There were a lot of kids that wished for a train for Christmas. 

I still do.

 

For those of you not from the Chesterfield County area, Cheraw is the Birthplace of Dizzy Gillespie, American Jazz Legend.

 

It was a "Hot" time in the city yesterday morning when entertainer, Mark Lippard, brought his fire eating, fire juggling, unicycling, stilt walking and balloon making show to downtown Cheraw for the Market on Market. A good time was had by all. Look for the market on Market the third Saturday of every month.

 

It's a big day here in Chesterfield County. School is out for the summer. It's the first time in the 29 years I have lived here that school got out before Memorial Day.

 

My Grandson used Google Earth to zoom in on Cedar Point last night. Surprising to me was the roller coasters were labeled on the map.

 

 

I wrote a book a few years ago I called "America's Elephants." I never had the money to have a printed version so it has always been available as an e-Book through my website and through Amazon.com. Little did I know how things would change so drastically in just a few short years.

It's available at www.thecircusworld.com

As many of you know, I am deeply involved with the Circus Historical Society. Having been the Secretary for the last eight years, and the Treasurer for the last four years, I've gotten to know a lot of good friends over the years that I have never met in some cases. I've been producing our Newsletter, "News and Views" for seven years now. I keep the Facebook page and Group going as well as building the newly created companion website www.circuswagons.org  The last article I had written was just published in the first issue of Bandwagon this year. It's all about the elephants that were on the Mills Bros. Circus.

 

 

 Cedar Point opens for the summer season today. Go get your thrills on!

 

Staging The Great Circus Parade by Jim and Donna Peterson

I received a notice from Amazon yesterday that my pre-ordered copy of this great book will be arriving at our doorsteps the last week of May. I can't wait to see it.

 

 

While on Circus Kirk in 1974, my generally useful status gave me the opportunity to be a performer, play in the band, be an animal trainer, stake driver, truck driver and cook. Routine stuff, actually!

 

Would anyone have any color pictures of the RBBB ammo cages they would be willing to share with me? I'm doing a major study of them for the Circus Wagons website.

 

Dammit, why won't this blogger work anymore?

This is why I quit doing this a year ago. Now it's doing it again.

As many of you know, things don't always go the way they used too. Working the Fairs and sleeping in the back of the truck was a normal way of life. Now the old bones don't like to do much moving at all anymore. It was a ball while it lasted. Making the redwood signs was a lot of fun.

 

 

The summer season is just about upon us once again. That means it's time for another chapter of "As the Stomach Turns" at your local amusement Park. Have a ball!

 

How's this for a great super market display?

 

 

Well, the weekend is over, the cotton candy and sno-kones have been sold and consumed and everything is put away, once again. Let's do it again sometime.

 

Back in 2010, my daughter was introducing me to a thing called " selfies" Who knew that almost everyone would be doing it sooner or later.

 

P.T. Barnum Says . .

Our first outing of the season is coming up this Saturday and the weather looks to be beautiful. Hot Dog! No wait that's not right . . . Sno-Kones, get your Cotton Candy!

 

One thing that has always grabbed my attention is how the same ride is called something different every where you go. If you go to Cedar Point, this ride is called the Corkscrew. At Carowinds in South Carolina, it's called the Carolina Cyclone. What is it called at the amusement Park you go to?