Support Groups - We Need a Moo Thread

How's that?

when are you having all the cows to your cottage for a visit???{ you shouldn't have mentioned that you are a part owner
:lol: Yes, indeed, part "owner" for 7 whole days a year. Anyone who wants to sleep on the couch next July is welcome to join us. Bring sunscreen and Little Debbies.

See ya tomorra night cowsies, I'm off for another 8 hour drive (but this time Miss Mature 16 Year Old will be doing LOTS of the driving).

Kiwi

WOW!!! an eight hour drive---------------have fun kiwonk---does this guitar camp have a website???----sounds very interesting!!! maybe i will go next year!!!!have to make two pies for mil's family supper tonight-----turkey dinner ------------- strawberry rhubarb and pumpkin------------------thanks for the new thread kiki!!!

I'm not sure how to interpret Kiki's apparently jubilation that dd is driving. I sure wouldn't be glad. At all. Zilch. Zip. Zorro.

I am writing a book about me or single moms or something. I'm on page 3.

Lohani is sweeter than Bagz I'm noticing.

lohani is sweet when she feels like it---she can be just as BAGGY as bagzzzzzzzzzzzz----she is nice now because she gets a discount at the groceteria.

I was about to join the loosing Floozies when I noticed that nice things were being said about me here. I will post here.

I like having my DD drive. I do worry, but she is a pretty reliable, steady person so I don't worry like I will when the boys drive. If the boys drive.

Writing a book for single moms is an excellent idea. I know very few successful single moms...or to put it a better way, I know very few single moms with successful kids, like the Peach offspring. You should tell them how you did it.

I've redecorated my room, too, Wabby. I think you said yours is green...didin't you? Mine has been painted green for some time, but now I have gone total green...green everything in different shades. It looks good.

Today I'm going to paint ds14's room. He wants it to be dennish...with a day bed(he wanted a sofa bed but I nixed that due to inadequate mattress) and shelves. We no longer live with the pretense that we put our clothes away....I have shelves and bins in the laundry room and the boys keep their clothes there...So he doesn't need clothes storage...and his room doesn't have a closet...it has one across the hall, but it is small. I'm going to hang his guitars up rather than having them on the floor.

BTW...he had his first public performance. He played an original blues piece and he was wonderful.

I want to divorce my brothers. As many of you probably remember, my brother has questioned my motivessaid "watch out for Lohani" when my mom was here, made horrible comments about me to anyone in the family who would listen etc. They all were critical of me putting her in a home rather than her coming here. HERE???? Can you imagine? The home she was in was outrageously expensive...but who cares????

Now that the estate is finalized and I guess he's happy with what he got(I was executor) he wants to be all buddy-buddy. He did nothing to relieve me when my brother then my mom were sick. Whatever their relationship with her, and let's face it no one had a good relationship with her, they should have helped ME. BUT...they are just like her. Totally selfish.

NOW he wants to come for Christmas. Can you believe it???? He thinks I'm going to have him here???? Is he on drugs????????? Probably but that's another story.

I have told them that now that she is dead I'm finished and free of this. Period. No family dinners(I'd have to cook anyway) no holidays...etc. ARGH.

I'm just venting. Being estranged from your family has such a social stigma.

I have to get to work. It's August..summer is almost over. bye

Being estranged from your family has such a social stigma.

Geez. Isn't that the truth. When ppl ask you about your family and you tell them you don't see them, they sort of look at you like an axe murderer. Like there is something wrong with you, not that you have such an unhealthy family relationship you are forced to distance yourself.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Did I tell you about the woman who, when I told her about my mom, said "I'm glad my mom's normal."

Later, I found out her 17-yo brother brought older women home to his bedroom and mom, with permission, watched through the keyhole.

People are ALLLLLL in denial. When you tell them you don't see your family, they're afraid it's catching.

Later, I found out her 17-yo brother brought older women home to his bedroom and mom, with permission, watched through the keyhole.

