Author's Note:

Has anyone had positive outcomes with melanoma treatment? If so, please let me know. I am in need of hearing about good outcomes (no negative stories, please). Thanks!

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- - - Anne's Diary - - - Anne's Diary - - - Anne's Diary - - -

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May 2012 (Anne wrote this diary entry six days after the events in chapter 38 of "By a Simple Twist of Fate")

Dear Diary,

I have woefully neglected you this week…my apologies! But never fear, I have made notes of things I want to write about in more detail later. As usual when I'm with Izzie, I have been making a whole list of new "Izzie-isms" to properly record in your pages. Plus, I want to tell you about the Museum of Math that Jake picked for his "day" with Gilbert and me…it was a LOT more interesting than I presumed it to be – I would actually enjoy going there again. So, look for me to write lots more about those things in your pages in future entries.

But for now, let me catch up by at least listing our NYC activities in date order:

Tuesday – As we went through customs at the Halifax airport, I couldn't help but think of Rilla's misery in that very same place in January. Thankfully, we breezed through and had a quiet flight to NYC; Joy and the kids picked us up from JFK airport. (Note to self – make sure to write later about Izzie's outfit and the glitter-covered poster she was holding for us!)

Wednesday daytime – We accompanied Izzie to school and ended up staying an extra hour in order for me to read a story to her class during Library Time. Later we joined Jake for lunch at his school. I love that he still thinks it is cool to have us come in for lunch with him and his friends. He seemed to enjoy telling his friends that Gilbert actually touches people's brains during surgery! (Boys and their love of gross things!) Late-afternoon, we picked up both kids from their schools because Joy/Dan busy. (Joy appointment. Dan work. Rilla exams.) Ice cream on way home. Grandparents have the privilege and expectation to ruin grandkids' appetites.

Wednesday night – Dan work, Izzie/Jake school. Rilla exams. Went with Joy to the "Artists & Fleas" (a flea market) at Chelsea Market. Wandered through the vendors booths, ate pizza at a wonderful little place, then went up and walked along the High Line elevated-rail-line-turned-park. Had the long-anticipated dinner with Ken and Rilla, then enjoyed Ken's gift to Gilbert…attending the Rolling Stones concert! Definitely will write more about those last two things after I finish this timeline.

Thursday – quiet day (needed to recuperate from the concert…we're not as young as we used to be). Walked kids to/from school with Joy. Gilbert had a 10 AM conference call. I did household stuff with Joy and talked a lot about the tax investigation, her new interest in working with abused women, and her mixed emotions at being an "stay at home" mom for the first time in years. Dan work, Rilla last exam.

Friday – I spent the day with Rilla in Brooklyn. Gilbert spent the day working on an article he's writing and catching up on some other paperwork. It was very nice to have that 1-on-1 time with Rilla. I had thought we might be cleaning out Mrs. Weisz' flat still, but she and Ken finished that up last weekend. Instead, we found a little coffee shop and drank coffee in honor of Mrs. Weisz. I saw firsthand how many photographers camp out on her doorstep…heard the incessant camera clicks every time we exited or entered her building. She said that this was the "normal" amount that she regularly sees parked outside. During Ken's recent stay, there were lots more photographers once they realized that Ken was here helping her clear Mrs. Weisz' flat. After they deduced that Ken returned to London on Thursday morning, the mob of extra paps immediately dropped back down to the "normal" half-dozen or so that I saw.

Saturday – "Jake and Grandparents" day at the Museum of Math. While we were there, Rilla and Izzie supposedly "helped" Joy prepare an amazing Italian dinner for the whole family.

Sunday – "Izzie and Grandparents" day at Central Park and the Zoo. So many things to write about – I'm glad I got candid video of Izzie talking with Gilbert. Her creative "Izzie-isms" about what the animals do when humans aren't around were so fun to hear. (She's seen "Madagascar" many times!)

Monday –Jake/Izzie school. Dan work. Joy midday appt. Met Rilla for lunch with her NYU friends – Seraphina, Nia, Megan, and Chelsea. Seraphina gave Gilbert and me each a "#TeamRilla" shirt. She knows someone who attends the design school that the fashion blogger attends and arranged to get us the shirts as a way to tease Rilla. But Rilla hasn't grown up with six siblings (plus all of the Merediths) for nothing…she laughed along with it and wondered if she should wear one of the shirts herself…but we all vetoed that idea for her! However, Gilbert and I are considering wearing the shirts at some point this week under our jackets – showing just enough of the lettering for Rilla to recognize that we're wearing them!

Today – It is only 8:30 AM and the whole day is in front of us. Dan is taking the afternoon off, so we are going to meet him at his office and, after getting some lunch with us and Joy, Dan will take Gilbert to several of the NYC music stores that have good vinyl collections. Joy and I have spent more than enough hours at music stores…so we will find something else to do until it is time to pick up the kids. After dinner here at Joy's tonight with Rilla, we will all head out to go look at the Empire State Building because it will be lit up with violet lights in honor of the NYU commencement tomorrow.

Tomorrow – Gilbert and I will be part of the crowds at the massive NYU graduation ceremony at Yankee Stadium. Then we will meet up with Rilla for a celebratory meal at the place she's been telling Gilbert about (the one with the live music). Rilla says that this is the 5th year NYU will hold graduation at Yankee Stadium. There will be 15,000+ graduates who are finishing their degrees this year! I cannot imagine such a large commencement program!

Things I still need to write about:

* My impressions of Ken (in person rather than on the phone)

* Ken is going to come for the family reunion in Ingleside…!

* My gift from Ken - The Secret Garden 1st edition (that he "happened" to find during a stop at a bookstore…really?)

* All of my reflections about the whole evening with Ken and Rilla, including the concert and Gilbert's unabashed joy at seeing the Stones performance!

Also, I don't want to forget to write about:

* Our experience sneaking around in taxis on the way to the restaurant and arriving by the back alley

* The initial oddness at eating in a completely empty restaurant

* Being aware of (then almost forgetting about) Ken's security force

* The whole VIP concert experience – it gave us a small taste of Ken's world of being whisked through the building to avoid the crowds!

Joy just came in to suggest that she and I use this morning before lunch with Dan to go shopping so I will return to fill your pages more later. I think her theory is that we're looking for some extra gifts for the three graduates, but I think that it is actually her excuse just to go shopping!

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- - - Anne's Diary - - - Anne's Diary - - - Anne's Diary - - -

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Author's note:

From my research, it seems that NYU held their graduation on May 16, 2012. If you do an internet search for "2012 NYU commencement Times Union" you can see that newspaper's pictures of the massive crowds at the actual graduation at Yankee Stadium.

With 27,000 people in attendance, it is quite amazing to consider that any photographers (in our AU) might have been able to even find Gilbert and Anne in the crowds, let alone capture a picture of them in their #TeamRilla shirts as described in Royal Correspondent chapter 14 and Twist chapter 39.

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Anne's observations about meeting Ken will be in the next chapter. :-)