Beautiful day. . . Cecilia home from the hospital . . . Rick May will make an effort to check out my computer this weekend. Let's wish him luck . . . Jack Barnett whipped up a plate of chocolate-y cookies . . . Angela Lawson showed up with huge slices of coconut cream pie . . . so much for my battle with cholesterol . . . Jack Brandt paid a brief visit; he is really enjoying his ceramics classes at HACC . . .

Busy day unpacking all the beautiful new pottery. Sorry I cannot show you a picture of it. Next problem is where to display it all. Right now it is simply stacked on the floor . . . Cecilia has been admitted to the hospital for a recurring high fever that seems unexplainable. Worrisome. Our prayers are with the Battisti family. . . Have heard some disturbing rumors lately and I am hoping that one of you can confirm or deny: The fireman's convention of antique machinery which has been a fixture along the river in June has been canceled this year because of increased park usage fees; the chili cook-off, a staple of the Kipona celebration, has been canceled for the same reason and will seek another venue on the West Shore. Please, please tell me that these rumors aren't true. These two events draw hundreds into the city . . .

It will be a busy couple of weeks in the Janet Day/Tom Leonard household as son Peter graduates from Temple U. and son Daniel graduates from Bishop McDevitt . . . Hot off the press is The Book of Secrets ($24.95) which exposes the way charlatans and magicians pulled off their "magic." We are all familiar with most of these, some centuries old. I was fascinated. Also included are directions for amazing card tricks, which aren't so amazing once you know the techniques. We have two copies in stock . . .

Doug and Amy Hill back from California after running a marathon around Big Sur country . . . Got an e-mail actually supporting the new $5 admission charge to ArtFest that I have been complaining about recently. If I am not mistaken, the writer is a supplier to the event, and I suppose he realizes that he can now raise his prices for services rendered. I imagine others will soon follow suit . . .

Another damp, dull day with nothing newsworthy here. I need some sun and some visitors . . .

A gloomy and almost depressing kind of day. The highlight was a quick visit to Larry and Jon who had no news to share . . . Bob spent the weekend with friends in Philadelphia and had a very nice time . . . Looking forward to sharing some pictures with you as soon as I am on my own computer . . .

Spent the evening revisiting my youth by listening to songs from the 1950s. And every word of those then-popular songs was crystal clear. Eddie Fisher, Doris Day, Don Cornell, Kay Starr . . . Almost expected Joan, Donna, Regina, Gary and some others to join me at our favorite Cheeri-o Restaurant table to fill up on French fries with gravy, a Coke with a splash of cherry or chocolate syrup and twenty-five cent hamburgers (no pizza back in those days) . . . Someone would come up with an extra nickel or two and he/she would trot to the jukebox to play the latest on Your Hit Parade. We would hum or sing along--Stranger in Paradise, Wheel of Fortune, Mister Sandman . . . Ah, those were the days . . .