Miriam went on-stage with the other tumbling kids of the Dutch Gymnastics School. The show began with ‘The Little Rascals’ — the youngest class — marching around and exercising in time (more or less) to directive songs. Peggy found that worth watching, but when they finished she said, ‘I think it’s time to go, now.’ This was after 15 minutes. The show continued for several hours more.

Peggy was very ‘good.’ I had had the forethought to bring a Peter Rabbit book and a set of plastic keys she played with as a baby. She spent the time clambering in and out of her seat (one of the automatically folding variety) and laps. And she played with the keys a game I invented — unlocking the fingers of my hand. A few times she got restless, wandered down the aisle and up to the back then returned. Only late in the evening, at the end of the show, did she nearly escape. I captured her and she turned cranky. What is so surprising is that she could be so well distracted so simply — if my paying attention to her can be considered a simple distraction.

The next day Peggy began doing rollovers by herself on the mattress in the basement (at first, with Miriam’s help and guidance).