Travel Advice Part Four: Traveling with Infants and Children

Fourth in a series written for yourldsneighborhood.com.

“Always have a Plan B in mind. And even a Plan C.” That’s sound advice most parents will support if they’ve done much traveling with infants and children. In other words, you can expect the unexpected. And do your best to enjoy it all. Who knows, “Daddy changing the flat tire” may be their favorite memory (and picture) from the whole trip to Knotts’ Berry Farm. Some of our own favorite travel memories, in fact, have been those unexpected moments when our plans were put on hold because we happened to be at the right place at the right time.

I have polled several moms for advice on traveling with young children. Let's start with the basics for a car trip.

First, use appropriate car seats, booster seats, or seat belts properly. Everyone should be safely belted in.

Consider the length of the trip. Some shorter "practice" trips may be helpful for young children.

Necessary supplies (somehow these always end up in Mom's purse, along with the maps, etc.): sunscreen, hand-washing gel, over the counter medications for upset stomach, diarrhea and allergic reactions.

Try to maintain a schedule similar to the one your children have at home. Cramming too much excitement into one day usually results in exhausted, irritable family members, thus defeating the purpose of the trip.

Pack healthy snacks and a bottle of water for each person. Plan to stop frequently for bathroom breaks and stretches. Trade seats periodically so everyone has a turn by a window, in the front, etc. Consider the ages and needs of children when deciding how long to drive each day.

Teach children to pack their own bags. Bring comfortable clothes, appropriate for the weather and activities you've planned, and never buy new shoes just before a trip. Blisters and sore spots are just too likely to happen.

Inexpensive digital cameras can provide great opportunities for children to take and enjoy pictures instantly. Children might save their allowances to buy them in advance. And speaking of money, it's realistic to tell children if a souvenir is in the plans or not, and if it is, what the budget limit is.

Set and rehearse family rules such as the buddy system, where each member is assigned to another, or divide children into age groups with responsible adults in charge. This is where cell phones and walkie talkie radios can save a great deal of grief. Setting a meeting place should someone become lost is essential, as is setting setting a family "code" word. One suggestion often given to young children is "if you're lost, find another mommy." Whatever your family safety rules are, make sure everyone knows them.

There are many toys that travel well, and DVD players and iPods are handy, but they can also isolate each family member into separate worlds instead of creating shared memories. Family travel gives us opportunities to interact in new and different ways. The whole family can listen to a book on tape or CD, play guessing games such as finding objects beginning with each letter of the alphabet, or spotting license plates from every state. This is a great time to sing together, to make up stories, or engage in other old-fashioned games. Traveling is also a great time for children to learn to read maps and follow instructions.

Plan age-appropriate activities, dividing into age groups if necessary. For example, short museum visits may be just right for the younger children but very trying if they drag on too long.

Some of our favorite "unexpected" moments when traveling with our three sons: We visited some caves in Colorado and because our schedule was flexible, two of the boys were able to go back the next day and do some more extensive exploring with a guide. We were warned that the red clay would ruin their clothes, so we made a quick trip to a nearby thrift store and outfitted them from head to toe with inexpensive clothes, and they had a wonderful time the next day. The more claustrophobic son also had a great time, as he chose something else to do and had Mom and Dad all to himself.

On another occasion we were on a half-day rafting trip with an experienced guide, and though there were rapids enough to satisfy the more adventurous ones, I think the boys' favorite memory of that trip was the sight of three giant turtles perched on a branch extending over a calm portion of the river. As we approached, in they went: plop, plop, plop! For some reason, the boys found this hilarious and they still talk about it.

And, as a bonus for Mom and Dad on one trip, we opened the local paper to see that our favorite rock band, Three Dog Night, was performing at the county fair that night. The boys had heard some of their music so that was okay (they were still young enough to be seen with their parents at a concert). Within the next few years, Three Dog Night's music showed up in several popular movie sound tracks and our boys were able to say, "Oh, we've seen them in concert." Once in a while Mom and Dad were really, really cool.



photo: Darling Granddaughter is all smiles after a harrowing experience in "the worst storm to hit Ohio in 30 years." More on that story in a future column.

