Page 3 Wednesday August 22rd. 2nd Day. ----------------------------------- I awoke at nine and heard the sound of Kenneth singing to himself in the nursery. I opened one eye in time to see Pat swoosh by into the kitchen; then swoosh - she was out again with a feeding bottle. I got up and hied me to the kitchen and she showed me where the teabags mere kept which I fixed whilst she cooked eggs. Dick went off to work with only a cup of coffee inside him - a terrible habit among fans! Pat and I had a leisurely walk around the block with Kenneth. I eagerly gazed at the strange sights - the fire hydrants, the gaily coloured taxis, and the towering skyscrapers. Then we took a bus downtown and I watched the driver with admiration. He accepts the fares and gives out the change, and in fact does the lot: The place we headed for was Fifth Avenue and the first American shop I entered was - naturally - a bookshop, Doubledays. I was fascinated by the lovely large stores and imposing buildings. We went to lunch there and I found that an American ham sandwich is a meal; Not two thin slices of bread with a microscopic piece of ham between; but a large helping of ham almost biding the bread, and requiring a fork and knife to eat it. Salad is served 'on the side" automatically. The teapot was a china one too, and I collected my first souvenir - bookmatches. I do approve of the way they are liberally bestrewn around and all free; it does my Scottish heart good. The sugar is always in neat little packets, these I collected also: From there we went to the Museum of Modern Art, the main exhibit was of the work of Picasso but I also enjoyed trying to puzzle out the abstract paintings of many American artists. This Museum was well air-conditioned and I soon complained of feeling cold. "Yes," said Pat, "let's go outside and get warm." A more absurd statement I'd never heard and what's more absurd is that - it was warmer outside: We sat at the outdoor restaurant and I had a cup of tea. As I looked round at the well-laid out gardens and pool I sighed with delight..sunshine at last. Whenever I felt apart from my gen- erous hosts throughout my stay, it was in this thing of taking sunshine f'or granted. They shared none of my feeling..there's the sun..let's get out quick: Shortly after our return home,the baby-sitter arrived. This was Sandy who was studying at the New York Hospital to be a graduate nurse. It vas Pat and Dick's wedding anniversary and they were going out to celebrate. I was quite horrified at Sandy's tale:she was not paid whilst working full- time at the hospital, and she had to buy her own books, and she had to pay for her own meals: Shades of the poor NHS: No wonder baby-sitting jobs were a godsend to her. I looked at her with real respect. Elsie and Don called for me and we set off for Central Park to the open-- air Delacorte Theatre. The stage was large, and behind it was a lake, making a very effective backgound. The stage was composed of large pillars and slabs of stone which could be moved about smoothly to set the various scenes. The play was KING LEAR, and the outdoor setting gave a strong feeling of reality; the production moved smoothly, there were few halts, and I was guickly immersed. The lighting and sound effects were good; as the storm scene began the wind rose a little and I felt the atmosphere become almost unbearable..at the eye-gauging scene I could not bear to watch. At the interval I looked around: to see every seat filled. Elsie was very proud of