Mrs. Teabody Praises Loving Parents

"The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave a luster of mid-day to objects below . . ."

Good Morning, Gentle Reader! For this day only, Mrs Teabody hopes you had a somewhat restless night or a late bed time because the  almost full moon shining on the ermine snow was quite magical. Perhaps it is because it is so rare-- the combination of moonlight  and snow. One waits years for such a sight. In fact, even though Mrs. Teabody is a lady in advancing years, November was the first time she ever watched a full moon SETTING on the sea. Nature is all the sideshow one requires, do you not agree, Gentle Reader?

Mrs. Teabody has had the good fortune to meet so many interesting people at Tickle Your Fancy. One never knows who will come through the front door, and Mrs. Teabody adores surprises. The chance to share a cuppa with new and/or old friends is vastly under-rated in this world. Mrs. Teabody grew up in a time when "visiting" was fashionable. On any given Sunday it was not the roar of engines racing an oval track or stadium crowds screaming for a touchdown that defined the day's activities. It was the arrival of a motorcar with aunts, uncles and cousins come for a visit. In fair weather, the adults gathered on the porch whilst the young adventured the out buildings, built forts, played "baseball" with  gentle uncles  and dads who knew just how to throw a baseball properly  for a youngster's success in catching it or hitting it. When Mrs. Teabody thinks of her childhood, she knows she grew up being wanted, cared for and loved -- the birthright of every child, do you not agree, Gentle Reader?

While the national news glorifies horrific acts of parents who should never have become parents at all, Mrs. Teabody has derived superb affirmation that wonderful parents exist, especially in this little corner of the world. Mrs. Teabody has had the delightful opportunity to share tea with so many grams, aunties, moms, dads and darling little girls and boys that she wishes the nightly news would focus their attention more  on these daily acts of love that pass among members of families and less on the faulty parenting of the few. Do you not agree, Gentle Reader? If anyone deserves a national spotlight, it is the parents who in spite of all the worries and burdens the world hands to them,  still find the time to be gentle, to hold a hand,  to explain, to read a story, to sit on the steps  on a summer's night and find the "Big Dipper" in the night sky and roll up a snowman every single time they get the chance because  there are never enough summer nights. There are never enough snowman snows. 

These simple acts of love create a happy child sure in its center. And when that child becomes a lady or gentleman in advancing years, he or she will remember growing up being wanted, cared for and loved. And that, of course, is everything.