Strange. Sounds like a Louis Malle movie. Mrs. Robinson Redux, or something.
I haven't had a summer vacation. but get to go to Chicago in a month. Pray for a cool lake breeze... I don't want humidity!

Just got the new Coldwater creek catalog. Motivated to eat teeny tiny servings and get into 18's rather than X's.

Stay cool, yall, the heat index is supposed to be 105 here tomorrow.
Why doesn't MY fat melt and go away like butter?

An aside: A friend of mine took a job in the video store when her kids were little. She said parents would come in with adult children then argue about what videos they had already seen.

Peaches is right, on close inspection all families are weird, or become that way. My good friend who has the same name as Bagzie used to have an ideal family of origin. Now her brother is drinking heavily and they are being pulled apart just like everyone else. It is sad to see.

How do you avoid this for your own kids?

I'm off to Kmart to get spackle compound to fill in holes in DS14's room..the longest paint job in history. bye

Has anyone read We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates? It was about a perfect family who was torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. Good book.

DS is sick with a horrible flu. All feverish, coughing, sore throat. At least he's at home and he has his mother and a girlfriend to fuss over him.

Painty, fat will only melt away like butter if you go out in the heat of the day and run. I see these ppl around here running on 95 degree days and they're all skinny. They also look like they're about ready to have a heat stroke.

It's overcast here today. The cool weather feels wonderful. We need some rain. It's been months and months since we've had anything other than a sprinkle. I'm not looking forward to getting my water bill.

I will get that book.

We don't have a water bill; but then again, we don't have much living grass, either. It looks terrible..not because it is dry but because everything is drowned by all the rain.

Must go paint..bye

The one thing that concerns me about having such a crummy family is that I won't have anyone to come to my kids weddings. I don't plan on inviting my family. Will you guys come so I don't look like a freak who is hated even by her own family to my future inlaws. Granted this is many years away, but it concerns me.

Wabby, we seem to be getting almost nothing but rain -- had a deluge today that came on suddenly. Good thing I was home, because we had big puddles on the window sills before I could get to all the windows to close them. I would complain about this summer, but secretively I am all in favor of it: we have a day of rain, then cool nights, then eventually it gets hot for a day or two, then it rains again. Everybody complains about the relative lack of "summer", but since I despise hot weather, it is perfect. I don't say so out loud; I could get lynched. My sympathies to you, Painter.

Lushie, what a coincidence that you have another friend named Bagz :lol:

How do you avoid this for your own kids?
I don't think you can -- extended family is so beneficial at times, that completely avoiding it would be worse. Maybe some of our kids will be able to tell us in 20 years what it's been like not to have many relatives -- mine will have no siblings, nieces or nephews. But she has plenty of cousins, so I guess she will have to choose whether to maintain close relationships with them. You would think she might choose to have a big family herself after being an only child, but from the way she talks, I doubt it.

And speaking of the only child, I have not heard word one from her since I dropped her off at music camp :rolleyes: -- yes, I know, we're all shocked and surprised... Maybe I'll call the school and request that they leave a message for her to call her mommy. :s: Ah well, I'm sure no news is good news.

Today I was flossing my teeth and I popped out a filling :yikes: -- in the tooth that is going to have a root canal in 2 weeks. What a :censored: pain in the :censored: ! I swear the thing is going to crumble away before I get this :censored: work done. I have to see my dentist tomorrow. It doesn't hurt, but it's not too pleasant feeling either. I can't eat much of anything (oh, boohoo), so I guess that's the good news...

Kiwi

All those great weddings of the future will be the perfect Cowsie reunion!! You will have friends from around the world!

