Dateline Thursday, 28th July.
17:30 London time
12:30 Washington DC time.

I'm seated on a transatlantic flight ... and I'm placed up towards the bulkhead seats where the mothers, babies and toddlers are seated; a full flight and a number of very-much-younger people around. Happy gurgling sounds, shrieks and (relief!) very few screams; the gamble of going for this seat in order to avoid lean-backs ahead of me seems to have paid off.

I'm struck by the mothers (and fathers, let's be PC ... no let's be honest and say MOSTLY the mothers) taking their offspring up the aisle to stretch, entertain, relieve, change ... and in every case leading poor junior along by a hand hauled high into the air. Do you, dear reader, walk along the street or around your house with hand held high, would you be comfortable doing so? So why oh why do we do it to our kids? I recall "reins" from many years ago. I also recall myself having kids who really early on could be guided by words and reason rather than by physical controls. Ah - but perhaps those are slightly later memories, fond ones, of taking two kids totalling no more that 10 years between them to far-flung destinations and, yes, as a lone father at times.

Perhaps it's that history that leaves me mellow as I sit and write here today. Perhaps its elements of that history the leave me that very odd combination of scientist and teacher. Perhaps it's some of that history that leaves me somewhat unphased by whatever my working day might bring.

Written in flight, posted later from solid earth
(written 2005-07-28, updated 2006-06-05)

 Z800 - Whimsy
  [24] Impossible terms - (2004-08-22)
  [39] A Change is as good as a rest - (2004-09-05)
  [44] Serious subject - (2004-09-10)
  [69] John Toner - (2004-10-01)
  [94] Special change - (2004-10-20)
  [151] Coffee Standards - (2004-12-14)
  [156] Signage - (2004-12-18)
  [300] Dentist's Waiting Room Syndrome - (2005-05-04)
  [331] 08:45 is a difficult time - (2005-05-31)
  [346] No Smoking Pubs - (2005-06-13)
  [520] Three life changing comments - (2005-12-07)
  [547] Taking the dog for a walk - (2005-12-29)
  [568] NB ''Aspiration'' - (2006-01-18)
  [610] Need a hankie - (2006-02-16)
  [661] Dressed up for a phone call - (2006-03-29)
  [689] The call of nature - (2006-04-18)
  [701] Minature Cyclists only - limited headroom - (2006-04-27)
  [758] Very good for woodlice - (2006-06-12)
  [761] Great new inventions - (2006-06-14)
  [784] Which way to turn? - (2006-06-28)
  [807] Telling large from small - (2006-07-18)
  [850] Lighter moments - (2006-08-31)
  [892] A pattern in change - (2006-10-12)
  [973] Too much used to Skype - (2006-12-08)
  [1075] I'm not the father - (2007-02-11)
  [1167] Leaning tower of Cheeser - (2007-04-28)
  [1171] Traffic light control for horses - (2007-05-01)
  [1241] If I say 'I am fine', what do I mean? - (2007-06-23)
  [1440] Useful command or messy screen? - (2007-11-21)
  [1604] M25 / South Mimms Service Area - (2008-04-07)
  [1662] Westonbirt Arboretum Postcode - (2008-05-31)
  [1886] Keys to friendless churches - (2008-11-15)
  [1952] Small Print - (2008-12-19)
  [1977] Going round the block - (2009-01-04)
  [1980] Michelle - (2009-01-06)
  [1988] Melksham, Wiltshire. Town Crier Competition, 2009 - (2009-01-11)
  [2009] The Royal Mail Receipt - (2009-01-26)
  [2028] Things people say on the phone - (2009-02-06)
  [2050] Why the Pony Tail? - (2009-02-21)
  [2089] The Longest Day - Wednesday, 28th September - (2009-03-18)
  [2108] Funny Amusing, Funny Amazing and The Smarts - (2009-03-29)
  [2127] Call in the professionals! - (2009-04-12)
  [2131] Patterns in street names - (2009-04-17)
  [2138] Ski bore ... train bore ... dog bore - (2009-04-24)
  [2143] Throughout the year, around the world - (2009-04-27)
  [2152] My four feet! - (2009-05-01)
  [2157] From the 51773 family - (2009-05-04)
  [2180] Patterns in numbers - room occupancy - (2009-05-13)
  [2250] Bluegrass comes to Melksham - (2009-06-19)
  [2251] Over a third of numbers start with the digit 1 - (2009-06-19)
  [2256] Is it Python past cheetah already? - (2009-06-24)
  [2397] Signwriting is dead. Long live the sign. - (2009-09-06)
  [2496] A better design of mouth - (2009-11-07)
  [2542] My armpit was like a zebra crossing - (2009-12-19)
  [2626] On Malachite Green - (2010-02-06)
  [2676] Changing Times - (2010-03-13)
  [2945] Last, final, etc - (2010-09-04)
  [3030] Liquorice allsorts and Dolly Mixtures - (2010-11-05)
  [3203] Melksham Town Council announces ... - (2011-03-16)
  [3215] Solution looking for problem - (2011-03-27)
  [3223] Answering at my earliest convenience - (2011-03-29)
  [3226] A busy morning for railway announcements - (2011-04-01)
  [3288] Random Questions ... - (2011-05-14)
  [3369] Local Council leads bans on many activities - (2011-07-24)
  [3462] Hangers, luggage and possessions - (2011-10-01)
  [3738] Adoptive homes sought for abandoned babies - (2012-05-20)
  [3851] Who is this? Picture Puzzle - (2012-08-28)
  [3868] How to make an ohno cake - (2012-09-23)
  [3912] Sand to Arabia, Coals to Newcastle or Woodburners to Russia - (2012-11-04)
  [3922] Twerp - A person regarded as insignificant and contemptible - (2012-11-12)
  [4067] The woman, the television, the bullock and Darlington - (2013-04-23)
  [4329] Does Santa Claus need a CRB check? - (2014-11-25)
  [4392] Interview conditions,and other instructions to staff - (2015-01-12)

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