Contributed by Milford Woods

Every time my parents come to visit, they are amazed by the technology I have in my house. Although they have cable and internet in their home, the idea that I can use a Bronx T1 to work from home and not go in to the office every day is a totally foreign concept. They still poke their head inside my office to see who is talking when I am on a teleconference and just shake their heads in amazement. I personally love the flexibility being able to work from home affords me. If I had to go into and office every day I would have to take the day off any time they come to visit. Being able to work from home allows me to pop in to meetings or on conference calls while they go for a walk or pick up supper; then we can pick right back up where we left off! As amazing as they find it, I know they appreciate it as much as I do and for the same reasons!

I was very fortunate to be able to take my family to the annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Norfolk Virginia yesterday. We all put on all the green clothes we could find as well as green beads and hats we got while we were there.

The parade was awesome and the kids loved it. I had a great time myself as it’s been a while since I have attended a parade. The drums played and the old cars went by as we cheered. It was a wonderful day over all.

Reading a history magazine I noticed that little boys back in the days of the Civil War were dressed in shorts with a shirt and suspenders until they approached their teen years. It was considered a privilege to wear long pants. I just thought that was odd, as most guys I know look forward to wearing shorts. Times do change.

I really like being a part of a large family. With all those relatives there is always something new happening. The latest news is that my niece Heidi is about to give birth again soon. This will be her second child and they believe it will be another boy. This will be a nice addition to the family. In celebration, I decided that some gifts were in order. I went online to see what was available.

The last time I visited Heidi I noticed a few things that she may need. She was definitely suffering from a shortage of Nursery Furniture. I thought I could rectify that situation easily and did so by ordering a new changing table. I believe she will get plenty of use out of that. Since she would now have two kids to worry about, I thought that buying the kids some Activity Sets would keep them busy and give her a break now and then.

Since we are a family that enjoys our activities, I thought that I would continue the tradition by purchasing some Toys and Games for the boys. I know the importance of keeping the kids busy and this would be a great way to do it. I love watching our family grow and am glad to be a part of it. That’s what life is all about and it’s fine by me!

The summer will be here soon and that means that many young people will have a lot of time on their hands. The warm summer nights are also conductive to late night outings. This combination can add up to trouble for teens who may feel the need to drink at parties or with friends.

I just wanted to send out a reminder to all parents to keep a close eye on their children. Temptation to drink can be strong and can lead to disaster. I think that talking about the issue with your children is the best way to ensure that your child will think about his or her actions. Lets all work toward keeping tragedy at bay!