OKAY - I HAVE BEEN REALLY, REALLY CRANKY OF LATE!

This is the result of a great deal of back pain due to our never-ending rain storms here in the District AND the result of my frustration with finding a doctor to roto-rooter out my carotid artery (has to be on my health insurance plan doncha know).

But I do want to make it a point to wish a couple of really special men a Happy Father's Day. One of those men is my beloved cousin Stuart - who has two absolutely delightful sons, Blaine and Nathanial. Stuart takes great joy in being a father and in fulfilling the responsibilities that fatherhood entails. To the point that he is a [retired] lobbyist in the field of father's rights. A chat with Stuart will convince you that single motherhood is a good way to screw up your children. Kids need both parents, but they do, really, need their fathers. The other person I am wishing a Happy Father's Day is my beloved co-worker, Chris, who is the most loving, most involved, most utterly dedicated father. All the propoganda about men being absentee fathers does not take into account men like Chris who are THERE, interested, disciplinarians, with high expectations for the children's performance in school, and quite willing to arrange his life to be sure the mother of his two youngest has the opportunity to be part of their lives. Chris, you're one of the men who give me hope.

Finally, a happy Father's Day to my late, greatly loved father, Gilbert Joseph Miller, who gave all that he was able to give and taught me love of books and reading and history. He was a brilliant and troubled man but never, in any way, shirked his responsibilities as a father. Daddy, I loved you when I was a child and I love you still. Thank you too for imbuing me with your wacky sense of humor. It has kept me sane on many an occasion.