a fairground life

Friday
Arrived at Stranraer just before opening time. It's not unusual to lose a couple of nights here completely, due to storm conditions. However the weather has been fine up to now. Business was up to par considering the duplication of rides. Again we closed at 10 pm.
Saturday
Tonight we open at the music festival with the skydiver. We have decided that my wife and son will manage this. The extra staff will meet them there before opening time. I will stay with "w" to watch the miami here. I do feel a little guilty, sending them to the "harder" event, but it does make more sense. I can handle any repairs here and look after "w", while "r" can handle the ride there and be home for uni on Monday morning. I did not get to sleep until 4:30 am when I knew they were closed and everything was OK.
Sunday
Awoke to the sounds of the Dumfries tenants coming in this morning. There are a few that come in from the second week at Stranraer. It is amazing how many people do several fairs at once now. In my child hood showmen mostly followed one run of fairs. You went to that fair with your caravan, lived there until the end of the fair and then moved onto the next. No commuting back and forth from Glasgow, no splitting up to do two fairs. I can see how this has ended though. Fairs where no caravans are on-site, our children going on to further education, showmen traveling more operating equipment so they need to catch more fairs, quicker assembly time of equipment enabling the ability to catch 1day events and finally the expense of moving a big caravan that requires a lorry just for that. These are just a few reasons off the top of my head. The weather stayed fine today and the fair closed at 9pm. By 9:20pm I was heading back to Glasgow again. On the way I swung in at the site of music event to pick up the skydiver. All back at the yard before 12 mid night.
SLANG.
When I write these blogs, I have to translate some of the terms I use. Not because I speak another language, but due to the terms we have for some things.
So here is a few, no doubt I will have missed some. Don't worry, Blakey will keep us right!
Wagon- showmen's custom built, large caravan A.K.A drag or Vaado.
Trailer- usually a residential type trailer, raised onto a 4 wheel chassis to be used ..............as a wagon.
Wee trailer- Touring caravan tow-able by car or jeep. Also referred to as a Trailer.
Jeep- any four wheel drive vehicle, not necessarily Jeep brand.
Tap on- Nothing to do with water, a power connection ( usually from mains supply)
Machine- a large ride
Wee machine- kiddies ride (nothing to do with size)
Hoopla- any round stall
Hookie- (nothing to do with playing truant) any game involving poles to catch or hook, ie hook a duck.
Balloon- usually any inflatable device, (nothing to do with hot air unless talking about a person!)
Lighting set or Set- a generator
Honda- usually any small petrol generator, not necessarily Honda brand.
Strike up- nothing to do with matches, open your equipment hence-start the generator.
Joint-(nothing to do with drugs) a game side stall.
Market Joint- side stall of steel frame covered in tarpaulin as seen on markets.
Chap/Man/Working man- any hired casual labourer. I believe sometimes known as "Gaff lads" south of the border.
Kiosk- catering unit.
Chipper- (not a 70's bike) a catering unit that does only fish & chips.
Hobby- (not a pass time) a make of touring caravan.
Cars- (nothing to do with automobiles) usually referring to carriages on a ride.
Traveller- usually referring to another showman not another traveling person.
Flaty- Any other person who is not a showman (usually live in a house).