TWO DAYS & 315 MILES LATER...

We left Pennsylvania 2 days ago to begin the journey towards home.  On Thursday morning, at 4:30 a.m. I woke up to get ready for the morning commute of 130 miles.  I left  Perryopolis at 5 a.m, said farewell to Pennsylvania, & arrived in Glenville at 8:30.  It was a smooth trip, with everyone arriving within 30 minutes of me.  We showed there for just the one day & tore it all down to get ready for today's commute of 185 miles. I am now in Dublin & the rest of the show just pulled in at 4 pm.  We didn't have any shows scheduled for today(YAY!) & tomorrow will have two shows before tearing down & moving to Woodlawn. 

The trip today was not without incident.  Our prop truck, which carries numerous items for the show as well as pulls the ticket box/concession combination, threw its fan belt about 20 miles into the trip.  Now if this was a regular truck, locating a new belt might not be a problem.  However, this is the truck:

As you can imagine, a replacement belt was tough to find.  After 2 trips(15 miles each way), the truck got the new belt it wanted.  We always make sure the trucks are in top form before leaving each time but this time we crossed 3 mountains & the strain on the motor was more than the belt could handle.  I was in Dublin for 5 hours before this truck got here.  In a previous post, I wrote about how a breakdown added more time to the trip & as you can see, it really does.

Now that the whole show is here, everyone is relaxing & letting the day's tensions melt away.  One of our performers is having a party this evening for her son that just turned 1.  I adore kids & they are more precious than gold in my eyes. 

I will try to post one more time before we get home.  If I don't, then I'll do it in Easley.

As always, thanks to all who read my blog.

Until later, God Bless, see you down the road.

A ROUGH WEEK

Murphy's Law was in full effect last week.  It all started last Tuesday(7/18) when I began my morning commute of 160 miles from Nescopeck to Huntingdon. I had just barely began driving when I noticed my windshield wipers were moving really slow. I glanced down at the battery charge indicator & it was all the way down.  So I decided to stop at the next exit because there was a TA truckstop there. They checked the battery & told me that it was good but my alternator was shot.  So here I was so far away from our show mechanic thinking, What body parts will I have to part with in order to get the mechanics at the TA to fix it?  They were very generous toward me though. :)  They only charged me $40 labor so that was great!(The alternator was $120)  It only took 4 hours & by 12:30 pm I was ready to continue my trip. 

On Thursday, my computer kept overheating & shutting down.  I use my computer for many different tasks, from typing route sheets to importing & printing pictures.  The adage violence & technology don't mix didn't apply to my remedy.  I hit the back of my laptop a couple of times & it started the fan to keep it cool.

Then on Friday, a storm came thru & killed all city electric.  I went out & fired up my generator but it kept overheating & wouldn't stay running.  I have spent the last 2 days tearing it apart & trying to fix it.  I finally have given up & went to Tractor Supply to get it replaced.  This generator is the same one that I just replaced in May.  The manager told me that they couldn't replace it I would have to get it repaired.  I told him I wasn't from the area & couldn't just drop it off because I wouldn't be around to pick it back up when it was ready.  He said they didn't have one like it & I said that I would be willing to spend some money & upgrade.  He was so nice afterwards.  End result: He did a returned merchandise invoice & I spent $300 more & I now have a 6000 watt generator powering my little travel trailer.

A storm is rolling thru & it is beginning to thunder. By this time next week I'll be back in Easley until Sept. 6 when we resume with the fall tour.

Until then, God Bless, see you down the road!

ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

It has been 8 days since we left South Carolina & I had to make the decision to leave my beloved pet behind.  I never knew until now how much companionship he provided.  These 4 walls in here seem so empty without hearing his meows & demands for pettings.  I know now that I will never leave him behind by choice again.

But on a brighter note, yesterday was a great day for me! :)  I got to see my fellow ClubNorthwestern friend, Linda, & we spent the entire afternoon together.  We had lunch at an amazing diner in Boyertown called Savilles & the food was first class.  We talked quite a bit about how each of our days are spent.  I told her my usual routine & she did the same.  I told her the hardest part of my job was saying good-bye to people like her that I met online & became friends with.  She told me it wasn't saying good-bye but see you later.  I also got to meet her husband, Ed, & we did a little bit of sightseeing.  She showed me the train depot where in the earlier years the well to do gentry would escape the summer sun & come to.  I only wish I was in this area for longer.  I really enjoyed my afternoon with her & Ed and hope that I get to see her next year or sooner.

We will have 2 weeks remaining tomorrow & then we head back in for Summer break.  I hope to keep up posting & will do so as long as the internet stays good.  The mountains in Pennsylvania are beautiful but quite frequently cause internet scarcity.

If you have any questions or would like to know how my typical day goes, leave me some comments & I will answer them.  I enjoy sharing details about my job. :) 

Until later, God Bless, see you down the road.

RELENTLESS HEAT

Like much of the country, Pennsylvania is battling an intense heat wave.  We are also currently engaged in that battle.  Since we left South Carolina, my plea for cooler weather has thus far fallen on deaf ears.  It was 96 degrees here today but tomorrow holds a promise for cooler weather.  The high is supposed to only be 84 and the same is forecasted for the rest of the week :)  I am highly anticpating the change! 

