Chiefs Beat Broncos

Hmmm, I might be a little ahead of myself. 

However, we're ready for the game tonight!

And confidence can't hurt! 

I played hooky from Calamity Acres for a while today.  

Some of you will disagree with where I went, but I am going to talk about it a little, anyway. 

You see, as a little girl, our parents didn't believe in taking us to "frivolous" things.  We went to parochial schools, and had a nice house to live in, and bicycles, etc., but we did not go on vacations or do outings except with our cousins, to local venues like the skating rink, or public parks. 

I was already ushering by the time I was 16, and I saw my first circus. 

I was hooked.  

I was such a history buff, I went to the library and got every book they had about the circus.  

I joined Circus Fans of America. 

I worked every performance of every show that was at the public buildings in KCMO, and it was a joke amongst all my friends that if there was a circus in town, I would be taking off. 

So today, I took myself to the Shrine Circus in Kansas City. 

I had to gather courage in hand, because I don't often go downtown alone now.  Keith had planned to go with me yesterday, but the electric problem, etc., caused us to decide not to go. 

Then, since I had been to church, I decided I would go to the one pm show. 

Gone are the days of three rings of elephants.  The two you see here had been giving rides, and there were only three total in the show. 

I did not recognize the presenter, and don't know to whom they belonged. 

I don't know if everyone understands, but "circuses" like this are put together by one producer (in this case, Serge Coronas, Jr.) , who signs up acts through their agents.  They don't "tour" together, but they might do a bunch of dates together, if, like this show, they have pretty regular bookings.  This show is Coronas' "Circus Hollywood" or Hollywood Circus, as it is sometimes called.  The second and third generation are now presenting it at the Shrine in KC. 

Gone are the days of "Specs" and walks around the hippodrome track by all the performers, and most sadly, gone are the days of live music. 

Everything was canned, and a lot of it was very modern, and jarring to the ear. 

However, the circus must change if it is going to be something that modern people will want to see. 

My biggest gripe is that the fifteen minute intermission dragged literally to an hour, while lines of kids rode elephants, rode a pony sweep IN the arena, played on bouncy houses, and had their pictures taken with a camel.  I almost got up to leave several times.  

I know they have to make their gas money but gosh. 

And here I have a confession to make.... I have seen many, many acts... and I don't go to rodeos anymore.  I was bothered by watching the cats.  The dogs did not bother me as much, and the camel/llama/horse act also did not bother me, but the cats bothered me. 

The bulls didn't bother me (elephants).  I had a very good friend with the Ringling show and was often backstage with them, and did not ever see any mistreatment, though I know it's been documented in the past... but I have not seen it.  I DID see with my own eyes the mistreatment of apes and monkeys by a performer backstage at a Police Circus one year in the same auditorium I was in today, and the person saw me watching them, and stopped. My own sons had come to get me to stop it, when they saw it happening. 

There are bad people in all walks of life, I have come to find out, and circus folk are no different. 

I left while these girls were still performing. 

I had parked several blocks away, in front of this: 

Here's my dear old Lyric Theater, with her marquee gone... but her dignity intact.  

I was able to get a spot right in front of her.  (the little red card in the middle) 

This is the theater where I was house manager for 8 lovely years, and 3 years filling in after that. 

How many times I shoveled snow on those steps during performances, and how many times I spread salt on the ramp!  

I miss her!  

She's closed now, and has been sold and supposedly to be made into office space. 

However, I stole a look into the lobby: 

Sorry, of course I was shooting through the doors.  It's dusty and dingy now, though the chandeliers are still hanging, and it appeared someone had been doing some work on the ladder. 

The statue that stood in the center is gone, just the base remains. 

It used to gleam from Doug Allen's cleaning and buffing before performances. 

I miss her. 

The ducks greeted the day happily since the water is running again, and I could fill their pool. 

And we repeated ourselves tonight, while I hurried through chores as the sun was setting.  

It was windy here all weekend. 

And here's the Beaver Moon coming up behind the Spehar's house on the ridge opposite ours. 

I often mention our neighbors to the east, the Spehars, who are from Croatia. 

If you have time, HERE is the link to their website.  It has the history of their family, as well as examples of the fine, old-world cabinetry that they produce in the little "white building on the hill" opposite us (just out of view in this picture).  I had not even known all about them, so it was a very interesting read for me. 

And last, tonight, our prayers go out to those whose lives were turned upside down today in the Midwest by the late-season tornadoes, and those in the Phillipines are still in our prayers for the devastation there. 

How blessed we are here with our little problems!