Day 9! The Streets of Watonga

Today was busy and relaxing. By that I mean I slept in this morning. I think everyone was very much awake by the time I rolled out of the RV. After a quick B-fast I got my list of to-dos and got to it. I walked from our friend's house to downtown (about 10 blocks). But not before my friend's dog, Blackstone, took off out of the house and sent all my boys scrambling down the road after him. Interestingly enough there were quite a few dogs on the loose I noticed today. One little nipper followed after me but the shotgun ap on my cell phone kept scaring him off.

My first stop was the post office. Why did they build all the old post offices atop a series of steps. Modern ones are all street level but all the old ones have steps. Just a muse.

After that it was down main street to the hardware store. Like most little towns more than half of the storefronts aren't stores anymore. Some are old weather-worn decaying shells, others are storage facilities, and others are homes. In their midst are some very nice stores. One is an actual winery that produces real honest to goodness quality wine. I would visit there later in the evening with our host, Jon Lyle. The proprietor opened up for us special. I wanted to get a couple of bottles because of their unusualness of being Watonga wine.

I couldn't find the turnbuckle I needed for our tightwire at the hardware store but they directed me to a place about an mile and a half down the highway. So I took the trek. As I crossed the four-corners a nice elderly black man in a pick up offered me a ride. he said he saw me earlier walking around town. i told him I appreciated it but I was walking off a big lunch form the day before. That church lunch was awesome, but it made me full like I haven't been in a long time. Tour time is stomach shrinking time for me. Still we chatted a bit and I invited him to the show on Wednesday.

I am glad for technology. Cell phones make treks along old highways interesting. I called Cynthia in Kentucky who is on break until we meet up at the end of the month. She was bored.

The highway was lined by cow pastures, old delapetated buildings, various old businesses, and such. My goal was a machine shop slash trailer store. I needed those turnbuckles. And I needed some rubber caps for my trailer bearings. They had the turnbuckles but not the seals. I would return the ones I bought later since a friend here would suggest a better idea.

By the time I made the mile and a half trek back to four corners, Adam, our new friend via Jon, came driving up and offered a ride. Again I turned it down but he talked me into it and helped me run the rest of my errands. To be honest by old body was happy for the lift.

Back at the house Adam started teaching Nick how to juggle and he caught on rather well. They all worked on the tightwire. Then stupidity came into play. I came out of the RV to see them working on lifting it to see if they could balance it on Jim or Adam's face. It weighs almost 200 lbs. At first I was amused. But the thought of it falling and breaking caused me to put an end to it. I was a fuddy duddy!

Mami made a great dinner for everyone tonight. She is awesome.

Oh, Jon and I I hit the theater to check out and see if we are going to be able to rig the trapeze to the stage grid somehow. The theater is over 100 years old and wasn't designed for it but we think we have found a way.

back at the house we all gathered and Jon and I did a few close-up tricks for everyone. I think Jon did a better job than I did. He is a close-up natural. I bet his stage show is good too. Though I haven't seen it yet. I hope to someday.

Well, excuse the typos and mistakes...I won't be proof-reading this because I am pooped. more Pictures tomorrow. We will do a school show to promote the Wednesday show.