A couple of weeks ago, my son phoned home. Surprisingly enough, he's actually very good about calling home on a regular basis. Anyway, this time he let a bomb drop. "Hey guys, did you know that your daughter has a boyfriend?" Dead silence. Ah no... no clue. And how did he know?

I was at the doggie park in Ambleside this week, enjoying the dogs, the ocean, and the owners. OK, so I'm the first to admit that I'm a tiny bit biase...

I'm not anywhere near as annoying or bossy or overprotective or uptight as Claire. Just because I want what's best for my kids and discuss contentious issues with them until they see the light (mine), it doesn't mean I don't respect their points of view.