Mary's circus diary First full day Everyone is very nice to us and chats to us which is amazing but I feel slightly guilty
because we're kind of an extra effort in their already busy lives. We had a gymnastics session with Oleg this morning which nearly killed us both. If I wake up early enough tomorrow I will go for a run and do some stretching if I can move at all. This is going to be very good for me! Saturday It's half eight and I've managed to get changed without touching any of the bits of the
tent where the rain has got in. I'm in SO MUCH PAIN!
The rebelliously purple van next door keeps attracting my eye, it looks like a cool place to live. I'd quite like to live in a horse lorry too, they're all cosy. Sunday  | | Mary (top left) and friends |
In our free time when we're not lying down or sitting reading we practise diabolo or juggling and hope to do some kind of doubles diabolo routine, the Marinofs are teaching me how to stand on Maxes shoulders and hopefully we'll eventually be able to do both at the same time. Ow I hurt I kind of feel like I should have a shower before the photo people came in but I'm not going to risk getting in the way of other people using it and the breeze has cooled me down. Friday Our workshop this morning was frustrating - the standing on Max's shoulders just didn't want to
work. Today I'm going to attempt club juggling as I haven't done for ages. Meeting so many
different people with different skills will hopefully motivate me when I get home. Last day Today we went to get the costumes which stressed me out to begin with, it seemed so last minute but I feel fine now and it was fun at the costume place. We had a run through and the two things I can really see being iffy are the diablo bit, which doesn't matter, it can go wrong if it wants and the standing on shoulders bit which is still scary and wobbly but gets better as we warm up, it was bound to be wobbly but gets better as we warm up, it was bound to be wobbly the first time in rehearsal.
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Mary Bruce spent two weeks with Gifford's circus. Read selected highlights from her diary.
