Skied all last weekend up in Lake Placid, NY.  It was pretty good on Saturday and just o.k. on Sunday. I was able to get  more of my family on cross country skis.  This time it was my brother Brad’s two young boys Cameron and Roman.  Their first time on skis and it is at Mt. Van Hovenburg !  Unbelievable !!!

It should be the end of skiing this year.  However, if my gut says to buy roller skis for the summer than I will buy roller skis this summer.  Geez, I never thought I would be roller skiing !  Celeste and I made the Lake Placid Facebook page.  Talk about Facing your demons ! Here is the photo that was taken by Sue and we are posing with her dog Bear.

Lake Placid w/ Bear

Here is the link to the webpage : Lake Placid Facebook

Below are some photos of the camp I did recently at the Parker School with SeanO and Eric Shovah plus some shots of The Millbrook School Circus Intercession :

My friend Frank Torre had a great quote that I will share :

” What comes after I don’t know ?  It doesn’t matter ! ”  Back when I knew everything, I at least realized that it didn’t matter.

My friend Don Van Patten reminded me while we were talking the other night of the only time he has seen fear in me;  and it happened 28 years ago.  Donny had his leg amputated and I visited him at the hospital.  He said that when I came in to his room I was “white” with fear.  It was me looking in the mirror and seeing my own physicality coming to an end.   I was even afraid of losing my health when I was in high school.  It is time to face that demon as well.

Here is another photo that my brother took of me with an “Original 6″ NHL hat on.  Brad bought it for me at the Lake Placid Hockey Store :

New hat for the collection

I have been to a swim meet at Smith College in Northhampton , Mass. to see my niece finally swim.  She is faster than I ever dreamed of being.

Kennedy on the starting block

I have been skiing in Lake Placid and at Notchview in Windsor , Mass.

I skied a 50 km race in Ottawa , Canada this past weekend and skated on The Rink Of Dreams and went to The Museum of Civilization.  Really the race was in Gatineau, Quebec but people understand Ottawa better.  I met an 81 year old man from Finland and France who skied the 50 km Classic on Saturday and the 50 km skate ski on Sunday.  And I thought I was tough ! On Sunday I skied with my friend Celeste and another friend from Gatineau, Jean-Guy Beaudry.  Jean-Guy is a unicyclist, juggler and all around funny man who I look up whenever I am in Ottawa.  Ed Lis, Jason Kahn and Cousin Gordy also skied at the event.

Huron Lookout over the ancient "Champlain Sea"

Celeste and Jason on The Rink Of Dreams

Inside of the Canadian Museum Of Civilization

I bought a new pair of skates ; Graf Ultra G5s. My first  new pair since 1995.  My last skates were Micron Mega 10-90s and that company is not even in business anymore.

I have been getting a bunch of bookings for the spring and summer and suddenly my efforts in everything are getting easier. Very hard to explain at my age.

Here are some pictures of a staircase moulding job I finished recently :

The week of February 20 I worked at Parker School coaching circus with Sean Fagan and Eric Shovah of Circus Theatricks.

This week I am at the Millbrook School with Sean working one of my favorite camps.  And it is not just the great lunches.  I started the unicycles today and the kids kind of shied away from it after showing initial interest.  We will see as the week progresses.

Of course Chris Martin from Coldplay rides a unicycle :

Afterwards Sean gave me a nice goodbye send off and the kids gave me a ” wheel memento” that they all signed wishing me luck in my travels.

Eric and Sean

Eric giving me my wheel

Lucy and Alison

A couple of weeks ago I took a straps class instructed by  Joshua Dean with Brian Legget that was arranged by Stephanie from the Bindlestiff Circus.  I could not believe how sore I was; but it helped straighten out my back. Go figure !  I think I would have luck with the straps if I could practice them where as on the silks I felt like I was just struggling and fighting them.

Circus = Pain

Hanging With The Pain

Here are a few shots of “Black and White” malt night at the sponsor family house :

Dave slurping

Me slurping

Although I cannot begin to come close to Warren’s experience I hope that as a group we can have a lot of fun and still put on a great show.
I already have seen or spoken with some of the circus kids and they are pretty excited about this years edition. I actually ran into Josh Harrington and his dad John at the Bread and Jam ski race at Notchview ( my apologies John for not recognizing you in your race clothes ).

Tammy Keeney has taken over for Dick Hamilton as Camp Administrator and she has a bunch of experience in circus. Note : she will be able to direct the director.
Bob Goode will be back and he promises to bring a louder whistle. As far as other staff, that is still up in the air but I will keep you posted.

I will also be working with Sean Fagan and Circus Theatricks at a slew ( what is a “slew” ? ) of camps around Albany.
Here are those dates :

1] The Sand Lake Arts Center July 6 – 10
2] Hudson Valley Community College July 13 – 17
3] Colonie Youth Center August 24 – September 4

( don’t forget the swim suits )

Just wanted to let you know that I will be coaching a circus camp at the West Sand Lake Arts Center with Sean Fagan beginning July 16.

Also, I am back at the Berkshire Children’s Circus in August helping out the camp director Warren Bacon.. I hope to have a German Wheel constructed and ready to roll by then.

I will keep you posted,
Pat