Can anything compare with the ritual of bedtime stories? After a hectic day full of demands on your time and countless worries, after bathing the kiddies and cleaning up the attendant mess, how sweet it is to gather a wee one on your lap, inhale the soulful aromas of baby skin and soap, and open a cherished book. The act of reading aloud is so healing! Having a rapt audience puts icing on the cake. Whether the child’s face shows wonderment at the colorful illustrations, or the child stares at your mouth forming the words, time spent reading aloud to a child is a priceless investment. While bonds between reader and listener are forged and strengthened, the tight knot of the day releases inside of the reader.

Nestled on the coast at New London, Connecticut, is a terrific place to lay down your head. The Lighthouse Inn is listed as an “Historic Hotel of America.” The grounds are lovely, as is the architecture. A magnificent curved wooden staircase winds its way from the lobby to the sleeping rooms upstairs. Our accommodations were quite geerous by modern hotel standards, with a high four-poster bed topped with a lace canopy; two large windows overlooked the grounds. The bath was fully functioning in an old-fashioned kind of way. The entire effect was both charming and luxurious.