Deep Thoughts. Not by Jack Handy

  The weather lately has gone from pleasantly warm to snowy to unpleasantly overcast and wet.  With the rain comes super soft spots in my pasture so avoid tracking through in the truck and keep the girls' and my extra girly pink rain boots by the back door.  Bad weather cuts down on practice with the dogs which tends to leave me pretty frustrated some days. So on the nicer days I make sure to spend a little extra time putting the dogs through their paces.  

  The wet days tend to keep us at home more, going out only when we have to.  I don't like driving on wet roads.  Staying inside more these days is giving me more time to play with the kids and catch up on housework. Most of the time I don't mind laundry, vacuuming and dusting.  Although dish washing has deeply rooted unpleasant memories attached it, so my automatic dishwasher gets a lot of use.  The extreme routine of housework often allows me to do what my dad used to call "solve the world's problems."  I will find myself in deep thought about anything and everything.  Sometimes reflecting on pleasant childhood memories will lead me to call one of my sisters...let the chattering commence (while folding laundry or clearing the colorful rubber duck collection out of the tub).  Having hardwood floors throughout the house requires quite a lot of sweeping,  which can lead to a lot of world problems being solved, reflecting on a variety of life events and often conversing with God.  

  Since the beginning of the season is creeping up my thoughts have turned a little more to preparing the trailer for take off.  Since this year I seem to (so far) have a jump start on the moving process I have a little less anxiety than normal.  As Martha Stewart often says, that's a good thing.  The extra indoor time has indeed lead to a little extra deep thought, deep reflection and a few light bulb moments that have also been a very good thing.  

  At 42 I am coming up on 20 years in the circus business.  I was thinking not long ago how this time has gone by like a shot.  

  In my 20's I got married.  I also got crash courses in juggling, climbing the perch pole, ring mastering, aerial work, pulling a trailer, managing concessions, etc, etc etc.  At 27 I fell from my trapeze and broke my back.  I changed professions and wound up with a good job with AT&T.  I later took an opportunity to start a family carnival business and by 30 I was back in the circus business full time.  I then remembered another one of my dad's sayings, "town life ain't what it's cracked up to be."  I guess for me, that is somewhat true.  I have only lasted about 1 year in each attempt of regular town life. (Having said that, I'd like to say there is nothing wrong with staying in one place.  There's much to be said for town life.  But, it's not for me.  And that's ok.  I have no doubt that lengthy months on the road, mud lots and performing is not for many town folks. And that's ok too.)

  In my 30's I got married again.  I learned how to train dogs (and am still learning), continued to ringmaster, said good-bye to my dad, welcomed many nieces and nephews and bought a house in Texas.  I've made wonderful friends on a couple of wonderful tent shows and best of all, in my 30's I experienced motherhood.  

  So now, here I am, 42 years old already.  As my birthday last month neared, I began thinking back on my life of many travels and transitions. I realized I have come to appreciate the point of steady I have fairly recently attained and haven't seem to have since I was very young.  A lot of my 20's and 30's saw transitions and big life changes.  Steady is a nice place to be.

  During life's transitions and life's major changes you can spend days, weeks even months or years adjusting, fixing, changing, trying to improve, venting, seeking help, etc.  And depending what you are going through, you can forget a lot.  Mainly about yourself.  We learn history in school so we don't repeat mistakes, appreciate those who have made a difference and made an impact.  Learning history, learning from history and remembering it shapes lives.  The same holds true for our individual lives.  Losing sight of personal history can result in losing sight of your strengths, capabilities, talents, self-worth and even your identity and forget about those who've made a difference in your life.  It can happen to anyone who's encountered bumpy roads, unexpected turns that leave you wondering what to do next, and giving a lot time and energy to other people and things.

  Working through life changes can indeed be a positive thing in the end.  Who wouldn't want to change for the better, fix problems or be an example to children how to handle adversity or hard times?  What's the old saying...'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.'  I think that can be true for anyone.  In all my housework and world problem solving recently, my light bulb moment (one of several, actually) came when I was cleaning my kitchen.  I'd forgotten for quite a while what I'd endured, achieved and succeeded at during my 20's and 30's and how I came through some of those life changing events, indeed a stronger, better person.  I'd forgotten a few people who'd made a difference and recalled words of wisdom that I once ran through my head almost daily.  Then I remembered what a few friends have suggested over the years to me...write it down, so you don't forget.

         

New Dos, New Dogs & The Dentist

  A lot can happen in a short period of time.  Change is good, usually, and I like to be surprised.  There have been some of both lately.  