Next week: Foreign travel.

Travel Advice Part Three: Security

Travel Advice Part Three: Security

This is serious, folks. Traveling can be stressful, but don’t be tempted to ease the tension by an innocent action which may actually violate the law.

If you’re thinking about cracking a joke or taking pictures in the security screening area, resist the impulse. While a picture of your friend being “wanded” might be priceless to show the folks back home, don’t even think about it. It’s against the law, in fact, to take photos in the security screening area.

If you are someone who thinks humor is welcome in any situation, resist the urge to make a wisecrack, too. Innocent jokes (“Darn it, Hazel, I forgot to pack the Uzzi!”) aren’t considered funny and can be interpreted as threats. If your carry-on bag is searched in your presence, you are not allowed to touch anything. Don’t even reach over to open a container, etc. It’s simply not allowed. Put yourself in the place of the Homeland Security Employees who must do the searching, and make their job easier by using your best manners. Do offer to explain what an item is, though, and answer any questions truthfully.

As soon as you reach the security checkpoint, inform the TSA agent if you are carrying items which may be exceptions to the rules, such as medical supplies, liquids exceeding three ounces such as baby formulas, etc. They will assist you in getting these items cleared and approved.

Some travelers with artificial joints carry cards identifying the device and showing a small image of the x-ray. Most metal detectors won’t be set off by other materials in your body such as titanium or screws inserted in bones during surgery. If it happens, though, simply explain to the screener what you think may be setting off the metal detector, and they’ll wand that area specifically and clear you.

I’m a fairly savvy traveler, but on one occasion I just wasn’t thinking ahead. We live two hours away from the airport, so I had my cell phone in my pocket. I walked through the metal detector at security. Beep! I took my cell phone out of my pocket, embarrassed, and walked through the arch again. Beep! This time it was my earrings. I grabbed my necklace and watch and took them off, too. Beep! The foil wrapper of a piece of gum in my pocket had set off the metal detector. By this time my face was red and I was flustered. A patient and tactful security agent took me aside, ran the wand around my body, and told me to have a good flight.

Before you reach the security screening area, it’s a good idea to put all small items which might set off the metal detector such as camera, cell phone, watch, rings, jewelry, coins, foil gum wrappers, keys, etc. in safely zipped compartments of your personal carry-on bags, or in a zipper-lock plastic bag in your carry-on. By doing this you’ll pass through the metal detector easily.

How many times have you heard announcements about cell phones or other personal items left at security? Taking this simple precaution can prevent personal loss and missed planes. Then, as you wait by the gate to board your plane, you can open your secure pouch, put on your watch and jewelry, and stow your cell phone or IPod in a convenient pocket. After you pass through security, you can redistribute your cosmetics, too, if you want to put your lotion in your purse and the other items in your larger bag.

Take off your shoes and put them in the plastic bins.

Remove hats, jackets or sweaters and put them in the bins, too. A jacket tied around the waist must be removed and screened.

Take laptops and other larger electronic devices such as DVD players and medical devices out of their cases. Lay them in the bins on top of their cases.

Place your one-quart plastic bag of cosmetics (liquids)in the bin.

Walk through the metal detector as directed, carrying only your boarding pass.

By thinking ahead and following these instructions and any posted at the security checkpoint, you’ll pass through efficiently without delaying yourself or others behind you.

You may be pulled aside for a random screening, even if you haven’t set off the metal detector. It’s just part of the security routine and nothing serious. The agent simply will ask you to stand with your arms out and quickly run a wand around your body.

After you’ve passed through the metal detector and your carry-on items have been cleared, carry everything to the nearby chairs so you can put your shoes on and re-pack other items.


(The above photo has no direct relation to airport security. It's how our #3 son celebrated the conclusion of his first semester at University of California at Berkeley. He has more guts than Mom.)

