With Uncle Sebastian claiming her time during the day, feverishly painting his Young Werther, Elizabeth claimed the hours between sunset and bedtime.

But three decades later, she runs a thriving business that claims virtually all her time and attention.

Over the years, as Mr. Levine's association with the Met increasingly claimed his time, Mr. Babbitt went around bemoaning that "we composers have lost Jimmy to opera."

If he weren't snoring enough to wake everyone in the Lamplighter Inn, she'd be certain he'd been awake earlier and claimed her one time more than she'd counted.

He would not be slaving in the hot sun at midday, and Te-Velethat could only claim his time until Kashet returned.

She had no right to claim his time, no matter how she ached to keep him with her throughout the night.

Well, I am here to claim my time in the limelight.

She flailed her arms, struggling to the surface and gulping for air as her head surfaced again, before darkness claimed her one more time.

On rare Sunday afternoons when nothing else claimed our time, Gina and I walked up here for no reason at all, and sat beside the fountain.

Negotiators made no comment, but on Friday a spokesman for Mr. Blair called the talks the last "window of opportunity" for the two prime ministers before other commitments claimed their time.