Cold but clear

The thermometer (and the photographs) give only half the picture - the biting wind appears in neither. But, wrapped up warm in coats, scarves and gloves and armed with hot chocolate to go, a walk around Boston Common was a great way to start the day.

Yes, there was shopping. Mary and Jordi will be relieved to know that Chicos performed well and that the ribbons were tied in the correct manner (Any Chicos purchase has to have ribbons tied, after all - something that the hopeless Burlington VT branch neglected) Not only that, but I was given a free T shirt...oh dear, perhaps acknowledgement of how much I spent there...)

One thing we enjoy in Boston is the small, independent store, like Commonwealth Books. Mark headed there whilst I looked around Windsor Button, bringing out a copy of Cat Bordhi's new sock book with me - a challenge if ever there was one!

But of course, there's more to life than shopping (or so I'm told) and last night we headed for a different Symphony Hall to hear the most magnificent performance of the Bartered Bride and Ma Vlast by the BSO.

I only dozed off once.

Finally, to prove that memories pop up in the most surprising places, here's a statue of Koskiusco. Who he and why is he here? Well, with a knowledge of history like mine (i.e. totally hopeless) I have no idea. But I do know there's a mountain named for him in Australia thanks to a student teacher who honed his teaching skills on my 3rd form class years ago. I don't remember much about him or the facts he taught us, but I remember how eager we were to learn about Mount Koskiusko from him because he had a pronounced lisp - and being cruel thirteen-year-olds, we savoured every moment of his embarrassment.

(of course, all those years of ignorance about such a hero can be put to rest in just thirty seconds now I have Google at my fingertips. Read about the chap in Boston Public Garden here and the mountain here)