I am in love with my day today! A beautiful, not too hot, sunny day in NYC. This morning we opened the windows and we could hear the crickets singing and the lawn mowers purring...if I closed my eyes I could truly think I was back home for those are two sounds that I associate with my younger years. Although it wouldn't have been crickets but cicadas!

What a full week we have had. Max has had the joyous Foot n Mouth disease. I know we have all joked on occasion of having this disease but I promise you the verbal kind vs the skin kind is no comparison. He has been cranky, with fever, sore feet and sore mouth. As the weekend draws to an end, he seems to be responding to the creams and medicine so we hope tomorrow he will get the all clear to return to his preschool.

It took Rose just as many days to recover her voice from her big JB Concert and she spent her days downloading the chords of the new songs and teaching herself on the piano. Next week she heads back to school as a junior counsellor at MATH CAMP! This is just a morning thing so it will be back to the piano in the afternoon I am sure.

Neil had a wake up call to life this week when he read of the sad crash of a charter plane that was filled with like minded individuals off to a glass factory. Having just enjoyed a wonderful trip to Venice, he realized how close to home this could have been. Of course that doesn't stop him accepting the next trip back to Venice in September...I just need to make sure the life insurance is up to date!!! Speaking of Venice, he shared some of his photos with me this weekend and I can see why he would like to go back.

This is the town he stayed in....no wonder he can't wait for September.



This is one of the wonderful windows he fell in love with.


Only engineers could possibly play foosball in surroundings such as these!


Speaking of Engineers....they really do all look alike!


This is what we came all the way to Venice to see! Glass tested by wind turbine...amongst other things.

While Neil got back to the real world of engineering and going to see Jon Stewart's Late Show, I was getting things ready for Day with Dolls - 60 women from NJ, NY, CT, PA all gathering in Mount Vernon (5 minutes away) to create together and share past creations! It was a wonderful day yesterday and the air was filled with the smell of creativity.

Of course this day would not be complete without sharing it with the Goddess who brought with her Z2, Jman and little Red. Of course the Goddess arrives with treasures from Brimfield and the most magnificent banner that she had made.

So whilst the Goddess devoured the latest Somerset workshop and the huge Oriental Trading catalogue, I took the kids (minus Max who was asleep) off to see Walle the movie. With a bucket load of Nathan's fries and chicken in their laps, I departed to have my hair cut and pick up a salad for me and the Goddess. They had a lovely sleep over all piled into beds around the house and managed to sleep through the 6am rising of Max!

Neil then had the wonderful "task" of babysitting five children and as it stormed badly, they ended up playing polly pockets - Little Red and Max had a ball, watching a movie on TV and eating lovely Hot Pockets. Later it was up to Dunkin Donuts for treats, back home for ball games, sand box and more movies.

When I got home, two lovely books had arrived:


Both beautifully written, with pictures that tell the story. Please take a peak at their sites, order their books. You will not be sorry that you did. They are all that they present and more.


We are so lucky to have the phenomenal Janette teach at Art Is...You in October.

So it is now 4:39 on Sunday in New York. I can hear Elmo singing, Rose playing the piano and the whipper snipper outside ...we only have enough lawn to warrant a whipper snipper! I have done the banking, the washing, wiped the blades of the fan in the kitchen (yuk), made curry mince and pasta for dinner (yum) and hung my Cherished banner.

Neil has reported in that he and Max are off to the park - I ask can he take Flossy....so I now have a little more space in time to write to my beautiful neice Big Kel who celebrated her birthday this week and send a fax to my Nanny who is still in hospital.

The coming week brings the usual commitments and will end with Flossy off to another JB concert with her girlfriend. Neil is driving them over to the Long Island concert, then whilst they scream and sing, he will go to Borders for coffee and reading....

Enjoy your week.

Sal x

This week we remember Aunty Ruth and her musical talents - she was Miss Ruth the accompanist on Romper Room, Aunt to my husband, Sister to Grampi...a quirky, loving lady who was forever making sure we all had enough to eat.

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