Three Years. It is supposed to be easier after three years, right? I don’t know what I can say any more than I did last year.  And I know I am still not quite ready to fill his shoes.

The only thing I know for sure, is that in an odd way, I was glad he was dead when the Walter Reed Scandal broke.  Because since he would collect money for Disabled American Veterans from the day he came home from Korea right up through the year he passed, I am sure that reading about it would surely have killed him.

Other than that, rarely a day goes by that I don’t miss him.

Though she will not really remember him when she gets older, I am glad that LatteGirl did get to spend time with him.  She loved him a lot as well.  When she was a toddler, the only people that she would go to without a fuss would be Mommy, Daddy or “Poppie.”

I have never been big on going to cemeteries.   I think this stems from the time when I was a tween (though they hadn’t come up with “tween” yet), when it felt like I was at a wake or funeral on an all too regular basis.  Now however, since LatteGirl is not quite ready to let him go, we go almost once a month to “visit” him.

The best we can do now however, I guess, is just to keep him alive in our hearts, and always remember him.

As I sifted through the pictures from Disney World, and even as I went back through those from Hershey Park, and our recent trip to Great Adventure (pictures coming soon), one thing hit me. And it was the love that she expressed for each and every one of these characters.

Something that we as adults often lose or forget. In this case, it is how important these characters are in her life. She appreciates them “being there” for her, to entertain her, to inform her whenever she wants them to be. They are there for her. And she makes sure she shows just how much she loves and appreciates them for it.

And she does it with us as well. She will just cuddle up at times with me or TheWife, and make a point to tell us what great parent’s she thinks we are, and how much she appreciates us. And most of the time, I am very thankful that she feels that way, and we “have a moment.”

But there are times that I am sad to admit, that I am less than receptive. I am busy doing something, cooking dinner, or sending out an e-mail, or reading the news, when it is inconvenient for me. Not only that, I know I also tend to expect other’s in my life to “just know” how much I love them, or how much I appreciate them being in my life, for what they do, or for just being who they are.

And as I looked through this pictures, I realized that maybe I should take the time, or a bit more time to make sure my daughter knows how much I love her. I could stop what I am doing for just a minute to get that hug or smooch she so wants to give me at that moment. I should remember to not only tell my spouse that I love her, but that I appreciate her, what she does, and who she is, and how important she is to the life I have and the person I am.

Now, I am not saying that we need to have a “love in” and you need to run out and hug every family member, and neighbor, and friend you have. You don’t need to make a scene of it, or even really go out of your way. Just when the opportunity arises, take it, and let the people in your life know just how much they mean to you. And I will bet, you will find out how much you mean to others as well. Another nice feeling that you will wind up getting as a bonus in return.

Perhaps it is just a sign I am getting old. I mean in general I am not one of those people that is adverse to change. But certain things, when they change make me sad. No particular rhyme or reason, some just affect me more than others. And the closing as well as as the pending demolition of the Sands Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City definitely qualifies.

The Sands was the first Casino to open in Atlantic City in 1978, but it was 10 years old by the time I first set foot in a Casino. In 1988, I was working on Wall Street, and decided it was time for me to make a trip down to the Atlantic City Casinos and try and play like a hotshot. I did, and I lost… big. But that is not the point.

When I selected where I wanted to go, I picked the one that sounded the most “Vegas” and the Sands which had a much more famous counterpart in Vegas fit that bill. It had that charm and feel of the Casino best depicted on television (an era that is unfortunately long gone). Even the nightclub was more of a Rat Pack style Lounge than the large theaters that now are used in most locations.

Over the years, I have lost more than I have won, but rarely did I leave the Sands over the years, without a smile on my face, having had a good time, in a place where the staff was friendly, as were the other gamblers/guests that frequented it.  It was my kind of place.

And now this relic, the piece of nostalgia is no more.  Scheduled to meet the wrecking ball for a newer, fancier and bigger casino.   It is the end of an era.  One that I will miss.