Sunny spring weekends

Hi all,

The first weekend that the volcano scuppered our homecoming plans we just sat around, moping about the house being very miserable indeed. "Right now we'd be having lunch in a pub on the Thames with Bob and Sue...". "Just about now Charlie and Katya are saying Я беру ее себе в жены". "Now we'd be laughing at Ben's best man's speech". Etc. Not a very happy household... Going back into work on the Monday was pretty rubbish too.

The next weekend we decided to perk up a bit and enjoy New York. The weather was lovely and the Tribeca Film Festival had just started. They had erected a big screen in the harbour in front of our building and on the Friday we all went and watched Big. On the Saturday Sam went to a joint birthday party. Harley and Rocco go to Sam's school, but he denied all knowledge of them! We bought a fire engine book and a dinosaur book, about as gender specific presents as you could imagine, so no surprises when one turned out to be the girliest pinkest girl ever! Can you guess which one though? Afterwards Sam admitted they were both in his class and he played with them a lot!

That evening there was another free film - The Birth of Big Air - a documentary about Mat Hoffman, a BMX legend, produced and introduced by Johnny Knoxsville of Jackass fame. Max discovered a love for popcorn while we watched some amazing jumps and gruesome crashes. After the film some BMXers and skateboarders took to a newly erected half-pipe to do some amazing jumps and tricks, including Mat Hoffman himself (back from retirement) jumping over two skateboarders, themselves in mid-air. Sam enjoyed making some noise, and, to Lyn's horror, was suitably inspired that a few days later tried to ride his scooter down the slide in the playground!

We finished off the weekend with a trip to the Met (we've just found out that with my work id we can get into most of the main museums for free) followed by a Central Park playground and a Patsy's pizza. A fun weekend.

This weekend there was more free stuff, starting with the Tribeca Family Festival. Greenwich street was closed off and there were lots of stalls, music, story-telling, cheap massages and play areas. All the NY sports teams had attractions with Sam's favourite being the NY Jets bouncy-castle type assault course. Sam managed to score touchdown after touchdown. Instead of exiting he kept turning round, sidestepping the supervisor and running back for more. There was a different BMX show, with some crazy backflip jumps and other impressive stunts.

After that we took a tube down to Coney Island and the New York Aquarium, which had a free day for corporate members. My work also donates to the NY Wildlife Conservation Society, so every month there is a free day at one of the zoos. Although not as impressive as the London or Dubai aquariums, it was fun, and we really enjoyed the Sea Lion show. It's not very big, so we managed to see most of it and still leave time to have a play on the beach. Max and I had a good kickaround, while Sam and Lyn jumped over the waves. It had cooled down by then, but was a balmy 30 degree weekend. Coney Island had a cool feel and it was definitely party time. It's a very different demographic to where we live, and felt a bit more like home, or Brighton. There was a soundsystem on the beachside board-walk with lots of people dancing, so we stopped for the boys to finish of the picnic and Lyn and I to have a beer.

Yesterday we finished off the weekend by going to Cirque du Soleil in a big top on Randall's Island, which is a small lump of land between Harlem, the Bronx and Queens. We got the train to Harlem, which also had a very different feel to it from downtown Manhattan. Quite an edge, but not as much as Brixton at the end of a sunny bank holiday weekend! In the big top the circus was amazing. Max was a bit scared at first, but after a while both the boys were transfixed (both by the circus and the popcorn...). The show was Ovo, about insects that find an egg. The things they can do are amazing. From acrobatics, to tightrope, to diablo juggling, to trapeze. The finale was incredible with trampolines and a climbing wall, with great tumbling and people literally juggling themselves, dropping off the wall and bouncing back up again in unison, all to a backround of Brazilian music.

We've put lots of photos up on our flickr site. There's a whole new album of Christmas and the visits of Rachel, Heather and Pants and Laura. And we've also just started a spring album with views from our new apartment and some photos from the last two weekends.

Our UK trip is now re-booked. Lyn and the boys are staying for four weeks and I'm coming over this weekend for a few days, and then back on the 21st for the third and fourth weeks. If you haven't already, then let us know when would be good to see you. We're travelling around seeing family, and will be in London for most of the last week (after the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May). On Thursday 3rd June my Dad is babysitting, so we'll be meeting people in a bar somewhere in London. Put it in your diaries and we'll arrange a place soon and let you know. It'll probably be at a pub by the river, followed by a meal. We're really looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Lots of love,

Tom and family x