My Theme Song

I haven't cleverly re-written a song, but "I Can See Clearly Now" has been my theme song since graduate school. Whenever it came on the radio, I'd yell at my car pool buddies to be quiet so I could listen to it and gird up my loins for the day ahead. My department at Northwestern University didn't treat graduate students very kindly (in fact, it wasn't until after I graduated and read some nice letters from faculty that I realized they thought I was OK!) so this song has meant a lot to me over the years. Sung by Johnny Nash, here are the lyrics:

I Can See Clearly Now

Johnny Nash

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone

All of the bad feelings have disappeared

Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin' for

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there’s nothin but blue skies

Look straight ahead, nothin' but blue skies . . . . .

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day.

Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be Writers

Check out this hilarious essay by Nina L. Diamond at the IPPY online magazine. Just click on the above logo (www.independentpublisher.com) to read it. If you can add your own twangy song to this list, post it here!

More about Carolyn Howard Johnson

Carolyn's birthday is April 4, mine is April 3, and the Erma Bombeck Workshop Director's is April 2. So there will be a strong Aries influence at the workshop next week!

Carolyn's website is chock full of services for writers and her Frugal Series is great. See her link in my sidebar.

She has also listed my book in a couple of places on her website: under Fiction Depicting the Repression of Women, and Books that give insight and understanding into Utah, its religion and culture. She describes Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys as "a light mystery-romance set with a polygamist cult background. Insight and sensitivity. Sound research." See her review at my #2 blog (link on sidebar).

A great writing workshop

Well, I had a great time at LDStorymakers workshop last weekend. The workshops were packed with excellent information and the presenters were very good as well. Met many people I'd only known from online contact, so that was wonderful. Sold some books and signed some books, so there was a bit of buzz about Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys, and I met the folks from yourldsneighborhood, where my articles show up every week or two. And I had a good visit with Cedar Fort's new publicist, who really wants to get our books out there.

Last week brought some disappointments, as the SPUR and WILLA results were announced (no luck in those contests) and I was not a finalist in readerviews.com's literary awards. Competition is very stiff, and that makes me more determined than ever to improve my writing.

But I did receive an honorable mention in the Marilyn Brown LDS Novel Competition. Marilyn Brown is a writer and person I respect very much, and to get a nod from this competition is a validation of my work. I hope to meet her one day.

I also got a good review from Carolyn Howard Johnson. See my #2 blog. So far we have these things in common: we both wrote novels about polygamy, we both have won some of the same awards, she'll be attending the Erma Bombeck workshop next week as a presenter, and I'm going as a first-time participant. She teaches at the UCLA Extension Writers Program and I'm thinking about enrolling in it. She contributed to a literary cookbook and I wrote one. She is an Aries and so am I. We will both have birthdays during the workshop so we plan to celebrate. I can't wait to meet this multi-talented and accomplished woman!

Travel Advice Part Two: Carry-on Bags

Number Two in a Series of Travel Articles for yourldsneighborhood.com

Important: If you have questions or special needs in regard to items you want to pack in your carry-on bag, speak to a customer service representative of your airline before you leave home, follow their instructions, and allow extra time for your items to be processed. It’s unfortunate, but you may get conflicting instructions if you speak to someone at the main headquarters vs. an employee at your local airport. Every airport seems to have slightly different rules about carry-ons.

Check your airline’s website at least one week before your trip and review all security and packing instructions. These change frequently. Then review all rules and regulations again the day before you fly, so that you are current on all aspects of air travel.

Most airlines allow one small item such as a purse or briefcase, and one larger item, such as a small suitcase that must conform to their size specifications. Consider using a small bag with wheels for your larger personal carry-on item. Understand that if the plane is full or space is limited, it must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you, and pack it accordingly.

I like to think of my carry-on bag as an overnight bag. Anything I might need for 24 hours should be included in it, as well as any other important items I might need for my trip. I try to pack everything in quart-sized plastic zipper bags to keep items separate, easy to find, and, if a hand search is necessary, this makes it much easier for the security agents to go through your bag.

What should be in your carry-on: (this covers the “one carry-on plus one smaller personal item such as a purse or briefcase” policy now in place with most airlines). In one or the other of your carry-ons, include the following:

All prescription medications and important over-the-counter medications for upset stomach, diarrhea, pain and allergies. Travelers with special medical needs should wear bracelets or necklaces identifying medical conditions and medications. Pharmacies sell medical bracelets that allow a small piece of paper to be inserted inside, on which you can write important medical details.