IN THE FLAVOUR OF 'FAMILIES DIVIDED'!!!--- let me tell you ---WEDDINGS can be the all time brou-haha of the century!!!!!---- my brother and his new wife had their wedding as you will remember this past year at my home-------that was great---all went well--- FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!--- the family members who were not included are still discussing it---------------brother and wife wanted a "small' wedding which did not include some key relatives---that of course was their perogative and none of my business but i just wanted to point out that Weddings can be particularly touchy situations!!!!!------------let me put my family under the microscope for a moment-----we five siblings get along well---we only meet together at birthdays and holidays but some of us are in regular contact with each other daily---------this all works well for ONE reason---as much as we may complain about this one or that one,we are really too chicken to confront any one on any given issue so we ignore it til it goes away---so far,most issues have been able to disppear [they can't have been too important]--------------i agree with you all though---EVERY family has it's ISSUES and we all have to deal with them in some way-----some problems can't be swept as they are WAYYYYYYYYYYY too big------my dear bil's death two years ago this month {time....................where does it go} put a real damper on the family that is still very fresh so i guess when you have a monster issue to deal with you subdue yourself and just find a way to deal---------------anyway---------blah blah blah-----Lohani,instead of attending the weddings why don't we throw a party for the mother of the bride and congregate at kiki's Hurricane Hideout!!!!! :dizzy: :dizzy:

Lushie, Maybe DD will want to be married on the beach in Hawaii. That way it would be a beautiful, yet small wedding. And all the cows will surely be there!Plant the thought in her head now.

I actually get along ok with some of my siblings (there are 6 of us - how did my mother survive?). My younger sister -ok, although she can drive me crazy. My older sister is wonderful as long as she doesn't drink. We just don't ever discuss certain things. My oldest brother I love to pieces, although he doesn't live close by, my middle brother I live right next to, love him, but can't be around him when he drinks and I really can't stand his live-in woman. My youngest brother scares me. He has a major anger problem. DH's family is more of the same, except there are more siblings - 9 of them.

My friend told me she went to Catholic school in Ohio, and the nuns wouldn't let them wear tights under their dresses in the freezing winter because if they got a run in them, the boys would wonder where the run ended. And it would give them impure thoughts. Do ya think???

I just watched 'Monster' last night. Depressing movie. Everyone ranted about how ugly Charleze Theron looked in it. You could still see the pretty under all that makeup.

My friend told me she went to Catholic school in Ohio, and the nuns wouldn't let them wear tights under their dresses in the freezing winter because if they got a run in them, the boys would wonder where the run ended. And it would give them impure thoughts. Do ya think???
Oh good grief. I would have been the little smarta** who pointed out that without the tights, the boys must be wondering where your legs ended. :lol: How incredibly inane.

I don't know where Kiki's Hurricane Hideout is, but I'm booking my plane tickets as soon as I find out. Who's getting married first?

My ad-free subscription ran out and I have noticed that sometimes those Ads by Google down the right side of the page refer to Cows!! They have some nerve.

I went to the dentist today so he could check out the horrible tooth from ****. Turns out the chip I got a month ago actually split the tooth in half and the filling I popped out yesterday was probably the only thing holding it together. There will be no root canal -- it has to be extracted! I've never had a tooth extracted since I fainted several times having my wisdom teeth out. Won't this be fun? He did something to the tooth so it will last until I can get to the professional tooth extracter or somesuch. I think I should sue the Doritos company for the permanent loss of my tooth -- it's the last molar, so they can't make a bridge or anything. Teeth suck.

Kiwi the Painful

i hate teeth too--------let's get them all pulled and wear china clippers.[that's what my painter friend calls them}

i think i have put on ten pounds this summer====i may be ready to take it off---any suggestions??

Oral surgeons will give you drugs and take your tooth. It is surely the way to go. I can't believe they didn't knock you out when you got your wisdom teeth out. I wish they'd put me to sleep just to have them cleaned. It doesn't hurt..but the whole ordeal is so unpleasant.

They can put a rod through the tooth and install it into your jawbone. OR, with your last molar out, you'll have model cheekbones. Next you'll be having ribs taken out.

I have no other news. It is 3AM and I am up, what's new.

We're going away for Christmas this year; skiing in the poconos for four days. I'm surprising the kids. Whatever I got them for Christmas just sits around...they don't need or want anything. So, I'm giving them this. It should be fun. We're going to a resort that is right across the street from a little ski slope that they like.

