Weddings and New Beginnings

On September 24, 2005, my only child, my son, married a beautiful lady. I couldn't be happier for them, so happy in fact that the toast I was fortunate to share with the newlyweds and guests went like this,

"Children, like the friends who are here, are a blessing. I have been so blessed to have a son like John, who other than not doing his homework (I had to say that) has been a joy in every way-which in this day and age is a joy all its own. Today I gained a daughter. A thank you to Annie's parents for raising her for me to enjoy! John and Annie, may the love your parents have for you support, encourage, and empower you to share your love with each other and your children."

That being said, the wedding was an ending of sorts for some of the nuances of a parent/child relationship. It's a little harder to think of your child as such when they are husbands, wives and eventually parents. That's the job of parents of course, after trying so hard for so long to protect our children, to let them go as the passages of life dictate we must. But I want to hold on to the blonde little boy sitting in the golden poppies in a shirt with a red heart and duck embroidery on the bottom just a little bit longer.

Trust makes you feel good

This year we have had more deer in our yard eating grass even though there has been more rain and hence, more vegetation growing everywhere than previous years. Two days ago we had a doe and two adorable young fawns in the yard, however, they were skittish and left soon after their tour around the house.

This morning as I opened the blinds at 6 AM I was looking into the eyes of a young male deer so I waved my fingers hello. He ate grass and some shrubs for a while and then after assuring himself that neither we nor our cat, Frankie, (who climbed on his perch to stare at the deer) was a threat, he lay down in the grass in front of the living room. Later, he moved over to the bedroom window where I and the cat were watching my ritual Sunday Morning show and lay down again. He was in the yard for about three and one half hours watching my as I moved about the windows until he leisurely left stopping to look back at me as I waved goodby. I don't know why this deer felt so secure even during my husband's leaving for a trip, starting his truck, etc., but I am grateful and strangely content that I appeared to be no threat to him.

Getting to know you

This is my first foray into the world of blogs. I am unsure as to the outcome of this experience will be but here goes.

For those of a certain age, the identity of "Deep Throat" as Mark Felt is long overdue and may be anti-climactic. I was still interested and have to admit surprised that a higher up in the FBI was Deep Throat although upon reflection shouldn't be. Having spent all of my professional life in law enforcement, hence government, I know the frustration of knowing when wrongs are being committed and having no place to go to safely deliver the information.

Some of the family was concerned that the disclosure would bring condemnation on the now 91 year old. That being said, the daughter of Mr. Felt is simply unbelieveable. According to article by AP writer Sharon Theimer "his daughter, Joan, argued that he (Felt) could earn enough money to pay some bills, like the debt I've run up for the children's education." If she and her children ran up debts for their education, why should they look to their 91 year old grandfather to make money this way to pay the bills? For a daughter my age to look to her elderly father to pay the bills is ridiculous. If you make them you should pay them. So ends my sermon on responsibility!