All liquids such as lotion, shampoo, or cosmetics must be in containers of three ounces or less. This regulation is strictly enforced. For example, you can’t take a large tube of toothpaste with just a little left in it, because it will be discarded at security. Buy a small one instead. Any liquids you carry on must be in these small containers and must fit on one zipper-lock plastic bag per passenger. Pack any larger containers of liquids, such as shampoo or lotion, in your checked bag, securely protected in plastic bags.

Example: My nephew and his wife were traveling in Europe with their baby when, almost overnight, airlines suddenly required that all liquids in carry-on bags be limited to three ounce containers, and those containers must fit in one quart-size zipper plastic bag per passenger. Within a few hours, they had to make quick adjustments to be in compliance and catch their planned flights. Airlines do provide the plastic bags if you forget yours, but it can also cause delays for you and other passengers if you haven’t packed properly beforehand.

Many people carry water bottles. Make sure these are empty until you pass security, and then fill them at drinking fountains. A full water bottle, even if sealed, will be confiscated.

Any medical devices such as oxygen canisters, diabetic supplies, breast pumps for nursing mothers, and C-Pap machines (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, used for conditions such as sleep apnea, etc.) must be declared at security and made available for hand inspection. These may count as one of your carry-on items, so pack accordingly.

About ID: This must be a state-issued photo ID card such as a driver’s license, passport, or a photo ID card which you can obtain from the state (usually at the same office where you get your driver’s license) if you do not have a license. To get this ID card, you must present your social security card and official birth certificate, and pay a small fee. I like to travel with mine and leave my license at home. In fact, go through your wallet and take out any cards you will not need, such as your library card, etc. Should you lose your wallet, you’ll have fewer cards to replace. In this day of identity theft, it's an important consideration.

You must also carry your boarding pass with you through security.

I obtained a state ID card for my son when he was 13 and headed for computer camp, just to be safe, and he was thrilled because it looked like a real driver’s license. When the camp ended and the students were headed for the airport, the camp counselor forgot my son’s paper airline ticket. This was pre-September 11, 2001, when security wasn’t as tight, but the airline official said my son would not have been allowed on the plane if he hadn’t been carrying his official state ID. Give Mom some credit for planning ahead!

If you are traveling with a young infant, check with the airline to see what their minimum travel age is. You may need a birth certificate to prove your baby’s age. If you don’t have the official birth certificate yet, the hospital-issued certificate should be acceptable. (More on traveling with children later.)

A change of socks and underwear. If you've ever been stranded overnight or longer without your checked bags, you'll appreciate this suggestion.

Cash or traveler’s checks (if you wear a money belt or pouch under your clothing, you may be asked to remove it at the security checkpoint, or it may pass through the screening process without a problem). Do not pack cash or travelers checks in your packed bags.

Snacks. Your plane may be delayed, or you may board the plane and then sit on the runway until weather or other complications are resolved. No snack or beverage services are available on the plane until after it has taken off, so you’ll appreciate having some granola bars, raisins, nuts, or other snacks handy, as well as your bottle of water.You can also buy food after you pass through security and take it on the plane with you, but prices are very high at airport concessions, so if you can bring something from home it will cost less.

Reading material for the length of the flight. If you are traveling with more than one person, arrange to trade magazines and books, so you won’t have to bring as many with you. Extra books can go in your checked bag as you want your carry-on to be as light as possible.

Electronic devices: cell phone, camera, film, batteries, MP3 player, and the chargers, batteries and cords necessary to recharge them.

Laptop: Many people won’t travel without their laptops. I like to leave mine at home if I know I can check my email every few days on someone else’s computer. It's one less item to pack and one less valuable to worry about. If I have serious work to do, then the laptop comes with me. Be prepared to pull it out of the case at security. If you have a portable DVD player, prepare to take it out of the case also.