Ok, now I really don't have anything else to say. L

harkening back to what wabby was saying about "monster" I agree --charlize was still beautiful but i got NOTHING out of that movie but a profound depression!!!---there is nothing uplifting about it and is there really a need for us to SEEE that---how does it help???WHAT IS THE POINT??? --- i started trying to read the Ann Marie MacDonald book----as the crow flies---i did the oprah thing--she used to give a book a hundred pages before she tossed it---now she's down to fifty---at fifty i tossed it---TOO MUCH MUSING ABOUT THE AIRFORCE AND THE SCENERY AND WAYYYYYYYYYY TOO LITTLE CONVERSATION-----CAN'T DO IT----I LOVED FALL ON YOUR KNEES,SO I AM NOT SURE IF IT'S ME OR HER---------anyway,i just finished "she's come undone' which i have been meaning to read for years---- i liked it but man it could be quite depressing----- i think i will reread East Of Eden--i don't mind when Steinbeck talks about the countryside for some reason-----i see there is a movie about that book you people mentioned---a widow for a year----i forget who is in it---did i hear darryl hannah or one of those forty something blond bomshells??? LUSHIE!!!!!!!!!!! i am always awake two to three times per night and am slowly realizing that THIS is how I am meant to live as a female creature ------we are being thanked by the cosmos for all our suffering and dedication to others----if there is a god,he is MALE for sure--------{not bitter,right}---------------------WHAT A GREAT IDEA FOR CHRISTMAS!!! --not only do the "children" not use all that junk we purchase-------or really care----WHAT AN INCREDIBLE WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY SHOPPING FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!! I DREAD IT EVERY YEAR---- I used to love christmas shopping when i was a teenager and had only so much money and a few to buy for----------christmas {except for my displays which are a joy] can be a full time JOB!

i think i have put on ten pounds this summer====i may be ready to take it off---any suggestions??I have solid proof that I have gained many lbs -- I had a physical and the silly nurse insisted on weighing me, even though I told her I weighed the same as last year. Ich. Here's one suggestion: go see Supersize Me -- at least that will put you off fast food.
Oral surgeons will give you drugs and take your tooth. You'd think. But I'm pretty sure I heard the receptionist who was making the appointment say "no, local", which seems highly unfair, doesn't it? DH will be away sailing that day, so if I have anaesthesia I'll have to get DD to drive me home. I guess I should call them and make sure.
They can put a rod through the tooth and install it into your jawbone. Alas, there is no tooth to put a rod through -- it is cracked completely in half; my dentist pasted it together temporarily so I could eat while waiting to have it properly extracted. I hear you can get artificial implants, for only about the price of a car :rolleyes:. I'm thinking I should go with the beautiful cheekbone theory. Yes, that's it, maybe I'll have a few more out while I'm at it. Fewer teeth, less eating, right?

I think the ski vaca is a great idea. Once kids get over 12 or 13, you can't buy them stuff they want anyway -- either it's too expensive, too dangerous or too specific (in which case you may as well hand them the money, right?)

I need more :coffee:

Kiwi

Lushie, what a wonderful idea. I've often thought of going to a cabin at Mt. Hood for Christmas, although I think it might take too much planning for me because my family would just want me to transport the whole Christmas schmeer up the mountain.

Bagzie, try Crow Flies again. I liked it. I think I may have liked it more than Fall on Your Knees. I'm reading Lushy's Prayer for Owen Meany now. I like it, I like his writing style, but now I remember seeing the movie version of this. Ashley Judd played the beautiful mother who died by being hit by a foul ball.

Kiwi, what do you really need that last molar for anyway? My teeth are starting to wear out too. Getting very heat and cold sensitive.

My head is aching today. It's trying to decide if it should go into full blown migraine mode.

