A CRICKET IN THE WIND - Memories of CreteARTWORK VALERIE HELPS AND GEOFFREY BULL A Cricket in the Wind - Memories of Crete is Valerie's fourth illustrated book based on her journals and chronologically the first in the series. It describes her arrival in Crete with several members of her family who decide to join in the dream that has dwelt in the author's fertile mind for so long. Following years of working in youth music and finally as the orchestra manager of the Sydney Opera House, Valerie fulfils her inner call to the magical island of Crete. She vividly describes the stunning landscape of Crete while adjusting to the different lifestyle to which she has been drawn, successfully leasing and running a suite of six holiday studios and villas, dealing with the authorities and multitudes of red tape, organising local tradesmen and learning new skills involved with the running of a business. The family makes time to explore the island, swim in shining seas, harvest olives, and dance in nightclubs and Valerie flies to Italy to join the three thousand voices of the World Festival Choir to sing The Verdi Requiem in the Arena di Verona with the tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Illustrated with Valerie's watercolours and sketches by Geoffrey Bull