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(click to enlarge)

I have made and sent another picture book to Sam, which I have sort've replicated below (at least the words and pictures if not the format), and it includes photos taken at the New York Botanical Garden's wonderful model train show. The photo above was taken there, and has us standing next to the Guggenheim museum, constructed from mushrooms. Brilliant.

Sam is doing quite well in Zagreb (unlike his grandparents in NYC), and will soon start attending a local pre-school three mornings a week. They visited the school last week. Initially, prior to setting out on the adventure, Sam shrank a bit and said "I'm shy." Once he arrived, and discovered there were other children there and, more important, a goldfish, he was hooked and didn't want to leave. Sam will be the only English speaking student (although English has become such the universal language that much of the instruction for these children -who come from a variety of countries- will be in English).

But oh do I wish that Sam could be with us at 8:00 a.m. next Saturday morning when Christo's Gates are unfurled in Central Park. It's going to be spectacular, and knowing Sam's love of color, and of waving flags, he would have been ecstatic. I will be thinking of him next Saturday. Here's a description from Christo's website:

The 7500 Gates, 16 feet (4.87 meters) high with a width varying from 5' 6" to 18 feet (1,67 m to 5,48 meters) will follow the edges of the walkways and will be perpendicular to the selected 23 miles of footpaths in Central Park. Free hanging saffron colored fabric panels suspended from the horizontal top part of the gates will come down to approximately 7 feet ( 2,13 meters) above the ground. The gates will be spaced at 12 foot (3,65 meter) intervals, except where low branches extend above the walkways allowing the synthetic woven panels to wave horizontally towards the next gate and be seen from far away through the leafless branches of the trees. The temporary work of art The Gates is scheduled for February 2005, to remain for 16 days, then the 7,500 Gates shall be removed and the materials will be recycled.

Oh well. When he returns there will remain plenty of delights for Sam to see. Meanwhile, I work every Friday trying to earn money to fly to Croatia and visit. It sure as hell isn't the same as spending the day having adventures with Sam.

SAM LIKES TRAINS


Sam likes to look at trains in stores

Sam likes watching trains go by

Sam likes seeing trains very close

Sam likes to play with trains

…even when he’s eating

Sam likes to help Cranky the Crane

Piggy likes to sleep on the shed
(she’s too big to fit inside)


Sam likes to go with Grandma to look at trains
(can you find Sam in this picture?)

Sam likes to see trains go over bridges made of sticks

Sam likes to see them with Grandpa

and Grandma

Sam likes to show Grandpa where the train is coming from

Sam says, “See Grandpa? There it is”

Sam likes to meet real trains, like Thomas

Thomas is BIGGGGG...!!

Sam likes it when Grandma helps him look in Thomas and see where the driver sits

Sam loves Thomas

But Sam loves his Grandpa,

and his Grandma, even more