It rained yesterday. It was wonderful. Rain smells so good after 2 or 3 months of dry weather. We're supposed to be back to sun and mid 90's by Saturday.

i was in the right mood to try a book i may not like {too wordy and all} and so i started crow flies-------can't do it,wabs,too old to change me ways!!!----- funny --we just had a few days of sun and NOW we are forecasting more RAAAAAAAAIN------kiki----i don't really like fast food------- I LIKE THE MAPLE FUDGE THAT I KEEP MAKING AND EATING ALL SUMMER LONG---- i finally am able to make decent fudge and i can't stop making it.

Please tell me your secret maple fudge recipe. I've gained 12 pounds this summer (gotcha beat) and right after I eat a plate full of your fudge I plan on going back to WW's.

I have lost 5 pounds.

Today was the first day of school all over this area. I drove DS because this year, for the first year, parents were invited to sit through an information meeting. There were about 70 out of 250. Not bad for a workday.

I am too boring to contineu.

please contineu--i love your french accent--------------wabby---the fudge is just three cups of light brown sugar,i cup of half and half---i tablespoon of light corn syrup-----after you do all the right fudge cooking and take it off at the CORRECT softball stage---you add 1 tsp of vanilla and 2 Tablespoons of butter----let it sit in the cold water in the sink for ten minutes and STIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR until it thickens,loses it's gloss and pouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrr and eattttttttt---maybe i will take a picture of my fudge and make kiki post it [if i don't eat it all right NOW]

Wabby-- I don't want to get heat stroke. Can't you think of a way to melt my fat without my having to sweat? Would rather not run, either. I've lost the same 10 pounds, again. I am hoping I have enough momentum to break away into the "teens" lost. The only place you can tell I'm skinnier is around my knuckles. Swell.

Lohani-- Tell them you'll take them to Gretna Green or wherever it is in Scotland so they can have "an impromptu" wedding that NOBODY was invited to! Or tell them to wait until their old enough that all the crabby relatives have died. That's what I did the second time. ;)

Kiwi -- I like the way you think about the tights. Funny that the nuns didn't make the boys wear drawstring pants so the girl wouldn't wonder what was behind the "barn door." So far as I know everyone's legs go all the way up.

Hope you tell your DDS to find you an oral surgeon who will put you out totally. For what we all pay these days, we ought to be able to get what we want. I'd rather have an extraction than a root canal... but I have no idea what is involved in getting a new tooth screwed in.

Happy Friday, all.

I want every one of you to try to solve Freecell #1941.

what the **** is that??? freecell????

I think Bagzie is holding out on us, folks. There is no maple syrup in her recipe. I saw that episode of the Dick Van Dyke show where Laura left out the ingredient in the dip. Or was it Millie? Hmmm.

Congrats on the same old 10 pounds, Painty! Every little bit helps -- :cheer: ONE MORE POUND ONE MORE POUND :cheer:

I have still not heard from my kid. And we're leaving at 2:00 PM for the weekend. Her first week at the guitar workshop will be over tomorrow morning. I have no idea what she is doing between the 2 weeks (if you go more than 1 week, you have a free day in between sessions). I called up and left a message. I said "tell her her mother wants to know if she's still alive". The guy said, "Oh, call home, huh?" You got it. She thinks that when we pick her up next weekend, that we are taking her to Six Flags in Mass. to meet up with her friends who are camping there overnight, but I'm starting to rethink that idea. I mean if she's too busy to call home, I may be too busy to arrange this, don't you think? How petty am I?

Hard to believe school is starting already, Cowpeach. Must be nice to have a school that invites the parents.

The Google ads on the sidebar today are for Root Canals and Tooth Extraction, believe it or not. How opportunistic. Let's talk about something really bizarre and see if they come up with ads for it.

:chin: I need to buy a set of whips and some handcuffs. Horsewhips will do, nice braided leather ones. Does anyone know where I can purchase them online?

How's that? :lol: I hope I don't get thrown out of here.

Kiwi

P.S. For the gullible among us, please note that I am baiting the advertisers, not actually requesting such items.