Today I arrived in Williamsport after a short commute.  When I parked the camper, I had one thought on my mind. It's Tuesday, which means Deadliest Catch comes on at 9 followed by After the Catch at 10. I have become an avid fan of this show as well as the guys on the boats.  I broke out the satellite dish to tune in a signal & kept turning it to try & lock on, but alas, I couldn't seem to get that signal meter to lock.  It dawned on me after trying for 20 minutes that trees were blocking my reception.  I ended up moving the entire camper to get to satisfy my need to watch DC. It only took me 5 minutes after I moved to the new location to lock the signal.

We have one more day here & then it's 160 miles to the next town for one day.  I am beginning to feel like the steering wheel is becoming a permanent part of my anatomy.  On a brighter note, all those miles put me so close to Friday, when I will get to see another of my Northwestern sisters! :D 

Time is drawing near  for me to go & take souvenir photos so until later, God Bless, see you down the road!

JOY & SORROW

I arrived yesterday(7/9) in Montgomery after a blistering ride from South Carolina.  While it was a thrill to be returning to the job I love, I had to make one of the toughest choices in my careeer when I decided to leave my pet behind.  He has been by my side since I got him 11 years ago & I questioned my decision until the temperature started rising.  He is a semi-long haired cat & I know now I made the right choice. I was thoroughly cooked by the time I got here so I know he would have been extremely misereable.  While knowing that I made the right choice, it doesn't take away the pain of not having him here, greeting me when I come thru the door or waking up in the morning.  I'll be happy to return home in 3 weeks so I can pick him up. :)

I tried to make it to the grocery store yesterday but they closed 10 minutes before I got there.  I had to settle for some chicken wings at a pizza place next to the grocery store.  I did make it today so now I am fully restocked with groceries.  I even found a great deal on tilapia filets! They were only a $1 so I grabbed 6 of them. I wish I had a bigger freezer & I would have cleaned them out! :)

Before I left Easley, my Mother came to see me off.  I broke a cardinal rule: Never watch a loved one drive away.  It makes you miss them so much more.

At least I'll see her again in 3 weeks, not 3 months as is usually the norm. :)

We will have two shows here tomorrow evening & then tear down & have a short jump to the next town.  By Friday, I'll be near Philly & get to see a friend again that I met thru the F/V Northwestern forums :)  I look forward to that so Week 1 should go by very quick! 

This past week passed in such a hurry that I was unable to write about the passing of two people that I know.  One had been battling cancer for the past year & for a while she looked like had beaten it but a mere 3 months ago it recurred.  The other was one of my first bosses when I joined up with the Outdoor Amusement Business.  I heard a song yesterday on my drive that made me pause to remember them.  It was Alan Jackson's song, Sissy's Song, & here is the chorus:

She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting
And I know she's smiling saying
Don't worry 'bout me

I think that is God's way of telling me that they are safely in His care & one day we'll all meet again, never to part ways. 

Thanks to all who read my ramblings :)

Until later, God Bless, see you down the road!



TOMORROW THE ADVENTURE BEGINS AGAIN!

Tomorrow, I will once again hit the road & begin another epic 700 mile trip North, only this time it won't be to see the Captain's Tour :(  However, it will be just as good because I get to return to the job I love, being an Office Manager/Electrician for my Circus.

I spent the majority of today running around to finalize all the details for my departure.  I have 4 new tires on the truck as well as the camper.  I tried to get the A/C working in my truck but was told that the clutch was gone in the compressor. :(  I can only pray that it won't be a 100 degree heat wave again like the last 700 mile trip...Please Lord hear my plea! :) 

I have almost all the necessities that I'll need packed & in the camper.  The only thing left are the last minute items that I'll throw in there tomorrow.

I will be leaving my Dear little Smokal Joe as I don't want to subject him to a grueling 2 day trip in an unairconditioned truck tucked inside a carrier :(  I wish we were opening closer but the 3 weeks we are in Pennsylvania should pass in the blink of an eye & I'll be back home to collect him for the Fall tour :)

MY SWEET LITTLE BOY

We plan on leaving sometime tomorrow afternoon & driving hopefully to Roanoke, VA before we stop for the night.  I pray that we have smooth driving for the entire convoy as even a minor event like a flat tire can tack on extra hours to an already long trip.

As always, thanks to all who read my blog.  The next post will be from Pennsylvania & I hope they won't be so spaced out like my previous posts.

God Bless & See You Down the Road!





WHERE DOES THE TIME GO....

One week from today, I'll be leaving South Carolina for an epic 660 mile drive to Pennsylvania.  I can't believe that the time has gone by so fast!  There is still so much to do & so little time to do it in.  I still need to get the truck serviced but I'm getting that taken care of Tuesday.  I must begin the process of changing from home mode to travel mode.  That entails repacking the camper, truck, etc.  I will also need to go grocery shopping but will only be buying dry & can goods.  My refridgerator does not run on propane so I know anything I buy for it would spoil between South Carolina & Pennsylvania.  I'll take care of the refridgerated items once I arrive in PA.  It will be about a 2 day trip thru the beautiful Shenandoah Valley on I-81.  We will probably stop somewhere around Roanoke, VA to spend the night. 

It has been a flurry of activities at Winter Quarters. All the damaged lights and equipment have been repaired & everything is sporting a fresh coat of paint.  Everyone is  so eager to leave the heat & travel back north to escape it, they've got a a new spring to their walk, myself included LOL!

I got me some more Northwestern love to carry with me.  Edgar & Matt designed a shirt & I believe it's one of the best looking shirts I've seen.  Here's a pic of it: 

I will try to get another update in before I leave but if not the next post will be from Pennsylvania.

As always, thanks to all who follow my ramblings! You keep me motivated to keep on writing ;)

Until later, God Bless, See you down the road!