I would have more in common with her now. I would sit at her kitchen table and drink my tea and eat the Pepperidge Farm Oatmeal-Raisin cookies she always bought for me and not have one eye on the clock and one foot out the door. I would listen to her stories and take her advice and not be so quick to say, "But things are different…

In the newspaper business, "sidebar" is the name given to an addendum, a "by the way" separate article that relates to the main story. It is generally short, informative, set off to the side — and almost always read by even the most impatient reader. 

When John McCain announced that his running mate would be Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, my brain went straight to the imminent sidebars. I was certain that because Palin has an infant with Down syndrome, the sidebars would be all about DS and…

For the sake of your relationship with her (and with your son and the grandkids), let go of these issues.

It’s taken me 10 years and three grandchildren to finally get it. A man leaves his parents and his wife becomes his focus. Sons grow up, meet girls, get married and voila, a couple is formed.

And like it or not when this happens the rules change…