I don't think this is the whip and handcuff forum, Kiki. DH got a birthday coming up?

I don't want fudge. I am a vacuum. I am a black hole .. or did Steven Hawking disprove me? What's really hard about posting is that I'm trying to be positve in my thinking and .... gosh .... I sure do like corned beef.

DS is going camping this weekend. Things are a bit tense between us. He doesn't want to talk to me and I feel frustrated.

My cat, one of them, is really sweet. The other one is so annoying I squirted him with water and locked him in a cat carrier last night. DS let him out.

I still have a headache. I seem to get migraines now that just don't turn into terrible migraines, but they hang on for days. And so does the nausea, so I have to keep a little something in my tummy. anyway that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I called the carpet cleaning guy 3 weeks ago. He was on his mobile and he said "I think I have your info from last time. I can be there on Aug. 6th." No time, no call back to confirm that he actually did have my address, etc. So I got busy and didn't call him back to confirm. He showed up this morning as I was heading out the door. I was not prepared. He can't clean the area that DS has all his stuff that he cleaned out of his storage container.

DH decided yesterday evening that we are leaving for the weekend this afternoon after work. I'm supposed to have the motorhome ready and stocked with food. I have to work today. I have no idea when all this preparation is supposed to take place. and I have a headache.

The guy who works on my puter doesn't believe anyone would really want games so we don't have freecell. However, when DS gets his laptop for school, I will solve it. In five minutes.

Wabbo whatcha doin fer them migraines? I got some this week of no work and went to the bed. I loved being in bed with a good excuse not to get up. Do you think that's what sickness is for?

Where Sugar Plum? Still in South Africa?

Lord, Wabbit, you need to abdicate. Write up a list of the things that need to be done before you can go away and hand them to DH when he gets home. Tell him to wake you when he's done. :lol: Yeah, that'll work, right? I made my DH go over the packing list (we have a standard sailboat packing list) and tell me what I needed to bring today. One less thing I had to do.

That freecell game is impossible. I dare you.

Kiwi, off to the coast :wave:

you are right kiki---there is no maple syrup in that fudge---it just tastes like maple [someone said]-THANKS FOR POSTING THE PICS,NOT THAT ANYONE CARRRRRRRRRRES!!!!!! WABBY I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD START SALIVATING!!!----peachers----the boy is a boy and even the ten year old boy only talks when HE wants to---and if i want or need to know something '"sensitive" he "doesn't want to talk about it!!!!"-----------not looking forward to teen antics=====i am getting too old and them girls wore me out.---KIKI----i would be so crabby if dd didn't call from somewhere but i have had it happen so many times i am used to it---i like when my dd went off with friends i had never met {at one am} in the dark ,up the moose highway to someone's farm {who was too far away for good cell coverage} and didn't call until the next evening----that was a fun one.

Wabby-- I think it was after my 2nd cesarean that I learned I could only go SO fast... and no matter how much stuff someone wanted me to do, I went my slow, steady pace. Amazingly, other people who cared about deadlines pitched in and helped. I am so sorry about your headaches... We are full of ozone and smog here... is it air quality there? Have you tried bio-feedback?

Imagine a lovely massage at the base of your neck.... :-)

I'm going to do Freecell 1941. I LOVE FREECELL!!!!! And the USA Today Crossword puzzle.

I won it once, but now I can't do it again. Which means I really didn't solve it, I just fell upon the solution.

Maybe you jinxed me... 1491 is giving ME fits now, too. And usually I can do them in a flash...

:?:

NEWS FLASH: Solved it at first go tonight!

Here is the saddest part of my freecell story. Now that 1941 is solved, I am not happy doing the usual freecell games. Freecell was a happy part of my life, now it is ruined because I know there are hard games out there. Sob.

I got a lovely post from a tanned person in the Northwest. I wish I were tanned.

I just spent 3 hours on the phone with my cousin. My ear hurts. bye

I am up in the middle of the night and surely could have found something more uplifting than freecell 1941 is no longer a challenge. Specificially, I mean that I can not solve it when DS gets a puter and then come and BRAG ABOUT IT> How fair is that?

