We have Very Special Guests on their way to our house this morning. So, I dont' have time to really do this justice. Which is a shame for me, because I learn when I write and this is a topic on which most of us need to do some learning.

Yesterday the New York Times published this article: Making Room for Miss Manners Is a Parenting Basic By PERRI KLASS, M.D. Its enormously quotable. This struck me like lightening: "Your feelings are your own private business; your behavior is public."

We met the farmer at the barn this morning. May the mule, who is not sane, attacked little Antoinette. May bit Antoinette's heels until they bled. The farmer wanted us to know that his dog Casey was guarding Antoinette from the chickens in the barn, while she ate her grain. Would we put Casey up and turn Annie out, when she was finished? Of course we would. May was exiled to the far back pasture.

And there, while Riley wept with rage that anyone, mule or man, would so harm a little calf, we found an excellent starting point for a discussion of feelings and behavior, and the importance of manners.