It was during early childhood when I first learned the merits of sneakiness (which manifested in different ways in adolescence, but that’s a different story). Once I’d discovered where the flashlight was kept, and that it wouldn’t be missed, it became a frequent bed companion. Following the ritual story time, tucking in and “lights out” with mom, I’d wait a few moments (which felt like an eternity), and under the covers I dived with flashlight and Pierre. Later it was Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and her magical potions to teach lessons to misbehaving children, or with Nan, Bert, Flossie and Freddie of the Bobbsey Twins as they ventured off to Hawaii or Blueberry Island. After what I later understood was my parents’ pre-determined “acceptable reading time”, mom would make noise on the stairs or in the hallway, giving me just enough warning to turn off the flashlight and slip it between the bed and the wall before she poked her head in to check on me. I thought I was so clever.
Several … ok, many … decades later, things haven’t changed too much. (more…)
Sylvia’s guest blog
Valentine’s Day: A big celebration day for florists around the world! In the U.S., it’s their number one holiday with as much as 20% of annual business. According to a CBS report, Americans will spend $1.7 billion on flowers for their sweeties.
While I’ve been busy doing research and experimentation on the 