For those of you who don't know my current whining project, my mom passed away Saturday. In a nutshell, here's the situation: She was schizophrenic, very paranoid, diagnosed while I was in college. But she was always paranoid and a lot of that was directed at me from birth probably. I never felt loved by her but tried, well into adulthood, to make her love her. Everyone longs for their mother.

She was so agitated and mean when i was around her that I learned she was happier if I didn't show up so I stayed away from her. Meanwhile, a set of three cousins stepped in and did things that she needed. When their mom died, she had been kind to them and they felt the need to repay her in this way. They were there when I was not and I know she was also abusive to them but I believe it was a smaller scale.

When I learned she had died, I was told by a hospice nurse to make arrangements for her burial so i called the funeral home and was told "Yes,I'm very familiar with the file."

What file, I asked? I had called him a week before to set up prearrangements but had not gone in. The day before she died, one of my cousins went in to get it started. No one informed me. He told me to come at 2 p.m. to meet and get things started. I did and in walked the cousin. I assumed it was a coincidence. I did not know the three of them were regularly calling the funeral home to see that things were being handled as they thought they should be.

The three of them said they knew what dress she wanted to be buried in and I was to go fetch it. The dress, at that time, was already in the funeral home because the aide who cared for my mom, sent it with her body. Again, no one told me. Frustrating and somewhat demeaning to be out of the loop on your own mom's death.

She had said that she wanted to be buried in Georgia with my father but again, I didn't know that. I'm sure I was told at some point but didn't remember. I had asked a hospice social worker to ask her what she wanted and she told the social worker that she wouldn't mind being buried in Georgia but she thought she'd rather be buried down her close to her daughter. Honestly, that meant something to me. My whole life I have wished my mom wanted to be around me and here was a final gesture. It felt comforting and healing. So I told the funeral director that she wanted to be buried here and the cousins, all three of them, called him over and over to stop it. They finally threatened him saying he was breaking a contract (she had set up pre arrangements a few years ago and ... no one told me). He had his lawyer look into it and told me that I'd have to get a court order to bury her here.

At the very end of this journey of life, my mother is being taken away from me by people who had a bond with her but who could not possibly have ever loved her like I did.

Big nutshell, eh?

:grouphug: Peachie, I'm so sorry you are still having to suffer all this crap when you should be able to just mourn your mom's passing. If it weren't for the fact that these cousins seem determine to make things hard for you, I would have said they were just trying to take the burden of the arrangements off your hands. Because, really, letting other people help out with all this wouldn't be a bad thing at all. But unfortunately they aren't trying to work with you. I don't know what their problem is. I hope things get better and you can put the bad crap behind you and say goodbye to your mom in your own way. DS will be home today, right? Don't hesitate to tell him what you want out of him, eh?

like when my dd went off with friends i had never met {at one am} in the dark ,up the moose highway to someone's farm {who was too far away for good cell coverage} and didn't call until the next evening----that was a fun one. :stress: Yeah, that's exactly how I felt most of the week. While we were on the sailboat, I wasn't even able to call our voice mail at home; for some reason my cellphone wasn't dialing out. Fortunately the friends who went with us had one, which did work there, and I was able to get a message DD left on Saturday afternoon. Of course she claimed she'd "been trying and trying" to call :chin: but at least I knew she was okay. She called again last night and we hung on the phone for a good long time. She had a good week, but almost everyone in the dorm left after that week, while she was staying for the next week as well. She had a whole day with nothing much to do, and had been calling everyone she knew. Thank goodness for cheap phone cards! She's spent most of her money, so I sent out some more today so she could buy the cd of her performance later this week. I believe that was my first (of many) "send money" phone calls :lol:

I think the fudge looks luscious. Right after I get started on my new Am. Heart Assoc. diet :mad: I'm going to make some. It's heart healthy, right?

