Landed

  Today marks our first day at home.  Every circus season, as the end of the run approaches Georgia and I begin to talk about going home and come up with assorted ideas to fill our time off.  We list the shops and restaurants we like to frequent, speculate on who might be her teacher at public school and of course, there are many a discussion of home projects.  We've even played with the idea of, dare I say, painting the outside of the house!  We both love pale yellow and white. But, we'll see. For now, the first home project, aside from sweeping cob webs and dusting every piece of furniture we own, will be tackling my bedroom's stark white walls and hanging new drapes.  How I look forward to waking up in the warmth of a cozy bedroom. :)

  Living in the country as we do, we expect to see signs of insects when we arrive.  It's not unusual to find dried up crickets, hornets, centipedes and cob webs-a-plenty in our home.  And, unfortunately, country living can mean country field mice.  Fortunately, this season, no signs of rodent activity which is a huge relief for me.  Snakes? No problem.  Spiders?  Bring it!  Skunks, possums, racoons and coyotes?  P'shaw!!  But wild rodents?  Field mice??  They make me cringe and want to barf. (I will save my story about the field mouse that ran across my face while I was half asleep for another entry.)  No old mouse in my house this year...whew!  

  Last spring I once again played with the furniture arrangement in my living room and came up with an interior designer's text book setting that I had forgotten how much I loved over the last 8 months. I had finally arranged my dining room to perfection and my kitchen is one of my favorite rooms in the whole house.  Georgia's room was happily completed in the spring, Tootie inherited Geo's room which it is, as I have mentioned, my decorating crown & glory.  I have a few little projects that need to be done by a professional (base boards need to be put up in some of the rooms and a couple of doors need to be framed) but most of the other projects, painting, etc...can be done by this non-professional.  

  Between the home improvement projects, practice, Georgia's contortion lessons, graveling in the driveway, tending to the front landscaping, school and church, the next four months look to be as busy and joy-filled as last winter.  As my dad used to say, it's good to be landed.

Looking Into the Future...But Not Too Much

  We've been in Texas for a few days now, and I have to say, it's nice to be in my home state.  Almost everyday we've been in Texas I've google mapped the distance to my house.  I am not trying to dwell too far ahead into the upcoming winter months because I won't be able to truly enjoy the day.   As I sometimes remind Georgia when she says she can't wait for this day or that day, it's not wise to wish our lives away.  

  But still, we are doing a few things to prepare for the end of the season, which by the way is creeping up more quickly everyday. We will be shopping for Georgia's school clothes this week.  Class pictures will come around just after she starts public school, so we have to find just the right thing to wear!  An oil change should last most of the off months, so I bought everything I need for the job to be done tomorrow.  Soon, I'll call my garage and schedule my truck's annual transmission and rear end servicing.  I have a few things to start my bedroom redecorating project too.  It'll be nice to wake up this winter to something other than plain, cold unpainted walls and mismatching curtains. 

   Georgia loves Halloween and Toot is really starting to get into the costumes, candy and decorations.  We bought colorful ghostly cartoon window peels for starters and are trying to come up with just the right costumes for all of us.  Our plans for tomorrow include our continued hunt for Halloween threads.  This year has been a challenge to find what the kids and I are looking for.  Georgia has Monster High characters in mind, and as for Toot it is a toss up between an owl and a pirate.  I think I'll know just the right costume when I see it.  Every year as we search out costumes the overstuffed candy aisles call out our names...oh, the temptation of those 'fun size' candy bars!

  With the change of seasons and all the holidays coming up, we've brought out the winter coats, space heaters and electric blankets.  Even though I prefer blooming flowers and beaches to the changing colors of leaves and making of snowmen, there is something pretty special about this time of year.  Mums, jack-o-lanterns & candy corn followed by turkey, gravy & cranberry sauce followed by pine trees, pictures with Santa & presents.  Good stuff!!  

       

The Start of Autumn

  As much as I love the summer and everything that goes with it, the start of Autumn brings about a feeling of family closeness and cozy days in the trailer.  This is the time of year we plan for Halloween costumes, decorations and the show party. Around this time of year we talk a lot about what we will do over the winter at home (which for me usually means some sort of decorating/home improvement project).  This is the time of year we pull The Wizard of Oz up on the dvr and watch Eloise at Christmas a few times a week.  Let the hot chocolate and hot coffee drinks flow!  With only about 5 weeks left of the season, this is about the time I start compiling lists for Christmas presents.  Yes, the off-season is just around the corner...already!

