Lincoln-the last week in England

The best of England: Tea, Toasties and Tarts

Nov 4-17

Lincoln-a thoroughly uninspiring city, this last stop in England did not warm my heart. November announced itself with bitter cold and pouring rain.  The ground outside our caravan and in the tent quickly became a muddy disaster.  As dreary as it may have been, I found a warm reception at a pub down the street.  I have found it interesting how different pubs in England tend to be.  In the US I think of pubs as cheaper, dirtier bars, but in England it's more like walking into your living room.  There are comfortable chairs, usually a TV on, and everyone is kicking back and talking after work. It’s casual and cozy, and if you happen to bring your own pizza and ask for tea which is not on the menu, they’re fine with that. The owner may even come over and tell you his life story-or that might be just what happens to me.

Going back to basics on trampoline (super successfully)

On the bright side, Lincoln did happen to have the best trampoline facility I have ever been to.  Since we had a week without shows, Alistair and I got to go and train almost every day, which was awesome.  I have become much more comfortable on trampoline than I used to be, although it took going back to the most basic skills to improve.  I think that is an important lesson that I have learned over this time-sometimes you have to go backwards before you go forwards.  I have always hated drills and doing basic exercises.  I am impatient and want things to happen perfectly right away, but that isn’t how it works.  Your body requires training, but your mind also requires training.  Until your brain recognizes what it is meant to do, you will be hard pressed to get your body to follow.  I think something else to always remember when you get frustrated in learning anything new is that A: you can learn ANYTHING if you are willing to put in the work and time, and B: sometimes it takes going two steps back to go one step forwards, but it is always worth it.

I also finally filmed my first act-one of my goals in my time here. It still could use some polishing and I will probably never be entirely satisfied with it, but I am still proud of the work I have put in and think it’s a good start.  My goal is to have at least three acts, all different feelings and skills. In many ways this act reflects my feelings about the past several months. The song is Luna by Zoe for anyone who wants to look it up.

If you want to see a video of my act just follow the link below :)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxWBc0_sf85WSDNzdnk2QlpULWs

Our last night in Lincoln, Alistair wanted to do something special to commemorate our time with everyone, and in typical Alistair fashion decided to make an incredibly intricate meal for all of the performers.  I am always impressed by his ability to initiate bringing people together and the amount of time and energy he dedicates to making it a great experience.  He spent three days cooking; preparing ganache, panna cotta, pork roasts, and puree’s.  In the end I think everyone appreciated the food, and how much he put in.

Best dessert ever

As a lovely ending to our time in England. This happened:

Our van somehow spontaneously combusted due to battery corrosion. So that was pretty cool.  Thankfully we had just gotten everything out of it-including a full gas container. Note to self-don't buy a cheap used van in England.

Although not the most exciting entry to commemorate the last of my time in England, I did have a lot of time to think about things these past two weeks, and consider more of where I am headed.  I am excited to soon be heading to Portugal, and am looking forward to spending Christmas in the states with my family. I have learned so much over the past few months and am very grateful for the opportunity I have had to live and train in a traditional circus setting. I will be leaving with new friend, fond memories, and better insights into myself.