I'm living in a night owl's worst nightmare - having bed time moved a few hours earlier by merely traversing a few timezones.

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Other than having everyone else (except McMonkey, of course) drop off 3 hours ago, we are having a wonderful time in Lower Sackville. The whole family is soaking up the East Coast hospitality. I am especially enjoying sitting on the front lawn of Joanne and Steve's house (Jenn's school buddies), having the neighbors wander over, one by one with their camp chairs and supply of their favorite drink, and then watch as all the kids on the street run loose, keeping each other busy with games of flashlight tag and hackysack. The cul-de-sac where Joanne and Steve live has grown into a safe and comfortable haven with lots of kids that have known each other since before they could walk. The big kids keep an eye on the younger ones and don't seem to feel put upon by the task.

In a situation such as this, where you can sit and converse (and man, can Nova Scotians converse!) with friendly people and feel that your kids are perfectly safe and well-entertained, you can't help but relax. I feel the stress of parenting just melting away.

All this and a high-speed Internet connection. How could things get any better?