  A few nights ago I was flipping through much of nothing on tv and found Michelle Williams on Letterman.  I've always loved her razor cut hair and was fondly remembering the time I had my hair in the very same style.  So I lie in bed watching Letterman's interview with her and grabbed my phone to Google search more of Michelle's hair styles.  I came across a few that I just loved and decided right there and then I'd go into get my hair cut as much like the style I'd just seen as I could get.  The following day I went to the place in Wal Mart and found my hair dresser on duty.  I showed her the few pics I'd saved on my phone and entrusted her to make me look as much like Michelle Williams as possible.  Seeing as how Kelly cut my hair twice five years prior and after moving away and recently moving back could vividly remember cutting my hair in a stacked bob, I figured she was up to the job.  She told me she remembers hair more that faces!  That I believe.  With Tootie on my lap Kelly went to work and in no time put a do on my head that I just fell in love with!  Even Georgia who was skeptical at first at my decision to cut about 6" off of my hair just loved the outcome.   I may not look exactly like Michelle Williams but my hair is pretty darned close!!  I was very pleasantly surprised at this drastic change and saved 3 bucks with my online coupon. ;) No regrets!

  As for dogs, well I have a few new acquisitions this winter.  Enter: Ned (Otto's back up), Kipper and Winston.  These fellows have quickly acclimated to life here in the country. I do hope they will just as quickly acclimate to circus life.  I have a good feeling.  Ned is a rescue from the pound.  He's a 10 pound Daschund/mini poodle mix with coal black wavy fur.  He is a little bratty but awfully sweet and smart and house broken.  I wish I could say the same about Kip.  He's a terrier mix with champagne fur and looks so much like the Tin Tin dog that I will probably rename him Tin Tin.  He's not house broken but that's is ok because he and my bestest pup Sui are bestest buds and tromp the neighborhood ALL day long!!  He's very athletic and bright and I am anxious to really do some intense training later on.   Winston is a pure bred Spitz and was named by my niece April.  I had him for a few days after I rescued him from the pound and all I could think of was how much he looked like my Fluffy, one of my original dogs.  But I couldn't call him Fluffy because I have Freddie.  I made the mistake of naming two dogs that both begin with D.  If I had a nickle for every time I called Dixie Delta and Delta Dixie, well, you get the picture.  After April laid a laundry list of doggie names on me, she came up with Winston and it fit him perfectly!  He's in the old dog compound which is very roomy and perfectly situated so he can get used to things around here.  He's pretty young and needs a good grooming.  His sparking eyes need to be show cased by well groomed snowy fur.  Grooming day is just around the corner.

  My former trouble maker Freddie has redeemed himself 100 fold.  In just casually messing around with him and testing behaviors, I have found that he is multi-talented!!  Every behavior in which I tested his ability, he excelled!  Within about 15 minutes he was going through training without a leash.  Bright eyed and attentive yet bouncy and fun!  Talk about your pleasant surprises!!

  A not so pleasant surprise came in the form of a lost filling last week.  After seeing my dentist I have discovered that chronic acid reflux has caused such decay around the inner gum line that major dental work is needed.  No way around it.  Today marks the first of several days that I'll be in that ever so unpleasant reclined position, mouth wide opened trying not to gag as they drill, pull and fill.  Root canals and crowns are in order along with a bridge...:/ ...such is life.  

NOTE: As soon as I can get Dar to help fix the last of my vacation pics, I post them!!  I haven't forgotten!

 

 

Good Things Come in Small Packages. Or Sometimes in 41 Feet Long Packages.

  This winter has been as busy and good as ever as I have mentioned on more than one occasion.  Being busy is one thing but being busy and productive is quite another.  Our winter projects have proved to be productive, no doubt.  Redecorating bedrooms, training new dogs, taking assorted classes, clearing and cleaning out clutter are all good things.  Being able to just do those things is a blessing, also no doubt.

  We have very recently been blessed with a new and much needed toy hauler trailer.  My dear friends Didi & Rafa Giraldo were looking to sell their Cyclone 5th wheel and I just so happened to be in the market for such a trailer. 

  Forty-one feet, 3 slides and an ample garage provides plenty of space for the girls, the dogs and myself.  Georgia will have a loft bed to sleep in complete with storage and tv space.  Although, I anticipate more than one or two nights during the season when she may fall asleep next to Tootie & me during movie-before-bed nights!  That's perfectly fine with me though! :)  The horse shoe shaped dinette not only folds out into a large bed (perfect for cousins sleeping over on weekends!) but will also provide plenty of space for meals and home schooling.

