Well, I’m not going.........the Fort Bend Chamber and the Greater Houston Partnership are having a farewell luncheon for former (it feels good to say that) Congressman Tom DeLay. It’s sponsored by the Greater Houston Partnership and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. I called Louis Garvin at the Fort Bend Chamber to ask him, “What’s the deal?” but at press time he had not called me back. Maybe he’s on vacation. It’s being billed as “A Tribute to Tom - An Appreciation Celebration Honoring Congressman Tom DeLay.”

Now I know that DeLay was our Congressman for lo, these many years. But he has not only made us the laughing stock of the entire US of A, he has left the local Republican party in shambles, in-fighting and back-biting and thrown the entire electoral process in turmoil. (Wait at minute). They were already doing that. That’s politics, both Republican and Democrat.

There’s one thing I must add. The event is not a fund-raiser as the tickets are only $40 and the lunch is at the Marriott. I know that the Marriott charges about that much for an event lunch, so this is not necessarily a profit center for the Chamber or the Partnership.. Plus, if the tickets are too high, fewer people will attend.

On second thought, I will go. I want to take pictures of those that want their picture taken with Tom.

There are still some defenders of Tom who would fall on their sword if asked. They claim that Tom “brought home the bacon to Fort Bend.”

Well, first off, I don’t believe in pork but if we are discussing that topic, what happened to DeLay in 2001? According to records, Nick Lampson brought home more for his district than any other member of the Texas delegation.

And the answer would be.....I said last week that although Tom DeLay has announced his official resignation, it sure is taking him a long time to leave. (I think there could be a good country-western title in there somewhere). I received the following from a local wag who shall remain nameless as he hasn’t given me permission to use his name. He suggested the name of the C&W song should be: “How Can I Miss You If You Won’t Go Away”

And now for something completely different......I just returned from San Diego after attending the 65th wedding anniversary of Jane and Harry Goldman, the grandparents of Lisa Fredrickson, my daughter-in-law. Being married 65 years is a real milestone we didn’t want to miss.

Harry and Jane are in their 90’s but both still active. In fact, last year when me and my friends went to Laguna to the art show, we drove to San Diego and Harry and Jane took us all to dinner.

First, the weather was wonderful. The highest temperature was never over 70 degrees. Second, gas in California is $3.20 per gallon for regular. And third, I plan to never travel with two kids in diapers again. It upsets Lisa when I mention how “mean” the kids are. She doesn’t realize that we grandparents like to brag about how our grandchildren are meaner than your grandchildren.

We were there for five days and we took 10 pieces of luggage. It looked like we had spent a month in Europe. Of course, those 10 pieces also included a portable crib and a car seat, in addition to the stroller and car seat we took with us on the plane.

What a trip. I claimed that we left dirty diapers over at least three states, although we flew so it could only have been two states (Texas and California).

Honestly, it was fun even though I’m getting too old for that much fun. However, it was better than Memorial weekend on the Guadalupe River where the hot water heater was out in the place we rented, and we had to heat water on the stove to bathe the kids as least once.

I have to relate that on the trip to San Diego, the babies did not cry one time on the airplane, a near miracle and something I’ve always hated about babies on airplanes.

Actually, they were very well-behaved for the whole trip, but it was still exhausting. The great-grandparents are still fun. Harry has a hundred stories and can tell them with the finesse of a raconteur.

I can understand why people want to live in California. The flowers this time of the year are beautiful and the weather is wonderful. San Diego doesn’t have the earthquakes, fires, and mud slides like Los Angeles.

Kathryn, Lisa, Michael and baby Jack in the air.

Great-grandmother Jane and great-grandfather Harry Goldman celebrated 65 years of of marriage.