What's really important???

It's been awhile! Meme did finally come home, but very late because she said there were thunderstorms all over the place and so the planes were all backed up and they couldn't take off and couldn't land. So when she finally dragged herself in with all these excuses I did my usual excited spins and then ignored her. How dare she go off and come back late with all these silly excuses? In the end, I forgave her. What can I do? I only have the two of them.

Today is Father's Day and I gave Poppy a great card! Meme gave him one, too, but it was more about her being a perfect wife than him being a great Poppy. Just lucky she let me give him a card, too, so he felt important! When he was opening the cards, I thought it was Christmas all over again and looked around for my stocking, but nothing.

Meme was looking at the paper this morning and an article struck her on the front page. The headline read "Nothing Sacred as Families Slash". Now she knows that there are troubles in the economy and gas costs a small fortune; this is not the best of times for sure. No one is doubting that. But many of us (not me) have seen so much worse.

So I guess you have to be born in the 70's to think "cutting back" on your every 3rd week pedicure is a hardship. Woe is me ... my toes, my toes!!! And oh my goodness, we have to ditch the once a week cleaning lady! One couple said that by combining their cellphone accounts they saved $70. If they had done that in the first place, they would have an extra $700 or so at the end of the year!!!!

We could go on and on with a list of the "cutbacks", but the real point is they should be talking to an awful lot of people in this country who have been doing without all these goodies for many years and somehow they still find happiness, joy of family, and gratitude for the smallest of luxuries.

A really wonderful man died this week. Meme and Poppy watched him on TV almost every single day and on Sunday he had a really great program called "MeetThe Press" that answered so many questions for so many people. He was honest, a man of integrity. His life was cut short way before it should have been.

Meme said she felt like she'd been hit in the gut. She didn't know why because he wasn't a friend of hers. But she welcomed him into our home every single day. We relied on him to ask the good, hard questions and get real answers, not let people beat around the bush. She says he demanded accountability (something really important to Meme).

In a world of spin and partisanship, this man set the bar very high and Meme doesn't think there's anyone out there who didn't have respect for him. And how many people, particularly in the political world, can we say that about these days?

So a really nice family has lost a son, a brother, a husband, a father. And we have lost an honest, down to earth, loving man. And it's going to take a very long time before someone can come even close to replacing him, if they even can. It's just a terrible loss particularly now.

It's not about the hair coloring, the best cellphone plan, the cleaning lady, the Thai take-out, the pedicures, or even Disney World. It's about being grateful to have your family together. That's why I hate when mine walks out the door ... I never know for sure they're coming back.

This man's family has to come home and he's not here anymore. I don't think they'll even notice whether or not they have an HDTV. They don't have him. And this world is going to be more than a little empty without him.

God bless you and keep you, Tim Russert.

'Til Next Time ...

Molly









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