  There's more counter space than I know what to do with. There's lots of cupboard space and very large drawers which are perfect for storing Barbies and stuffed toys.  The warm neutral tones are welcoming and certainly give a cozy feel which I like.  The upholstery pattern is pretty and not doubt will do well in hiding juice spills and a coffee splash here & there.  (Thank goodness for Scotch guard though! ;) )  There's plenty of linoleum that will make life easier on muddy lots. The built in central vacuum will make life on the dusty lots easier.  The garage will house the dogs while we travel along with props, their dog pen and other miscellaneous necessities.

  I have spent a few days slowly moving our belongings into our new place.  The season will start before I know it so I've made every effort to get a jump on the moving process.  With my old trailer soon going to new owners I also have been faced with the task of clearing out the few remaining items and I'd like to clean it out nicely so it's ready to be moved into.

This dinette will have triple duty.  Slumber parties with cousins, good cookhouse eats and some readin', writin' and 'rithmaticin'.

I'm hoping my niece April & I will make a few (hundred) of her special 'everything but the kitchen sink' salads here!

Bring on the movie-before-bed nights!

  We have most certainly been blessed with more than I ever anticipated.  I am so grateful and hope someday I can pay those blessings forward.  

   VACATION PICTURE INSTALLMENTS WILL RESUME AS SOON AS I CAN GET RADAR TO HELP ME FIX MY PICTURES SO THEY ARE READY TO PUT ON THE BLOG!! 

Installment Three Wedding Pictures

Lauren & me before the wedding

L to R: Deborah Rushley (played violin during ceremony), Kelly Fairchild, Lauren, Robin, Georgia, me Paulina

Our dear family friend Melinda Taylor with Georgia.

Georgia, Tristin, me, Linda Chandler, Dave Hoexima, Robin

Ron & Robin

Waiting for the bride.

Mr. & Mrs. Key

Vacation Pictures Second Installment

Our first night in St. Aug., we settled in our room & met my high school friend Melissa at A1A Ale Works.

Down town St. Augustine during the Christmas season. Pictures do not do the beauty of the lights justice!

Another happy high school reunion! L to R Gretchen, me, Siobhan & Nico.

The kids headed out to the surf.

Down town the old fort on Matanzas Bay.

Tristan, Georgia & Lana St. Augustine beach.

This is the second installment of our vacation pictures.  More to come soon!  I am posting them in chronological order, so wedding pictures are next!  

Thank you for checking in!

Vacation Pictures First Installment

We got to say hello to our friends Jack and Ken on our way to St. Augustine.

We arrived in the evening to find downtown St. Augustine's festival of lights in full swing.

The town square

I love the expression on Tootie's face! ;)

The following day headed to St. George St.

Down town

On the left used to be my dad's magic shop, Merlin's Magic Den.

It's A Wonderful Life...Indeed

  The holidays always come with great anticipation, especially for my kids!  I have to admit, at almost 42, I still get excited about Christmas.  I love to be surprised and love to see the look on my kids' faces when the big day finally comes. They screech and squeal in utter delight when they find what all that brightly colored paper has been hiding.  

  This December the girls and I made a special trip to the sunshine state. (My first vacation since I was 14...yikes!) Not only did we spend every kids' favorite day of year with my family in Gibsonton, but we also had the pleasure of visiting the nation's oldest city, and my old stomping grounds, St. Augustine.  On December 21st my oldest niece Simone married her long-time boyfriend in the court yard of the historical Lightner Museum in downtown St. Augustine.  During the holidays the entire downtown area is covered in the most beautiful lights I've ever seen.  Every tree, shrub, yards of fences and dozens of light poles twinkle from dusk to dawn magnifying the beauty of St. Augustine one hundred fold. It's breathtaking.  The dazzling Christmas lights and perfect weather helped create a fairytale-like feel for Simone & Trey's wedding.  Every detail of the ceremony was well thought out: the acoustic guitar and violin music was soft, emotional and very fitting to the entire atmosphere.  Birds of paradise were among the floral arrangements and the original wedding vows were recited upon a small bridge over trickling waters home to coy fish. The landscaping was lush, fragrant and more than added to the paradise feel.  The reception was held inside the museum and again every detail was carefully planned.  The kids were happily occupied at their table with their individual goodie boxes filled with crayons, puzzles, crazy eights cards and mini versions of classic plastic toys. All of the name cards were carefully tucked on top of mini Adirondack chairs holding custom and yummy smelling citrus lip balms with the event printed on the label.  The caterers outdid themselves with their wide variety of entrees, sides, and appetizers.  The wedding was fairytale perfection and was more than a pleasure to attend.  This event was also an occasion to visit with old friends and family members we don't often get to see.  And as I've said before, catching up in person is always more fun than "virtual catching up."  