Next week: Part Three - Airport Security

Travel Advice Part One:- Pack Light and Plan to Wash

Number One in a series of five articles on traveling - for yourldsneighborhood.com

How to pack: There is an art to planning what to take and how to pack it. I’d elaborate, but instead, I’ll refer you to this very helpful article at the following link: http://www.howtodothings.com/travel/a2318-how-to-pack-a-suitcase.html

The truth is, baggage gets dropped and squashed and tossed around. Passengers who have looked out of the window while waiting for takeoff have watched baggage handlers load suitcases onto the plane and can verify this statement. Perhaps you’ve even seen your own bag on the conveyer belt. Maybe you’ve seen it fall off onto the cement and be thrown back on. Maybe you’ve seen it squashed below half a dozen other suitcases. I have. I remember a commercial that showed guerillas as baggage handlers, gleefully lifting and tossing suitcases onto the carts that take them to the plane. That’s not far from the truth. Bags aren’t handled with care. Your suitcases may show signs of wear after a single journey, which is why we don’t buy expensive luggage. Plan accordingly.

What to pack: Always use suitcases with wheels. My world-traveling neighbor never takes more luggage than she can handle by herself. There will not always be porters or baggage handlers available, and heavy, bulky bags that you can’t lift or carry are not a can be very inconvenient. Instead of one heavy suitcase, consider two smaller, lighter bags that you can lift by yourself. If you have more than one suitcase, make sure you can hook one handle to the other, so they will “piggy-back” and roll easily. It’s also very helpful if your carry-on bag can be attached, too, so that everything can be pulled as one unit. If you plan to shop at your destination, put several layers of bubble wrap in your suitcase. This also keeps items from shifting during transit and will help to protect more fragile purchases on the way home.

Some other advice on luggage you plan to check:

Know your airline’s rules and regulations on baggage before you pack. There are limits on number of bags allowed, and on weight and size. Knowing this information ahead of time will avoid delays and extra fees when you check in.

Example: We went on a cruise with a group of friends, and one couple discovered at the airport that they had over-packed. They weighed their bags on the scale provided by the airline and found that their suitcases were significantly overweight. When we arrived at the airport, they were frantically re-distributing their clothes from one bag to another, stuffing them in their friends’ lighter bags, or jamming them into their carry-on bags.

One traveler in the group, a hat aficionado, wore his six hats stacked on his head on all the flights, rather than packing them, because he didn’t want them to be crushed. I don’t know if I have a picture of this unusual sight, but our friend reminded me of the wonderful children’s book, Caps for Sale, where the hat peddler wears all his hats in a tall pile on his head. I’d suggest taking one hat, if you can part with the rest and leave them at home.

Inside each suitcase, it’s a wise idea to include your personal identification (such as a business card) as well as a copy of your itinerary. These should be on the very top of your belongings, so they can be seen immediately when your suitcase is opened. Should your baggage tag be snagged and torn off in handling, you can easily identify your bag by checking inside. Your ID and itinerary will be most helpful if your luggage is lost or delayed. With your information easily found inside your bag, the airline can locate your bag and deliver it to your destination more promptly.

Do not lock your luggage. All bags must be subject to search. Locks will be removed by baggage handlers.

Airlines are becoming more restrictive on suitcase sizes and weights, and will charge hefty additional fees for heavy or oversized bags. Resist the urge to take more clothes than you really need. No one cares if you wear the same outfit more than once when you’re on a trip. Pack clothes that are less likely to show wrinkles and minor spills, etc. Choose a color scheme and pack clothes that can be mixed and matched to create different outfits.

Pack lightweight clothes that can be washed in the hotel sink and hung to dry overnight. Shampoo is a good substitute for liquid detergent. In a pinch, a blow dryer will help to dry your clothes more quickly, and so will a hot iron.

Use the hotel’s laundromat if they have one. Plan ahead and pack quarters and powdered laundry soap in small zipper top bags. Most hotels will have an iron and ironing board in your room. If they don’t, request them. For a fee, hotels will do your laundry for you.
I pack quarters in empty 35 mm film canisters. They are handy to have on hand for laundromats, vending machines, etc.

If you’re staying in the home of a friend or relative, plan to use their washer and dryer.

Pack good walking shoes and never take brand new shoes that you haven’t worn. Blisters and other miseries may result.

