Anywhoo, let's catch-up!!
It's been about three weeks since I joined the circus. My first day, I got to ease in a bit. I was led out to the big top, where LT was running the mixed animal act. I sat in the bleechers and watched, and after a few runs of it, I was in the thick of things. Catching runaway dogs (a GIANT great dane I could ride like a pony), releasing pigs from carriers (then luring them back with candy(!)), keeping a sharp eye out for escaping capybaras, fleeing in terror from startled porcupines - THIS is the circus, folks.
My first two weeks were filled with much of the same. The horse grooms get up early and muck stalls and leading beautiful black arabian horses back and forth to the big top where LT puts them to their paces. Then it's time for the mixed animal act rehersal, which is generally full of madness and sawdust.
Then, once everyone is safely nestled back in their respective stalls, we clean the barn. The rest of my days were filled with various chores - washing and grooming dogs, washing and grooming horses, painting portable stalls, packing the horse trailer - scut work.
Finally, half way through last week, the routine changed. Rehearsals ramped up, costumes were revealed, lighting and sound rehearsals went late into the night, the live band began practicing along with the acts. Then, the big night - dress rehearsal. The whole show, all together with a LIVE real audience. Very exciting, but very stressful. We all stumbled along with only few kinks. Afterwards, we all celebrated, piling into the back of a pick-up truck and driving into town to drink the night away.
Immediately the next day, the tent began to slowly be torn down and carefully packed away. It's quite a sight to see an entire circus tent taken apart - kinda sad. The whole lot was humming with activity - everyone knew what the next day was - Jump day.
Early last Thursday, we packed all our animals in to our hot pink (!) horse trailer and drove the long drive from NY down to VA - our first jump! Several hours later we pulled into a large empty lot, our new home. The sun was just setting, but we had hours of work to do. Building horse stalls, unloading all the animals and making them comfortable and safe. While we (the grooms) did all of this, so much more was going on around us. Generators being set up, running water getting situated, giant tent pieces being unloaded - it was a late night for everyone.
The next day was great! Instead of cleaning stalls and brushing horses, I couldn't help but watch as the big top was set up. It's a scene straight out of Dumbo. Men with sledge hammers hammering big steel spikes, a dozen people pulling ropes up to raise the spires, giant tent walls flapping down and being secured - it's insane.
Today it's cold and rainy. A hot breakfast in the cookhouse fixed me up for morning chores, but now I crave lunch. One of the joys of circus I've already found is eating. Work is so long and so hard the three squares a day is all you have time for - and you relish them. It's doesn't matter what's being served, it tastes amazing. It's kinda awesome!
Today is tech rehearsals, tomorrow - dress rehearsal for VA, and then we open Thursday!
I've got so much more to tell!!!! So many cool details!! More soon!
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