  The last several weeks have been eventful, to say the least.  During our time in Wisconsin a couple months back we enjoyed visits from circus fans, nice weather and grassy lots.  I also slipped, fell and landed square on my left wrist during one show at the tail end or our WI run.  I was in and out of the hospital in a matter of  hours with x-rays in hand and hardware in wrist.  One long plate and 8 screws to be exact to repair a long fracture.  We left WI and headed to Kansas.  A nice and much enjoyed two-day stand in Leavenworth along with help from generous circus fans allowed me to visit with a local doctor to have my cast removed and wrist examined.  All seems to be healing well, and as I still follow doctor's orders exercising my hand and wrist I find the healing process to be slow but very steady. 

  We played not too far from Topeka a couple weeks ago. It was the perfect opportunity to catch up with my best pal from St. Augustine High School.  We didn't have much time together but made the best of what time we did have over lunch in a little local diner.  Jill looks the same as she did in high school, and we gabbed up a storm just like we did in high school!  What fun!! 

  The last few towns have been ones we played two years ago when I joined my family with Tootie for a while.  Playing with Georgia and Genevieve at the same park where Genevieve was toddling around in two years ago was at first a little strange, but quickly became joy-filled.

  We still haven't decided what we're going to be for Halloween.  But since the stores are already packing their shelves with seasonal goodies, it won't be long till we make a decision.  We always have lots of fun poring through the costumes, decorations and candy selection.  This time of year brings back so many fun memories and reminds us to of how much we have to look forward to when the season is indeed over. :)

   

Random Pictures 2012 Installment 2

My friend Karen Goodman Glenn

Ron and Paulina Boyne City, MI

DJ, me and Tootie

April

Neal Skoy and me

Stilts Volponi and Tootie

Jennifer, me & Tootie visiting our old house in Springfield, OH

Beach pyramid

Random Pictures 2012 Installment 1

February in Paris, TX

Tootie at the keyboard watching her favorite tv shows.

My nephew Christopher

Mother's Day in Springfield, Ohio

My mom's grave marker. Mother's Day 2012

Tootie's birthday cake.

Besties and cousins birthday party.

Circus women

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

  The last few weeks have provided an extra special treat for the kids and me.  Our travels through portions of Michigan, including my favorite, the U.P., and Wisconsin has allowed us several to visit beaches reminiscent of Florida spots where vacationers sail, swim, sunbathe and generally 'get away from it all.'  As much as I've traveled through the mitten and Wisconsin in my time with different circuses, I was pleasantly surprised to discover many wonderful quaint resort villages along the great lake shores.  From beach bumming in Hessel to para-sailing on an 800' line 400 vertical feet over the the water with my nieces in Boyne City we've enjoyed all of our 'get away from it all' hours. These lake spots are like paradise to the girls and me.

  The beach setting immediately makes me feel like the rest of the world is far away.  It takes me back to our summer family vacations with my grandparents and sisters & brother.  We made the drive from Dayton to Pompano Beach, Daytona Beach and Orlando many times.  My very favorite times were always checking into a new hotel and hitting the pool with my sister Lauren while our grandparents were still taking the luggage off the roof rack of the station wagon.  My brother would sometimes catch us in the shallow end and taunt us with the Jaws theme as he bear hugged us all the way to the deep end.  Our cries were usually met by Marc getting a verbal scolding from our grandmother to let us go...no need to try Grandma's verbal warnings, we all knew better! ;)  Of course no Florida vacation is complete without a trip or two to the white sandy beaches.  I can still smell the salty ocean water and love the sound of the waves. (I used to have an alarm clock with ocean sound effects. I should get a new one.)  Grandpa taught us how to swim in those hotel pools but the best was when he showed us how to ride the ocean waves, or body surf I guess it's called. 

   I somehow had the presence of mind to bring coffee which enhanced many of our lake outings.  Looking from behind my favorite sunglasses, I reclined on the picnic blanket on top of the dry sand we'd smoothed out.  I watched the girls play with Lana on the wet sand as they created elaborate sand castles, dug deep watery holes, hunted for fancy rocks and made sand angels.  The shallow lakes were pretty warm and invited the girls to test their water skills for long water-logged stretches.  I wondered if the joy I felt watching them was the same joy that welled up in my grandparents as they watched us many times do all the same things on the Florida beaches. Those pleasant lessons, collecting shells, finding sand dollars and creating sand designs were all pleasant memories I conjured up as I watched my kids.  

  We managed a few stops at local ice cream parlors and souvenir shops such as the Summer Store.  These shops boasted the latest in brightly colored and flower patterned summer beach wear, flip flops, floppy hats and low beach chairs. (Oh and there were fridge magnets too!)  All very reminiscent of the commerce along the shores of Ft. Myers Beach.

  Our time around the great lakes is coming to a close, but we are still taking advantage of nearby beaches when we can.  Our gift shop souvenirs will of course help keep our memories fresh of the great lakes.  Some of the best reminders didn't come from the shops.  Actually, the girls' and my favorite souvenirs came straight from the beaches themselves.  The colorful rocks and shells and will make a nice addition to our house in Texas. 

