The 20th -- and second last - day of my 2005 USA tour! And it was one of the busiest of the entire tour!!! I started by getting up at 07.00 to do a short radio show on WATD FM. Then went to Norwell Middle School, where I did two events, performing for a few hundred kids at each event. They were incredibly well behaved!!

I went back to Buttonwood Book Store (they arranged the school events) for lunch. I'd come here on my first American tour 4 years ago, so it was nice to meet some old friends! Went to Gates Intermediate School after lunch, for two more events. They were supposed to be big events, with lots of kids, but when I got there I was told that I'd only have about 20 in each group. I asked the librarian if she could increase the numbers, more out of hope than expectation -- in my experience, staff at schools are very reluctant to make any changes on the day of an event. But to my delight she rounded up a few extra classes and the events were very enjoyable in the end.

Did a signing at Buttonwoods at 3.00pm. Lots of fans turned up. I was signing solidly for an hour, then less busily for another hour and a quarter. Said goodbye reluctantly in the end to Totsie, Hal and everybody else, then drove up with Jennifer and our driver, Ginny, to a HUGE Barnes & Noble store in Burlington. Had a medium sized crowd, but the kids were avid Shan fans -- one had driven for 4 hours fom New York to see me!!! Overall,a tiring but highly enjoyable day. The perfect way to end my last full day of the tour!!!!

p.s. When I got to my hotel, I found a big basket full of cup cakes waiting for me!!! Many thanks, Alexandra and co -- they were YUMMY!!!!!