scraping" and the dutiful American flag passed us. Shortly thereafter he stopped at a road-side restaurant called "USA Family." You couldn't make that one up.
Culinary habits notwithstanding, the patriotism of the scrap metal business remains doubtful, as the vast majority of this country's scrap metals are shipped to China, where they are melted down and sent right back to the U.S. as toasters, coat racks and the like, thereby further contributing to the rising national trade deficit.
On highway 41 a guy in a small white truck painted with "Patriotic Scraping" and the dutiful American flag passed us. Shortly thereafter he stopped at a road-side restaurant called "USA Family." You couldn't make that one up.
Culinary habits notwithstanding, the patriotism of the scrap metal business remains doubtful, as the vast majority of this country's scrap metals are shipped to China, where they are melted down and sent right back to the U.S. as toasters, coat racks and the like, thereby further contributing to the rising national trade deficit.
Weigh station basics.
August 26, Rensselaer.
There were two routes this morning, one short and a long one that avoided the interstate, probably because there was a weigh station on the way. Circus rule: weigh station are to be avoided at all cost. Sometimes with Circus Chimera management had us make a 80 mile detour on bad country roads in order to bypass a weigh station on a straight 30 mile stretch of freeway.
Weigh stations are checkpoints set on highways or freeways and when they are open it is mandatory for truck drivers to stop and have their tractor trailers checked for everything from weight, as the name indicates, to the driver's log, where work hours are recorded, to anything having to do with the safety of the truck. When there are a dozen trucks involved the wait can become exceedingly long, hence the circus rule.
We took the long route, Fridman driving a truck that would have had to pull over.
There were two routes this morning, one short and a long one that avoided the interstate, probably because there was a weigh station on the way. Circus rule: weigh station are to be avoided at all cost. Sometimes with Circus Chimera management had us make a 80 mile detour on bad country roads in order to bypass a weigh station on a straight 30 mile stretch of freeway.
Weigh stations are checkpoints set on highways or freeways and when they are open it is mandatory for truck drivers to stop and have their tractor trailers checked for everything from weight, as the name indicates, to the driver's log, where work hours are recorded, to anything having to do with the safety of the truck. When there are a dozen trucks involved the wait can become exceedingly long, hence the circus rule.
We took the long route, Fridman driving a truck that would have had to pull over.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Behind.
August 25, Crown Point.
Gorgeous lot, and great playground, a circus Mom's dream (but not laundry, which was also on the program.)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Cats and dogs.
August 23, Middlebury.
Natalie left yesterday after one of her relatives died - my heart goes out to her; she will be away for another three days. Her husband, Casey, who's some six feet something tall, lanky and square-shouldered, has taken up her act, and he looked like a riot when he walked in, all grin and somewhat disheveled, with the small white fluffy dogs bantering about him, shortly after towering over his heavy-metal backed tiger act.
Natalie left yesterday after one of her relatives died - my heart goes out to her; she will be away for another three days. Her husband, Casey, who's some six feet something tall, lanky and square-shouldered, has taken up her act, and he looked like a riot when he walked in, all grin and somewhat disheveled, with the small white fluffy dogs bantering about him, shortly after towering over his heavy-metal backed tiger act.
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