 

Control of the Remote

  A few days ago I found myself enjoying a quiet early afternoon in the trailer.  Sitting at the dinette, remote in hand I began looking through the many channels available from Direct TV.  The block of kids' entertainment channels gets a lot of play in our house along with occasional A & E programming.  Since the quality of A & E programming has dropped over the last few years our guide tends to stay of the family entertainment  channels.  Nothing wrong with that.  I thoroughly enjoy watching  Toot play her toy drums and keyboard along with the clever tunes of the Fresh Beat Band.  Georgia and I have had many laughs at the expense of Patrick and Spongebob, Timmy Turner and Spencer Shay.  I really don't tire of the kids' television programs.  They are on most of the day and many times it's just background noise as we do other things around the house.  

  It dawned on me that since both girls were outside enjoying the sunshine and soft grass as they ran and played with their cousins, I had control of our remote.  I could turn the tv to any station I wanted.  The sun, warm weather and kids finishing the school year were indicative of one thing: baseball season had been underway and I was missing it. This was my chance to turn the station to, dare I say...MLBN or ESPN in the serene comfort of the dining room, which by the way is the best and most comfortable seat in the house, while the kids were outside running off their seemingly endless supply of kid energy.  

  I quickly found channel 213 and familiarized myself with an hour long highlights show called Quick Pitch.  It wasn't long until I found myself virtually mesmerized by the latest happenings in what has always been my favorite sport.  I am a little embarrassed to say I have been out of the baseball loop since about 1998.  At that time I followed the Atlanta Braves with a baseball magnifying glass.  They were at that time, in my opinion the best regular season team around and masters of coming back from behind to win a game at the last minute.  Bobby Cox and pitching coach,  Leo Mazzone, nervous rocking and all, were a matchless pair of coaches.  The talent and skill in their line up included  young upstart Andruw Jones, Tommy "Gun" Glavine, fresh faced, and to this day a personal favorite, Chipper Jones and the Big Cat, Andres Galaraga who held the record at that time for most hits on his arm while up to bat.  (Intimidated pitcher anyone??)  Their games always kept me on the edge of my seat.

  One summer week end in 1998 I had the heavenly pleasure of seeing my Bravos play at Turner field.  The first night they opposed the Dodgers.  This was back when Mike Piazza was still behind the plate.  Pitcher for LA....drum roll please...Hideo Nomo.  He was pitted against Greg Maddux and his personal catcher Eddie Perez. It was most certainly the quintessential pitcher's duel.  The following night I saw my team go up against the Giants.  I remember being so close to Barry Bonds that I was rendered somewhat speechless. I can't remember who pitched for each team that second night.  I would have to dig out the pictures from those nights that are securely tucked away in my bedroom closet at home to jog my memory.  But what I do remember was that night two in Turner field was a slug fest with scores approaching double digits. 

  Baseball was always a popular sport in my house.  Growing up in Dayton in the 70's we had many a Big Red Machine game on the console tv.   I can remember a dive or two by Pete Rose into home plate.  It always looked so painful and yet impressive.  Cesar Geronimo's name itself impressed me too back then.  I remember wondering if he was really an American Indian.  But, to this day, no one has impressed me more than #5, Johnny Bench.  I could go on and on about the trivia that rattles around in my head about this catcher who revolutionized his position.  His one handed catching has been copied by many Bench wanna- bes.  His accuracy and record-holding speed of the ball to second base has not been matched even by the likes of the "heart and soul" of the Yankees Thurman Munson or Ivan "Pudge" Rodreguiz. 

  Somewhere around 1975 and 1976 my grandfather took all of us kids to see the Reds play at what was then Riverfront Stadium.  The only player I can remember seeing fairly close was George Foster.  He must have been having an off season because my grandpa was unhappy to see him in the left field.  Even at 5 and 6 years old the game intrigued me.  I like suspense.  And this game has always kept me in suspense.  To see what the pitchers would throw and how the batters would react was thrilling.  And the signals passed from catcher to pitcher and from coaches to the players in the field was like a secret language in which I wished I was fluent.  As I watched the hosts of Quick Pitch all of those memories came flooding back and George Foster's image in the outfield was very fresh in my mind 35+ years later.

  I've recorded a few ball games and highlight shows recently and at my leisure I've been able to catch up on the Braves, Reds, Yankees and Mets.  I've enjoyed watching the new-to-me players.  My current interests lie in the talents of R.A. Dickey and Johan Santana.  I'll be keeping my eye on newbies like Bryce Harper and old favorites like Kevin Millwood.  It's been fun catching up on America's favorite past time.  The best part...Georgia expressed an interest in buying a couple of gloves and a ball to pass around with me.  

Yes, life is good.  And so is baseball.