Some travel experts recommend packing everything in large zipper-lock plastic bags. Then, if your luggage is searched, the process is much easier. And coming home, you can separate dirty clothes from clean, or wet swimsuits from dry items.

Do not pack any valuables in the bags you plan to check. In fact, if at all possible, leave your valuables at home. I never travel with my wedding rings. Instead, I travel with inexpensive jewelry. An imitation diamond looks enough like the real thing to satisfy me. If it gets lost, I won’t be upset. Sadly, items in checked bags can simply disappear before you claim them at your destination, and the chances of recovering them are very slim. Our friends have had items stolen out of their baggage. It happens.

Example: An older wealthy woman in our community had a stunning and very costly collection of Native American jewelry that she loved to wear. When she traveled, she took the entire collection with her in a special case. She didn’t trust its safety in her hotel room, so the case went everywhere she did. She put her son in charge of watching the case one day. At an outdoor café somewhere in Europe, he set the case on a chair, and sometime during their meal it disappeared. It was never found.

Do not pack essential medications in your checked bags.

Example: A relative’s suitcase didn’t arrive at the airport when he did, and his blood pressure medication was in it - - the whole bottle. He didn’t have any pills at home, so they waited anxiously for about eight hours, making several trips back to the airport until the bag was found. He wasn’t supposed to miss a dose of his medication, so packing it in his checked bag was a big mistake. He’s a traveler who doesn’t want to be bothered with any carry-on bags, but his wife now packs his medication in her purse.

Example: On one recent flight, a student with a peanut allergy ate an airline-prepared snack. A trace of peanut product must have been in her snack, for she began to have an anaphylactic reaction, and she didn’t have any medication on hand. Soon anxious flight attendants were hurrying down the aisles, asking if any travelers were physicians or if anyone had Benadryl on hand. Fortunately, a dentist had Benadryl in his carry-on bag and the girl’s allergic reaction soon subsided.

Again, do not travel with your valuables. The exceptions would be your friends and family, the most irreplaceable “items” of all.

There is a sign at airport baggage carousels that reads: “Many bags look alike. Make sure you have your own bag.” It’s true. Some travelers take photos of their suitcases in case they have to file a claim for missing luggage, and they keep this information in their carry-on bags. Write down the dimensions, color, logos, and any other markings that make your suitcases distinct. We use brightly colored luggage straps that wrap around the outside of our suitcases, and we also put multiple ID tags on the handles. Other travelers tie colored ribbons or yarn pompoms on the handles. Put something unique on your bags that will help you identify them quickly, and others will be less likely to confuse your suitcase with theirs. The numbers on the long tag the airlines put on your bag should match the stubs they give to you. Keep these stubs handy to help locate your luggage.

Next Week: Your Carry-on Items

Just Biding My Time

My mother always wore a watch but never knew what time it was. That was one of her many endearing qualities. She would forget to wind her old one or put a battery in her new one, or she would discover that most watches don't survive the spin cycle. I believe she once found a missing watch in the refrigerator- or was that her bifocals?

On the other hand, I'm time-conscious. On the right-hand column of my personal blog, near the bottom, you will see four clocks. They are set to tell the current time in the following cities: Logan, Utah (my home); Dayton, Ohio (home of our oldest son, a student at Wright State University School of Medicine, his wife, and our Darling Granddaughter); Jyvaskyla, Finland (home of our second son, a student at the University of Jyvaskyla, his wife and their two dogs), and Berkeley, California (home of our youngest son, a student at UC Berkeley).

As you can see, it's a good idea to check the clocks before I pick up the phone to call one of our sons. Otherwise I run the risk of waking someone out of a sound sleep. I once made a color-coded chart that included everyone's waking and sleeping hours, and I discovered there was a three hour period when it was safe for everybody to call each other, or perhaps even set up a conference call, which we have yet to do.

And I'm now signed up with Messenger and Skype, so catching someone online at the same time I am is a pleasure and pure serendipity. Email, of course, is an important way to keep track of each other, and fortunately, doesn't interrupt anybody's sleep. And of course, those wonderful attachments- pictures and video clips- help us to feel closer to our scattered brood.

