This dream of mine all began when I was 19 and I took a trip to England and stayed outside of London. I stayed in a small neighborhood, took the train (or tube) to London, ate and drank at the local pub, visited the touristy spots and lots of the non-touristy ones. I was in my glory there. I fit in. There’s something about England that made me feel that I could be myself completely. Even though I grew up in the Bronx, I felt that England was more accepting of people who look different and interracial couples.

Going from the lovely, green countryside to the city was simple. What a pleasure to view farms and then streets filled with shops, restaurants, pubs and lots of people. In my dream, I’d look through flats to rent in Manchester. Manchester is a trendy city but is close to the more rural areas and easily accessible via Piccadilly Station.

There are many opportunities to see new or Broadway shows as the theater is a very active part of this city. It is home of many museums, including Peoples History Museum and The Gallery of Costume, so I can visit them when I please. And I can picture myself going to a restaurant from every nationality each week (this is my dream!). So why would I not want to rent a flat in Manchester?

The title of the show is from the Italian “saltre in banco” which means to jump on a bench. Of course there are many acrobatic acts that include jumping, but they are truly spectacular. The theme is urban life where imagination, magic, comedy and creativity rule.

From the start of the show until the end my group and I were enthralled with each act. I loved hearing my daughter laughing and applauding in earnest. I can’t count the number of times we were amazed to the point of saying, “aahh and oohh”. I was tickled by watching an older gentleman in the row in front of us who would put his hand on top of his head in shock when one of the performers would do something unbelievable.

The acts including juggling, trapeze artists, Chinese pole acrobats, Boledeadoras, and clowns. None of these are ordinary in any sense from their costumes to their abilities, from their stage presence to their showmanship. And the music! The show has a live band which covers rock and roll to classical music. The vocals are hauntingly beautiful. The language is made up but along with the body language, squeaks, whistles and other sounds of the characters you just seem to get it.

I wasn’t allowed to bring a camera to the show so please take a look at the trailer at the official site which also includes photos and samples of the music.

To some of you it may seem corny, but I truly love songs like God Bless America, You’re A Grand Old Flag and God Bless America. They give me goosebumps. I remember back in elementary school when it was the bicentennial and we put on a play about the USA. I learned songs that were about America and it’s history to sing in the chorus. To this day, I remember every word.

Listening (and singing along quietly so I won’t scare anyone away) to an MP3 Download of this type of music on any patriotic holiday will just add to the party and make me and others feel how blessed we are to be Americans. A Salute To America is going to be available on July 3rd at Amazon.com for only $1.99. It contains 30 songs and is the Amazon MP3 Deal of The Day.

Some other songs, besides those above, are Battle Hymn of The Republic and Stars and Stripes Forever. You can play this on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Flag Day, or whenever you feel the spirit hit you.

Blogging is my favorite hobby but it is work too. And everyone needs a break from work. Having my daughter home for the summer, getting ready for my older daughter’s wedding and helping out my Mom has taken a priority lately.

So, staying offline completely, away from Twitter, forums, Facebook, etc. a few days a week is my way to handle things. It’s healthy for me and it’s what I need to do.

The first gift card will go to the person who guesses WHO Katja saw in NYC yesterday. She’ll be giving clues and you can take part in guessing. One of the cards will go to one of the bloggers (like me) who are posting about this event and adding the live show. The rest go to you!

He learned about being a hard worker and about sacrificing for your family from his mother and father. He continued this during his career and then after his mother died and his father’s health deteriorated and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He gave up his life, including almost any type of social time to care for his father on his own.

When he looked back on these years and the special things that happened, even some of the bad times, he learned to give up control to God, about how important love and loved ones are, and to enjoy every minute you get to spend on earth.

My Review: I enjoyed reading the background of Mr. Stidham’s parents and of his own family life. Although written in a matter-of-fact manner, there was great emotion in this book. The love between his family was easily seen and understood. The transformation that Mr. Stidman went through was touching as well as how he took over being  his father’s caregiver without any hesitation.

To Purchase: Love Equals Sacrifice can be bought on Amazon.com for $9.99 and from Tate Publishing for the same price.

Giveaway: Win the book Love Equals Sacrifice which includes a code for a free digital download.

The Rules:

1. Contest starts now and ends Monday, July 6th at midnight EST.
2. Open to people in the US.
3. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
4. Winner has 2 days to claim prize.
5. Have fun and tell your friends.

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This review and giveaway sponsored by Phenix and Phenix Literary Publicists.