Several years ago when I was working as a newspaper reporter, I interviewed a woman who was a resident at a local nursing home. She was 100 years old. And she read at least one book per week. Mostly novels. She was bright, intelligent and fun to talk with.

"I love to read. It helps me keep up with what's going on in world," she said. "A friend of mine brings me a new book every week. I look forward to her visits and I look forward to books. We talk about books we've read."

Reading has other benefits, as well.

For one thing, reading a good story can help you forget some of problems in your own life.

"I can't get around much anymore," said 100-year-old woman who lived in nursing home. "When I go somewhere, I have to go in a wheelchair now. But when I read, I can go anywhere, anytime I want. And no one has to help me!"

Reading also sets a good example for younger generations.

From my own experience as an English teacher, and as a substitute teacher in many elementary classrooms, I have observed that best readers are those students who see their parents reading. And I'm not talking about only reading novels or nonfiction books. Newspapers and magazines are important too. It's reverse of old saying, "Do as I say and not as I do." You can talk about virtues of reading until you are so hoarse you cannot speak another word, but if you do not read yourself, your actions will communicate more to your children and grandchildren about how much you value reading than anything you could ever say.

A fun, flexible baby room theme is to decorate it in whimsical patterns. Try painting butter yellow or grass green stripes on walls. Then hang bold graphic pictures of cats and dogs in bright red or blue frames on walls.

Use same graphic style to paint a toy chest using stencils, or apply stickers against a colorful painted background.

Another fun baby room theme is a design around theme of Sweet Dreams. Use bright colors such as watermelon pink and lime green on accessory pieces, and then choose white for walls, ceiling, and lamps.

Use bright, bold colors in places that will capture your baby's attention, and mix them with different fabrics and patterns. Try fabrics such as grape terry cloth, plaids, polka dots, and candy cane stripes. Paint walls a creamy vanilla to keep room centered and calm.

You might wallpaper one entire wall with a bold print of watermelon slices. Then hang a diaphanous sheer white-on-white polka dot draping from ceiling that flows around crib. Paint or paper a small square above crib with same watermelon slice print.

When your baby looks up, he or she will certainly fall asleep and have sweet dreams!

A good theme for decorating a baby nursery is to design it around a Playhouse theme. This baby room theme works well for both boys and girls, and also gives them a great place to play as they grow older. Use a border paper with houses or apartment buildings printed on it.