Dr Dare rides again!! But not in this apron...

Time, once again for me to update the blog of what's been going on.

Ummmm, we had some rain. It's spring now, and it is considerably warmer. I even braved going down to the beach yesterday. That wasn't very pretty. The sand is gross and the water is worse, and it was windy and cold and not very beach like. Americans can ruin everything, can't they? Oh well.

I went bowling last Saturday night with the company from church. It was a good night, including the scary guys selling bootleg dvds and cds at the entrance. I laughed (but not where they could hear me). I played really well int he first game. I scored 90, which I was rather impressed with. In the second game I shared a turn with Anna because we had 5 people, too many for 1 lane and not enough for 2, so we shared. Between us we got a 28. We were impressed by our effort to be so bad. Anna's friend Mike came, and what a character he was. He's done a lot of travelling and had some cool stories to tell.

Sunday I saw Bowling for Columbine, and it was full of statistics that didn't thrill me. I should be in Canada, where it's safe. Australia is one of the safest countries as far as death by shootings is concerned. Good on us.

Last night I went to Bible Study and we sat around and told stories and watched our dvd and had disscussion on it. There were only 4 of us there and it was very cosy.

I can't believe it's April next week. I've been here 2 and a half months already. Only 3 more months to Cornerstone!! It's all very exciting. Anyways, tell me of your antics or comment on mine.

"What did you learn in the real world today, Michelle?" "Camels spit"

My most sincere apologies to those who want to hear about the New York Public Library. I have not yet been there. I did go into the city, but it was so cold I didn't want to walk between Grand Central and Time Square, so I took the S subway, and that means I actually went underneath the library.

Had I not taken the subway, I wouldn't have seen a real film set. As it were, I did take the subway, and now I've seen a real film set. It's so cool!! I didn't see anyone famous, but all the extras were standing around being served coffee, and the people on the crew didn't seem bothered that nothing was really going on. At first I thought it might have been an indie film, but I can't imagine how expensive it is to shut down one of the s lines for a day.

I ventured to FAO Schwarz, easily the greatest toy store on earth (still to check out it Toys R Us in Times Square, and they have a ferris wheel). There was a life sized woolly mammoth next to the escalator and dozens of other humungous stuffed toys. The $15 000 elephant just got moved out after being sold. At the top of the escalator is the $250 000 keyboard used in the movie Big. Two employees give a fabulous performance before letting us run up and down the keys for a while. I'll have to go and do it again when I get my video camera working.

Next I found the Bedlam Cube and was distracted for over and hour. 19 186 ways to put 13 pieces back in the box. I didn't find one. I intend to go back and get one and then I'll try and do it. Tessa, the girl on the display was very nice and we chatted for ages. When I finally tore myself away, a man with a gun that shoots marshmallows was where I made a beeline for, until some little kid got a hold of the gun and wouldn't give it back, so I didn't get a turn. I met a man who invented a very cool card game and he was very interested in hearing about camping in Australia. Venturing further I found the lego section and consequently the life size Chewbacca and Batman sitting on a gargoyle. They have this workshop space where you can put together your own lego men and buy them. Choose the hair and the colour of the clothes and stuff. It looked like fun but there was a rather large group of asian tourists lined up and taking their time, so I left before I got too intrigued. I went to the hot wheel centre where I was moved out of the line to play with the slot cars (I think I need to take my dad next time to beat up all the little kids who push in front of me. I"m a nanny I can't do that).

Downstairs I discovered the ice cream parlour. They have an ice cream parolour inside a toy store. If I had to live anywhere for the rest of my life and I was never allowed to leave, FAO Schwarz would be the place. Of course you'd all come and visit and then never leave.

I went to Bloomingdales after that. It didn't do a lot for me. The crowds, prices and bad attitudes of the staff were too big. I think they all had bad attitudes because they were hungry. They all looked like they never ate. So I got out of there quickly enough. Took the downtown yellow to Manny's music store. On the way I saw a protest march. Seems like not everyone in America likes Bush or the war. I don't know how many people there were, but I was crossing Lexington and 48th, and the march was heading uptown on Lexington. It was well and truly underway when I crossed. I walked from Lexington, over 3rd to 2nd (about half a k), got food, headed back and when I reached Lexington again they were still going and weren't showing any sign of slowing. That's a lot of people. I wondered how effective their march was going to be.

Made it to Manny's and had a good old chinwag with the bloke upstairs in drums. He then gave me some sticks and I bashed the life out of a couple of drum kits before I realised how late it was getting. I went down to 34th and 5th Avenue, right near the Empire State Building to buy post cards, then I went back to Grand Central and just missed the train I was hoping to catch back home. It gave me a while to wander around the place and I saw a photo shoot taking place on one of the staircases. I don't know what it was for, but she was wearing a nice coat.

Finally my train was ready to leave and I went home. And that was my day in the city.

"Why do you keep following us?" "Because you keep leaving me."

Update time. I'm having trouble of thinking of things to report.

I found a great place to shop for souveineers and all the presents I have to bring home for my demanding friends and family :P:P It's very exciting.

I'm going into the city again on Saturday. Hopefully to see a Broadway show. I'll also make a trip to Chinatown and the Library.

I think I've been sharing bits of information everywhere, so I'm doomed to repeat myself if I try and write anymore. Besides, I'm tired and I have to wash the dishes and stuff.

I'm kid free though, so next time I should have some exciting adventures to speak of.

Bran, Eat More Bran

A great big hello and an apology for not updating sooner. Our computer has been out since the flood. Not that you know about the flood, but I'm here to tell you now.

Last Friday we got us some hefty rain and the basement flooded and some of the electrical outlets at home have been playing up a bit, including the one attached to the computer. The repair dude is due in today, but since I was coming past the library and have time to kill, I thought I'd stop in and check everything in the cyber world.

Being in a library, I feelit is now fitting to fulfill Sean@'s request of describing libraries in the US. I have only been inside one, that's my local one, but I will be going to the city again in the next 2 or 3 weeks and I will explore the New York City Public Library. I have been further intrigued by reading "Contest" by Matthew Reilly. Go and read it, or else.

The Greenwich Public Library is a large, but not imposing building from the outside. It has 3 floors and an abundance of books that one can scarcely comprehend. The reference section alone is the size of Logan (okay, I exaggerate, but this is one big library). I dont' think it's super new, but I would be surprised if it was more than 10 - 15 years old. There are tons of internet computers that you don't have to book, you just rock up and use for as long as you like. The non - fiction section is on the lower floor and that is where I have spent most of my time. The computers are on the lower floor as well. The building sinks slightly below street level and the wide windows reveal Putnam Avenue, and all its traffic and few pedestrians. The stairs spiral upwards in front of the entrance to the reading room, which is nice, but it's just a few couches and a table. Upstairs is the fiction section, cds, dvds, teen section, international languages and meeting room. The next floor up is the kiddies stuff and I haven't been there yet.

So that's the library. The staff are nice, and the fines are hefty if anything is overdue. Well, any fine is hefty after belonging to the Logan Library system where everything is free save photocopying.

Not much has been going on besides the flood. I have 3 new apologetix cds (delivered to my door in 2 days for under $30), and I'm going to their concert in 11 days. I get some time off next week and the week after that, which I'm thouroughly looking forward to, and I intend to milk my free time for all it is worth.

Hope all is well at home. That's all for now. Over and out.