no more adventurous driving

Saturday January 31, 2009

Ice storm in KY!!

Our building has been commandeered by the National Guard sooo, no show today!

We drive to a part of KY that is not frozen solid.Unbelievable, no power, no lights ,no fuel.It looks like the White Witch of Narnia has cast spells. I take a shortcut sometimes I do very stupid things.It was amazing to look at, but I couldn't even pull over to take a picture.The trees were bending into the road, heavy with ice,my trailer brushed them against them as I drove.Trees were cracked and lying everywhere ,everything was coated with ice.It was a little scary and I vowed never again to take a short cut and to stay with the pack.

what's more fun measuring or cutting?

Friday , January 30. 2009
Sometimes I set up twice in one day.It seemed like a good idea to use my swing set aka the last resort.upon further study i.e ascending the ladder o death and looking at the beams I saw I could squeek a cable over the beam in a few spots.Much better looking and actually at night with lights it was cozy ,intimate and kinda magical! Business was good ! Public was happy and cool and they shopped !!

Delilah made Couscous

Thursday January 29, 2009

The building had this gorgeous aluminum extension ladder.I am off the ground, I can swing.

The people I am on the road with say things that keep me going, inspired, amused.I decided to post some of their words.

"In weather like this, when it is really cold ,I can feel every way that I have been f---ed up by a pig."

" Today,Are you BeckyBoo or Becky BooHoo?" "You know how in theater actors have their motivation?, My motivation is that glass of wine,is that wrong?"

"it is what it is"

"Are people just stupider in this town?"

"Grain and raid is how they say green and red,but the final consonant is silent so I am clueless"

There is this guy on the show he has perfected the duct tape stall and the gloves on and off stall.The duct tape stall is kind of my favorite because I have never seen someone make such a masterpiece of opening a roll of duct tape.It sort of resembles surgery but he has to do the nurse part and be the surgeon.

Here is a little factoid Tennessee has a 9.25 % tax on alcohol!

easy work easy money

Wednesday January 28, 2009
OK so we got to show in some animal barn thing! yup Sawdust and Spangles and ..........
Freezing cold! I couldn't get a good photo.So I am using something from last year.
It didn't look at all like this !This photo is a building/barn/equestrian center of note. It was too high for all manner of ladder , So with a cash incentive I got the prop guy to throw a rope attached to a shackle over the beam.I hooked a rope I could climb ,tied off pull/throw rope and climbed up rope and while at the top of the rope squeezing my legs together like mad and holding on to the beam sort of I choked my trusty span sets on beams/truss,and then using a rope with a pulley I pulled up my trapeze !we did the same throwing thing with a heavy rope for my silks. ta da! easy work ,easy money !! Tear down was pretty fast.Unfortunately it was below freezing and one wall of the building was missing!!Fortunately business was pretty ok and Kris Mangor came to visit and we had excellent pizza and even more excellent wine!

I love doing hot yoga

Wednesday January 26, 2009

I did Bikram/Hot Yoga in my trailer. I cranked up my heat, added 2 electric heaters! Ta da, it only got to 83 degrees but I am an addict to hot yoga, it helps my muscles,soothes my mind and banishes my demons! A reason to go shopping I need one more electric heater !Oh yes not my trailer in the photo,just me happily sweating.

honor role

Thursday January 22, 2009

Imagine a box truck with a green extension ladder on top of the box truck! The ladder is leaning on the beam.I am on the ladder wrapping span sets and hanging my stuff.

Unfortunately the beams are not level. Fortunately I have lots of hardware.Unfortunately my trapeze is totally not level one side is longer than the other. Fortunately I am able to perform .Unfortunately the building had no heat.Fortunately my trailer does and very fortunately my darling daughter Fresia made honor role

Rebecca Ostroff, girl rigger

Tuesday January 20, 2009

Today is a first for me. I walked the beams of the building! Very dark and creepy, I was kind of looking around for creatures with rabies.I held on to a channel on the roof.My rear got sore sitting straddled on the beam.The highlight of this exercise was I had a reason to go shopping. I had to own a headband flashlight deal ! What fun for me !

ladder-o-death

Thursday January 15, 2009

opening day !starting out with a boom!! I get to use the ladder o death!The ladder o death is an a-frame ladder with an extension ladder ratchet strapped to it !!

When I first saw this contraption I sort of freaked, now I am proficient and agile with my set up and execution!

photo by Hilary Tuttle Hoff