The old country

For a brief moment, the youngest S Clark and I were going to NY, NY (so good they named it twice!) for 10 days after Christmas. But it was not to be ( despite how much we would love to see Sean and Kristin in Promises Promises...(what DO you get when you fall in love?)

I was relieved in a way because I was a bit worried about the cold. It's relatively warm today as I write this ranging from 2 to -4!!

However have a thought for Aunty Adelaide who lives in chilly old Penrith, Cumbria, UK...the land of my birth. Looks like the sun is shining and temperatures range from -2 to -7!!

Tomorrow (bear in mind it's always warmer when it snows) it will be snowing and the temperature will be a sweltering 1 and down to -4!!!

Glad I am not there!

New York, new York: So good they named it twice

K, presently in NY,NY; sent me a message the other day telling me to bring her spotted gum boots for her forthcoming trip.
I was a bit surprised that she wanted to pack something quite so heavy. Nevertheless I did what i was told! She actually wore them on the 'plane.
So, it was good to get an SMS on her first day in the Big Apple saying "It was a good idea to pack the gum boots then!"

She's having a great time, seen Avenue Q (absolutely hilarious) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She's loving it!  Gum boots and all. And why not?

Show and Tell

I am looking out the window on my day off and wondering about going to the Show

But it's grey now, and I really think I am just avoiding my Master's assignment. So think of me as I try to be virtuous.

K is in Boston today (Yes I managed to find her accommodation from here while she was in NYC). The girls are in Melbourne for Wicked. Which Sue and I saw in London last year. Sophie has to fly home tomorrow, for the first time by herself, because she has Tournament of Minds this weekend, this fabulous competition looms large in her mind, as a challenge for intellect and creative thinking. The actual competition is on Sunday.

Growing up

One daughter rang from the US to say "I think I am in New York. We were driving to the Mall" (one of her all time dreams) "and I said to the people 'Is this New York?'"
Not New York City but (maybe) Middletown New York State, not far from Milford Pennsylvania, which is not far from the back of beyond Camp Netimus, where she is working.
Her German sister meanwhile when she heard that K had driven on the Highway with a capital H screamed (by SMS) "And she has driven!"
Yes, driving on the highway ...I mean Highway...is an achievment
She said she had been to Dachau and it was fairly confronting to stand in the gas chamber.
I could only reply (via SMS) that was indeed so! And it was good to stand in a gas chamber!

Such consumers

k rang from the US this morning. She had 'accidentally' driven to the Mall and found herself in upstate NY. So she was ringing to tell us, she had said to someone "is this New York state" and they had looked at her as though she was odd.
More critically, she sighed, "We would fit in so well here!" when I asked why (I had already suggested "Because we are so fat?") she simply said "They are such consumers, and so are we."
What have we done to our children?