Wallingford, Witney, Wimbledon, Widnes and winter
Well it’s the end of another season and
it’s flown by. Of course it’s a cliché
but Llandudno Extravaganza seems only yesterday but now it’s getting dark at 4
oclock and my usual 6 am start is lighting the first fire of the day. The prospect of the coming winter doesn’t
thrill me. I’m bad in the dark and it’s
come again so quickly. So tonight I’ve
invested in two bars of anti-depressive chocolate while I review the past
season; the ups and downs, highs and lows.
A couple of downs. My ankle injury at the second event of the
season was tough, and there’s some on-going problem with it. I have to be careful. I’m also in some considerable pain with my
right elbow. Jugglers’ elbow, otherwise
known as tennis elbow, has assaulted me from about half way through the
season. It’s responding to treatment – a
pressure bandage just below the elbow and liberal application of Ibuprofen gel,
but it’s just wear and tear and I expect it to be with me from now on in.
But mostly it’s been ups. It has been an enormous joy to have Rhys
Edwards filming me through the season.
He now has enough for the short documentary which he is going to enter for
film competitions next year and for a longer dvd for sale next year. I will let all my loyal friends know when
they are available. The dvd is going to
include original music by Maff Potts of Wallingford and it reflects my
performance style to perfection. I am really looking forward to seeing the
finished product.
The weather has been very kind. Only one event when it rained throughout and another
late in the season, and even then it stopped for the last day so I could pack
down in the dry. All the rest have been
sunny warm and dry.
And some great events, many old friends,
some lovely new ones, some superb memories and all round a classic season, up
on last year in terms of bookings overall.
Favourite amongst the new ones was The Vintage Nostalgia Show near
Salisbury at the end of May. Shrewsbury Flower Show was special too as was the
Crich Tramway Museum and despite weather issues and a few reservations I came
to enjoy Beamish Museum. The old
favourites were as ever old favourites! I will always I love Hollowell Steam
Fair, my twentieth year running (at least!), despite having to be towed onto
the field this year by Autohome! Both visits to Haven Street were special and
it looks as though I will be there again for the Island Steam Show 2015, ‘back
by popular demand’! Wallingford BunkFest
always makes me feel so welcome and this year was made even better by such
warmth and genuine expressions of affection by many I spoke to. If I ever retired I could retire there! Not
that I will ever retire. I’m not the
retiring kind.
The shows have developed considerably. The last show of the day has now achieved a
synthesis. I am pleased with the new
Tommy Cooper tribute and the Umbrella Man routine has now become (almost)
solid. Nothing is ever completely solid.
If you’re into it there’s always room for improvement! But it’s solid enough to depend on. I am loving Maff Potts’ Ragtime Suite (which
will feature in the dvd) and for which I have recently developed a new silent
routine and the few new props for the season have worked well, especially the
new unicycle.
The lorry has been dependable; only one
breakdown which was not too painful and the new axles on the stage trailer have
made me feel a lot more confident about its longterm durability. I wasn’t able to afford the new trailer mover
but there’s always next season!
There’s always next season!
All the best from a road near you,
Mr Alexander