The circus comes to Thurso

One Saturday while I was doing my shopping, I noticed that there was a flyer for a circus coming to Thurso.  I thought circus coming to Thurso - no way!


So I sent out a text to see who was interested, and I bought tickets.  It was free-for-all for seating; the chairs were set in the grass under the 'big top.'  Given how everything is generally damp here, it was a little nerve wracking sitting in these chairs as it was all sinking a bit.


The circus was done in two acts.  It was pretty much a standard circus without animals.  Everyone had a number of jobs - like the acrobats also got to dress up as clowns and Sponge Bob Square Pants.

Dead clowns

The best 'act' happened at intermission.  They were big into selling during the intermission and sold the spinning plate and plastic hourglass on a string tricks.  They had lots of takers for these things and then everyone was practicing, and there were plastic plates flying all around the big top.


Brad got very close to getting his going, but Christine was practicing safety first.

The strangest act had to be the girls dressed in skimpy silver outfit with blue hair and when they yanked the blanket off of the case, who was in there, but ET - yep, ET?!?


Oh a traveling circus

Look what I found in the trash bin

I am a snail, I am a snail, I am a Scottish Trash Can Snail

Snail Haiku

A snail in a bin

The lid opens and closes

It waits for Thursday

'American Games' for the Lifeboat Fund

When we first got here, I was asked if we were going to support the lifeboat as all the Americans had done in the past by hosting the 'American' games.  I said, of course, but I was confused 'what lifeboat;' what 'American games,' but Bo seemed to understand, so I just went with it.

I frankly sort of forgot about it until Bo started saying we needed money, and then we needed toys and then we were worried that the toys wouldn't arrive on time.  But they did and last Saturday, we set up for the Scrabster Lifeboat Fayre.

American games turned out to be basketball throw, baseball throw, and football throw.  The games had been put together by the first group of Americans that were here and although thoroughly used - everything was still pretty cool.

Like a killjoy - I nixed the dunking booth.

Everything set up and the lifeboat pulled across the harbour, Bo and Leslie were piped to the stage for the opening of the fayre.

Bo represented the Americans on the stage while some very interesting speeches were made that couldn't be heard.  You see the fayre was inside the building used for fish sorting and sales.  Although they had cleaned it out thoroughly, there was no disguising what this building was used for and the acoustics were awful.

Smiling Bo - the guy on the far left was my boating judging partner at Wick

Once the speeches were done, the games were in full swing. I worked the baseball throw with Christine.  

I pretty much just retrieved balls because Christine was like AWESOME!  She taught all the kids how to do it and then she made sure that each of them got a ball through the hole and collected their toy. No matter how long it took...

She was beyond spectacular and that was pretty much the case at the football throw and basketball throw.  One of the guys had brought his teenage son, and it's amazing how interested Scottish teenage girls were in basketball with this tall young American passing them the ball.

Check out her follow through

On the football throw, Jason's son convinced everyone to give it a go.  I think it is very possible he will rule the world someday.


We made 169 GBP for the lifeboat.  Bo seemed disappointed by this, but that means we had 338 people throw and I don't think that is too shabby for a Saturday afternoon.

Scrabster's Lifeboat Fayre

Living next to the sea, many of the local communities have a lifeboat crew, which is a mix of full time and volunteer support.  The Wick harbourfest also featured the lifeboat crew - they even did some demonstration rescues while I was boat judging.

The Thurso lifeboat is based in Scrabster Harbour.  It was established in 1860.  The station covers the south side of the Pentland Firth and the north coast of Scotland to Cape Wrath and been responsible for saving in excess of 600 lives during 375+ launches. 

The Fayre started with the cadets, pulling the lifeboat across Scrabster Harbour. I had heard they were going to do this, and there were a couple of things that surprised me.  First, I thought cadets were like 18 years old, and they turned out to be kids.  

Sea Cadets

Then I thought pull it across the harbour - I don't know, I had kind of tug of war thing in my head, but it turned out to be row boat pulling.  Six kids (4 boys and 2 girls) in a row boat, pulling it across the harbour.  

Getting it started

Getting it started was hard and then they had to stop and reorient over 4 times, which means the momentum thing was not always working in their favour.

It's really moving now

While all of this is going on, they are getting 'encouragement' from the guys on the lifeboat, the guys in the inflatable and a line of people along the harbour.

They can see the end

I have to say the the girls were a lot more efficient with their rowing.  No whipping the oars high, just steady and efficient. It was pretty awesome.


The lifeboat pulled across the harbour, it was time for the pipers to open the rest of the fayre and start the games.

Celebrating the 7th of July?

Celebrating the 4th of July in another country is often strange and definitely completely unlike any celebration you might have in the US.  Having this celebration in the country from which you celebrate your independence, well that's another thing all together.


We all trooped to work on the 4th.  Bo and I decked ourselves out in red, white and blue.  The rest of the Americans kept it a bit more sedate.  There were snarky comments throughout the day about what day is this - why would it be celebratory...


The canteen on-site made a real effort with decorations and menu.  They had burgers, hot dogs (from a can), and chicken wings.  I ate soup.


It just so happened that Marta was born on the 4th of July. Bo said, I think they wrote a song about her; I always wondered who that song was about.

Photo is compliments of B. Kippen

As a result, Marta planned and pulled off a fantastic party at her new place.  She had brisket, ribs, and homemade poppers.  Most of the American came and a few of our new British friends.


There were some interesting lessons learned, like when you ask for a rack of ribs at the butcher, they will often cut the ribs up individually regardless of your numerous instructions.  In addition, the brisket will arrive rolled up so that it looks like a giant pork roast - you should take it out of this roll for cooking it American style - a lesson for next year.


We all brought sides - Brad's beans were to die for and Fiona's pavlova was a dream.  We ate and laughed, but Bo and I did notice that it was the first 4th of July where I could see my breath while standing next to the barbecue.

Oh my aching back!

Oh yes, I said to the relocation agent.  I definitely want to have a garden.  I'll take care of it, if they'll mow the grass.

Hmm, it's a crop of...something...um...green?

This is a bumblebee garden - part of my support for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Removing my previous crop was bloody hell!  But I have no one to blame but myself.  The bush with the red flowers is already covered with bees and they got very annoyed with me, which caused me to shout, "Look, I'm doing this for you!"


Can you imagine what my neighbors on the other side of that wall must think?!?

Good morning Ma!

Yesterday, I got a package in the mail.  It had some of my mother's free form glass creations.  When I come down in the morning and look out the window, I can feel the Good Morning and the I Love You all the way from Texas.