The Sopranos (Really.)

From time to time I have mentioned my son Gavin whose challenges with autism/developmental delay are offset by the gifts of a tremendous memory and talent for mimicry. Gavin remembers every line from every beloved movie, and when he gets going you would swear that everyone from Phil Harris to Kathryn Beaumont to Jerry Colonna was in the room with you.

Lately Gavin has been spending a lot of time on YouTube looking up the movies that Family Channel Canada used to screen in the days of his youth. He was overjoyed to come across this clip of Jeanette MacDonald and Ramon Navarro in 1934s The Cat and the Fiddle. He spent the entire weekend enjoying the Jerome Kern music to the exclusion of any other diversion.

My youngest sister Tracey at six. She was and always will be 16 years my junior. She was and always will be a woman of strong opinions.

It was at this age, and in response to what I can only assume were some annoying scales and arpeggios issuing from my throat, that she declared (with hands on hips) "If you can't sing like Jeanette A-Donald, forget it!"

Well, maybe I can't sing like Jeanette A-Donald...













... but my son sure can!

Monday's Child is Fair of Face

Born to Tracey Nolan and Jim Clayton of Toronto, a daughter on August 16, 2010, Eileen Agnes Clayton. It looks like the happy couple will get along with their new boss.

Eileen Agnes Clayton

Babies born under the sign of Leo are the happiest children of the Zodiac. They respond positively to love and tenderness. They are blessed with the qualities of nobility, generosity, self-reliance, leadership and magnanimity. They possess an understanding beyond their age, love adventure and are naturally idealistic.

"Lenny"

The Leo child acts from motives of the heart, not the brain and are quickly moved by an emotional appeal. They are better leaders than followers. They are imaginative and quick-tempered, vital and fun to be around.

"Lenny" too

The lucky little girl has been given the middle names of her doting grandmothers. Government forms and teachers may refer to this child as "Eileen", but her parents affectionately call her "Lenny".

Eileen from the Greek means "light". Agnes from the Greek means "pure". Lenny is a form of Leo from the Latin for "brave", also from contemporary television for incessant wisecracker.

Welcome to the world, little one. Your family knows one truism in raising children - there is no such thing as too much love.