Ringling Brothers Clown College Reunion

Hubby and I will be headed to Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in a couple weeks for the 40th RBBB Clown College Reunion. The last one was about 10 years ago, in Las Vegas. Several hundred Ringling-trained clowns will gather to spend four days talking and talking and talking shop.

I will be avoiding them except for the Keynote, the group breakfast, and the charity performance. I love my husband and his Klowny ways, but 300 of those guys in the same room talking shop and commiserating over their antics in alleys all over the world...it's just more than I can take.

It just isn't my thing, although it breaks Hubby's heart to think I'm not as into clowns as he'd like. The truth is, I'm interested in Circus, the whole thing, not just one aspect.

And I am excited about heading up to Baraboo, even though it looks like we have to take the girls with us since my mother has finked out on staying at the house with them. Why? Because Baraboo is a great place, full of circus haunts and history, AND because the clown reunion attendees are getting a personal tour of the archival library at Circus World Museum. I've been trying to get in there for two years!

So, it's a great research opportunity for me, as well as visiting a place that I truly adore. It's going to be a great weekend.

Back, Hopefully Better

I have declared myself fully recovered from my urgent surgery in June. My doctor declared me "recovered" three weeks after my surgery, but until the last week or so, I didn't feel recovered. I'm happy to say my energy is back and my creative juices are flowing. It doesn't hurt any that fall is here and that I usually get my biggest inspirations in the fall.

I've been keeping up with circus by reading Ben Trumble's blog every few days, and reading a new picto-blog called The Balloon Man. Similar to Buckles Blog, it has some great stories and pictures from old circus and sideshow.

Touring circus season will be coming to a close shortly. Now that the kids are back in school and Labor Day weekend is underway, circuses can't bring in the people like they can in summer. I know we are considering emptying the pool this weekend, even though the weather is still warm, because no one is swimming in it anyway. It's just that time of year. All of the little mud shows will be returning to their homes, many in Hugo, Oklahoma, and the performers dispersing to their winter quarters, wherever they may be.

As fall approaches for me, it means I need to get back to work writing. Without a Net needs a complete rewrite at this point, which I've started but not gone very far on. November is coming, which means a new novel should be in the works, but not having finished the one from two years ago, I know it's time to buckle down and do something with one of my unfinished projects.

We'll see.