Wow, what a ship: QUEEN MARY11 is!!!  She is tall and long and wide.  Alissa and I had a glorious  time on her with great dinner guests and service befitting a supurb line, Cunard.  Our stateroom had a balcony overlooking everything, mostly water save when we were nearing land: the Princess Kay of NYC's Brooklyn pier 12.  Cunard runs such a smooth operation that even debarking and emerging from Customs was accomplished in less than half an hour.  I won second prize in the Bridge tornament.   Photos will follow as soon as I figure out how to enter them here!

Phyllis, my 78 year old Bridge playing friend, is greatly improved and on her way to a good recovery from having been hit by a cell phone talking driver.   I am euphoric at the news. 

Looking forward to talking to a group of students at NYC Harlem next month.

Oh, about parenting blog number 2:  Parents need to decide how they are going to do that job.  They need a concept of it and a plan.  Dad said, "Plan your work and work your plan."  this appllys in parenting effectively as well.  Decide what you want for your kids and how you are going to provide for your particular style and focus.  Dad believed that home was a safe place for us and that remained his focus for all of our lives with him there in Mud Town.  This security idea worked well provides kids with a feeling of being important and valuable, pretty good feeling for a kid to have and develop.  Our home was without ridicule and teasing over mistakes and failings of ours.  Mention was not made of those things beyond stating the fact of them.  Kids do not need to be remined of their shortfalls repeatedly.

The parent is the authority so act like it and work with and from your plan for your family's well being and success.