An old guy begins the new season

Well first of all a real apology for all those people who were expecting more regular contributions from me.  Not that probably there are too many hanging off my every blog, but I was hoping to make this happen a little more frequently than so far! I will try to do better in future!

The lorry and trailer are serviced and road ready for the 2013 season.  I’m splashing out on special particulate filters for the engine so as to make it much more environmentally friendly and this means I will be able to work in central London without having to pay the exorbitant daily Emissions Zone charge (£200!!); Boris’ evil plan to prevent vintage vehicles in London and to earn even more for his swelling coffers.

The season proper is now about to start and more or less everything is ready for the road ahead.  I have the busiest season ever in front of me with only one weekend free between now and October.  I'm very happy about that, even though I slightly suspect I have reached the age where people are booking me out of sympathy or with the strange notion that this may be THE year when I fall off the chairs, or the perch for that matter.  So that’s my theme this week.  Age and it’s effect on my show and life.

A funny thing happened in Llandudno to spur the theme.  I was setting up the show for the Extravaganza, the first outing of the season, quite early in the damp Saturday Bank Holiday May morning. Two guys sidled up after conversation, a mixed blessing if I am in a hurry to put up the stage. 

‘Hi there, is that old guy coming later to ride on the unicycle?  He’s brilliant!’

Many things I could have said I guess; ‘ Yes but he’s really over the hill now’, or ‘I think I could do it better than him’ or maybe, ‘Yes he’s my son and I’m very proud of him”

But as always the right reply failed me and I laughed and just said ‘Sorry yes he will and it’s me.’ The two did a kind of double take, embarrassed laughter and a quick departure.

Someone else had heard that I was retired.

So here it is from the organ grinder himself. I am not going to retire. Ever.  I will keep working until I drop.  Why?  Because I love the life and work so much. And why stop doing something you love?  And why do anything if it makes you unhappy or bored or angry?  I know I am one of the lucky few, but I think actually you make your own luck.

Of course there have been sacrifices, regrets and sadnesses.  There always will be. But me and the Travelling Show go on….

I guess the show will change gradually as I become unable to do some things, but that's the way the show evolves in any case.  There will always be skills to improve or develop and I enjoy exploring and growing as much as you seem to enjoy watching me try!  So no worries!  Onward and upward.

See you on the road sometime soon,

All the best from a road near you,

Mr Alexander