  During our visit to St. Augustine I was able to meet  with dear friends from high school.  1988 seems like only a few years ago and I certainly don't feel much different than I did at 18.  I met  my super former classmates at a tiny off the beaten path eatery that had some of the best soup and homemade bread ever.  We caught up, compared notes on old times, husbands, kids, jobs, etc.  Our visit was all too short but very cherished.  Since we plan to make annual trips to Florida, I have high hopes of visiting Melissa, Nico, Gretchen and Siobhan next winter! :)         

  I took the time to show my kids around much of St. Augustine.  I took the girls past our old house in the Shores housing development.  The house has been well-kept.  It seemed smaller than I remembered.  We also enjoyed the famous pristine beaches.  Lauren and I piled her boys, my girls, our niece Lana and our nephew Noah and my dog Sui in our cars and headed out on one of many of the sunny afternoons to 10th Street.  We watched the kids wade waist deep in water too chilly for me past my ankles.  I collected shells with the kids.  We recalled being kids on one of our many family vacations and the games we played on the beach and in the water. We both agreed that it was awesome to watch our kids play the way we did and to see the beauty of the beach through their eyes.  We also agreed that it just couldn't have been more than 30  years since that was us in waist deep water. 

  We did our fair share of touring through the narrow and sometimes cobble stone down town streets.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a few shops still flourishing from the 1980's.  But, most shops & cafes I remember  have changed ownership and some shops are completely gone.  The St. George Pharmacy is now the Bunnery.   It offers home cooked breakfasts & lunches and excellent coffee drinks.  The mini mall next door has two huge front store display windows.  On the right used to be a frilly dress shop called Trinkets & Things.  On the left was Merlin's Magic Den.  My dad enjoyed creating his magic shop's window displays.  I remember him carefully fanning out Svengali decks, displaying magician's silks, magic wands, large magic props and close up magic coins.  His window designs were always sharp, splashy and very eye-catching.  Merlin's Magic Den is now a souvenir shop of sorts.  Trinket's & Things is now a t-shirt shop called Natalie's.  What are the odds?! :)

  Time didn't allow us to enjoy all of the old city sites.  So next year the girls and I plan on trips to the old fort, the Fountain of Youth, Ripley's  Museum and I promised a trip or two on the horse-drawn carriages.  But, tops on the adventure list for our 2012 winter St. Augustine vacation is surfing lessons!! 

  I haven't been home since 2006.  Christmas was always big.  A live tree is kind of a tradition and this year's was live and very plump!  Presents overflowing from underneath promised the kids (and the kids at heart) a memorable Christmas morning!  But the most memorable thing was the fact the we were all together for the first time in a very long and we all shared in our new nephew Christopher's very first Christmas!  In fact, this visit was my first time seeing him!  (This happy little guy slept right through the gift opening!)  The house full gives way to organized chaos.  So, some adults doled out the over-stuffed stockings and gifts to the rightful recipients and others helped the kids unwrap, open boxes and make sure little parts & pieces to games & toys weren't accidently discarded with the wrapping paper.  With years of experience we manage Christmas mornings with efficiency and lots-o-fun!

  Robin & Ron bought a place just up the street about a year ago.  Being on the road makes it a little difficult to furnish a house in only a few months.  It can take a few winters to make your house your home.  Robin got very lucky at the fancy second hand shop in Brandon as she found some beautiful furnishings, dinnerware and accessories.  I had real fun giving her some design ideas on a couple of unfinished walls and rooms.  She left two walls bare on purpose waiting for my arrival to give her ideas on what to do with them!  To me, a bare wall is like an artist's blank canvas!  I love me some interior design!! :)

  One of the perks of our Florida vacation was catching up with Facebook friends Jack Ryan, Ken Young and Karen & Billy Glenn.  Jack and Ken have both pleasantly surprised me with additions to my fridge magnet collections.  Their hospitality on our trip through the panhandle highly impressed Georgia and so did the send off with sweets and homemade spicy chex-mix!!  As we checked into the hotel they recommended Georgia remarked that our visit was awesome!  I emphatically agreed!!   During our stay at home we caught up with Karen and Billy.  We met at a Starbucks which I joke is one of my "home away from homes."  Karen & Billy had never been to one.  I think they may be converts  We visited over coffee drinks and cake pops and the time went by way too fast!  We were lavished with goodies & gifts and a huge teddy bear the girls now sleep with every night.  Thank you to all of my Facebook friends and we hope to see you next year!

  Saying good bye to my family is never easy.  Even though I'll see most of my folks in a couple of months when we start on Culpepper, I also can't help but think about the next time I'll see Lauren, Hashi, Tristan and Christopher.  I hope long before Christmas vacation 2012.

  Happy New Year everyone!! 

Vacation pictures forthcoming.