Mahalo Nui Loa

There I am, the happy mom on the left, next to the proud groom and his beautiful bride. Thank you very much--mahalo nui loa--to all of our many well-wishers, online and off, who have so kindly shared my family's joy.

As I know from my previous two trips to the islands, one never does come all the way home from Hawaii. For now, Olympics and conventions just can't compete with the lingering afterglow. I'll get back to business in the next few days. At the moment, I'm still on Hawaii time...

Hawaiian Love Song

...for whither thou goest, I will go;

and where thou lodgest, I will lodge;

thy people shall be my people,

and thy God my God.

~ Book of Ruth 1:16

My son is getting married next Saturday, August 16. Because his bride was born and raised there, the festivities will take place in a magical beachside garden in beautiful Hawaii.

Much of Nicole's family, including her parents, still reside in Hawaii. Except for me, aka Mom, all of my son's family--including my now Bostonian daughter--live in the northeastern states, primarily New York. Most of my relatives have never been to Hawaii. But all of Matt's aunts and uncles, and many of his cousins, are making the substantial journey to the 50th state to celebrate this momentous occasion with us.

I see it kind of like Shangri-La meets Times Square. There could hardly be a starker contrast of cultures than our party mix of laid-back Hawaiian islanders and wound-up New Yorkers. Yet I have a feeling both families will have a similar approach to celebrating a wedding. Eat, drink, laugh, dance, have fun--what needs translating?

This is a huge milestone in our moving forward after Pete. So much has happened in our little San Diego family since Pete died. Kristine moved to the East coast last year for her job, Matt and I are both in the midst of career transitions, and now Matt is marrying his Nicole. Sometimes I feel as though I'm speeding away from Pete, watching him grow smaller in life's rear view mirror. The feeling is not as painful as it once was. I have learned that each of us needs to keep looking ahead if we are to be successful in traveling our own road.

People say, "Oh, he'll be there...he knows...he's watching" and similar remarks intended to comfort. I happen to believe they are right--he will be there. That doesn't change the fact that we will not be able to share a glance of pride or squeeze each other's hands as our son marries his island girl.

It's all right. I have learned how to do this. Pete's physical absence has woven itself into the new reality of myself and my children. He is our guardian spirit now, never forgotten, always present in our hearts, and we all take comfort in this new form our family relationship has taken.

As for eating, drinking, laughing, dancing, and having fun at Matt's wedding--well, let's look on the bright side. I'll just have to party for two.

No Sale

Today we have made history, now let us make progress
~ Nancy Pelosi, November 2006


Michelle Malkin blows the whistle on "San Fran Nan" Pelosi in this article.

Remember when Pelosi began as Speaker of the House? She was going to be sure her reign incorporated "integrity...civility...bipartisanship." Instead, she has shut down the Capitol, jetting off on vacation, spewing her high-heeled carbon footprint on the Republicans who have remained behind in Washington to work on the energy crisis.

Pelosi has had her day making history but has effectively squashed any glimmer of progress. Her political and personal goals, ambitions and agenda always trump any concern "the American people" might have as they endeavor to keep their cars on the road. She has made a dysfunctional, unmitigated mess of Congress and is completely unconcerned.

Anyone planning to buy Pelosi's new book should first check out that famous bridge in Brooklyn that's up for sale. The bridge would be a better deal.

Getting Energized

I'm trying to save the planet.
~ Nancy Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi must have been in a serious hurry to “save the planet” during her five week vacation. She literally shut out the lights and cut the microphones as she left several Republican members of the House of Representatives behind in the darkened chamber. These legislators are taking a stand on the issue of oil drilling, forgoing their summer recess in favor of demanding relief for American citizens who are suffering high prices at the gas pump. Pelosi, of course, wants none of it.

If this remarkable protest session continues all week, as the Republicans have promised it will, perhaps the MSM will be coerced--or shamed--into giving the matter some measure of media coverage.

Pelosi doesn’t want a vote on oil drilling, because she knows she’ll lose. Most of the American electorate is very clear on this issue—drill fast, drill now, drill more, get us the oil quickly, and push the prices down. It’s simple, Yankee ingenuity-style action. But Pelosi has her far left-wing environmentalists to keep happy, and Barack Obama to protect, and she’s not going to budge. It’s “her” House, after all. She will decide if there will be a vote. There hasn’t been this degree of flagrant abuse of power since—well, Watergate.

The majority Democrats, led by the dug-in Pelosi, are stuck with a tuned-in electorate who understands the problem all too well. Pelosi doesn’t need to worry about gas prices, but most voters do. Her obstructionist tactics will backfire. All the children she frets about breathing “the planet’s” dirty air must also be transported to and from school and other activities each day. And these gasping children are ferried about primarily by parents (and voters) who can ill afford $4 per gallon gas.

Pelosi needs to do her primary job as a responsible American legislator first and worry about “the planet” later--preferably after she's tossed out as Speaker. We’ll be happier “citizens of the world” after we start drilling for more domestic oil.

Fueling the Mystery

Democrats are on vacation, paid
By donations U.S. voters made
Through every dollar that was taxed,
Congress rides on taxpayer backs.
As they cruise in their black sedans,
Driver up front, cell phone in hand,
They marvel that the price of gas is
Prompting angst among the masses:

“Of course the cost must go up and up,
Why don’t they just get a tune-up?
Stop complaining, keep tires inflated—
Driving to work is overrated!
Let them take the train, or take the bus.
Little folks don’t need a plane, like us.”

Incredulous at our discontent,
They’ll wonder where constituents went
When, come November, votes will score
For those who’ll drill, and drill some more.