Just when I get the basic zones of our family firmly established in my mind, we either start or end Daylight Savings Time. Have you ever tried to explain to a child, not to mention an adult, why we trick ourselves by setting the clocks back or forward one hour twice a year? It takes me six months to reset all the various clocks in my home - on the oven, in the car, beside my bed, in the kitchen, on the microwave . . . and there's always one we miss. I have heard intelligent adults wandering around and muttering: "fall forward, spring back . . . or is it fall back, spring ahead?"

Fortunately, my computer and cell phone seem to know what time it is, magically, whenever I turn them on, and for that I am very grateful. We used to call a certain number to learn the exact time so we could set our watches and clocks, but the phone company added commercials to the recording, and you had to listen to them first. Then, adding insult to injury, began to charge for the calls, which were only made to a computer anyway. It’s relatively easy to find out what time it is anywhere in the world, though. One website I recommend is: www.timeanddate.com/worldclock.





Then, even when nobody's switching their clocks to fool us, there's the problem of jet lag (see above picture) when you travel from one time zone to another and your body simply doesn't know what time it is. Jet lag is real. The first major experience I had with it was on a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, during the White Nights. Not only was there a significant time difference, there was very little actual darkness at all that time of year, and locals celebrated the White Nights by partying around the clock. Then I understood why hotels have those heavy, light-blocking drapes, and why a little pinhole in those drapes can be significant. If you're outside, though, your watch may tell you it's bedtime, but your eyes tell you that it's a lovely evening, and at some point it's mind over matter, or matter over mind. The garden vegetables are still growing, so why should we head to bed?

It's downright embarrassing to stay up all night, reading, because you can't sleep in a new time zone, only to fall asleep every time you sit down during the day. Experts say it takes one day to adjust to each hour of time change, which means that by the time you have adjusted to the new time zone on your wonderful trip, it's time to return home and go back to work, allowing no time to reverse the effects of being back in your normal zone.

Time changes can be challenging for children, too. School districts keep Daylight Savings in mind when scheduling annual achievement tests, so children will perform their best and not be sleep-deprived due to time changes. Experts suggest preparing children gradually for a time change by beginning to adjust bedtime by ten minutes each night, starting about a week before the actual change.

I did a little research, and I found that the original concept of daylight savings time was proposed by none other than Benjamin Franklin. Daylight savings time helps to conserve energy. When the clock moves ahead for the summer, it means another hour of daylight, thus reducing the amount if time necessary to keep lights on at night. Multiply this by the country’s population, and the savings in energy and money are significant.

Another benefit is a decrease in traffic accidents. Several studies in the US and the UK have demonstrated that the DST shift reduces net traffic accidents and fatalities by close to one percent.

Research also indicates that sun is good for us mentally and physically. For people who are vulnerable to seasonal affective disorder and the symptoms it causes, such as depression and exhaustion, more daylight helps to combat the condition.

And, just to be clear, the clock moves ahead (thus, losing one hour, technically starting at 2 a.m.) when DST starts, this year on March 9, 2008, and falls back one hour (thus, gaining one hour) when DST ends in the fall, on November 2. To make it easier to remember which way the clock goes, keep in mind one of these sayings: “spring forward, fall back” or “spring ahead, fall behind.”

I’ve had a bad a bad stretch of my own with watches lately, and for some reason I haven't worn one for months. If I could just find a watch for myself - one that works, so I would really know the actual time- I might get back on track. I do have a drawer of defunct watches. I periodically check them to see if one might be working, but so far no luck. Twice a day, though, each of them is actually correct, so how can I throw them away?

And by the way, has anybody seen my bifocals?

More Good News!

Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys is a finalist in ForeWord Magazine's 2007 Book of the Year Award in Religious Fiction. Winners will be announced May 29 at Book Expo America in Los Angeles. I'm so pleased! Overwhelmed, actually!

A grin from Darling Granddaughter

March sponsor at ldspublisher

This month I'm a sponsor at ldspublisher.blogspot.com. At the end of the month, ldspublisher will award my book to someone who has made an insightful contribution to her blog. It's a great site for writing and publishing information.