Yeah, I have gotten my lab results back from the Dr. and I guess I'm going to actually do something about my cholesterol. I mean, besides thumb my nose at it and pretend it will improve by itself. So I'm checking out the AHA website. Maybe I'll even get an appt. with a dietitian, although I challenge her to come up with a real diet that I can eat because of all my fruit and vegetable allergies. As I pointed out to my skinny dietitian friend this weekend, I'm not allergic to butter.

I won it once, but now I can't do it again. NEWS FLASH: Solved it at first go tonight!Sheesh, I could swear I've tried every possible way. Must try it again.

Gotta go eat something. Some butter, maybe. Just kidding.

Kiwi

Trying times for our Peach-cow. Lush can give you good advice about how this will free you. All those family obligations will be gone. After this week you won't have to see the cousins unless you want to. Even so, I know this will be hard for you. Just mourning the loss of the chance of having a normal mother/daughter relationship will be hard. So know we're all thinking of you.

I survived the weekend and even had fun. We went with 2 couples, who are the son's (and wives) of our very good friends. They are all late 20's, so we were the geezers of the group. Both these boys (I guess they're men now) are so nice and such good daddies too. They each had their daughters with them. A one yr old and a 3 yr old. Very busy little girls. The weather was perfect, we all ate too much, drank just the right amount, and relaxed. Of course I'm totally wiped out this morning.

It's supposed to be 99 degrees today. Everything around here is scorched. Somebody came by our shop on the weekend and broke over all my geraniums. Kids don't seem to have enough to do. Heathens. :devil:

Kiwi, my niece used to make (and eat!) what she called "butter soup". It consisted of a cube of butter, microwaved and eaten with a spoon.

Yuck on the butter soup...that's disgusting.

What I am free of isn't only the obligation..though that is a drag. What I'm really free of is the vibe that there never was and never will be any way to fulfill that obligation because everything I do is wrong and I am a fundamentally flawed person.

My carpal tunnel is back due to repeatedly playing freecell.

I'm painting ds's room. Gotta go.

Re: obligation

I just talked to my sis and she told me my dad spent the weekend in the hospital due to chest pain. They don't think he had a heart attack, but they do think that he did have one in the past, that he was never treated for. Once again the question - do I call or stay stubborn?

I'm thinking an email saying I'm sorry he's ill, and I'd like to quit being estranged but that I need something, a sign, anything, that he's sorry or at least that it matters to him if he has contact with me or not. I'm waiting for input before I do anything. Input, please.

My opinion, take it with a grain of salt: Don't set yourself up for disappointment. The old guy will never change -- if talking about how things are/were between you two (or the idea of apologizing) makes him uncomfortable, he might avoid you just because of that. If you want to talk to him, I would suggest just doing it. Nothing wrong with just saying you'd like to resume contact with him, and assuming that no response to that notion = consent. My guess is he would be grateful for the gesture, although don't expect him to say so. :rolleyes: Good luck, hope he recovers quickly.

I still can't get #1941. Neither can DH and he is an expert with a master's degree in Freecell.

Kiwi

It starts with the first row.

Wabby, I say take the high road. Don't expect him to be any different....he won't be. There were many times that I felt like an *** for helping my mom since she was never so nice to me. But , we are the apples that fell far from the tree. It is important to recognize and be grateful because we could have turned out just like them. In the end I took my mother because I knew that in my situation she wouldn't have done it.
Must go...covered in paint. L

yes,i would always err on the side of generousity--------one would hardly regret being kind {even if it falls on the unappreciative}==== if you only get to know that you are "doing the right thing"---well that may have to be enough---------------i really can't think of a reason to remain "estranged"-----------" that which you resist -persists " {not sure what that means but it sounds good-----------------Having "no regrets' will be worth it wabbs in the long run..................or as the youth like to say "SUCK IT UP"!!!!!

Just slap me. I emailed him. Told him I was sorry he was ill. Said I'd like to have a relationship, just give me a sign, - if he couldn't apologize, I could accept that. He emailed me back, said that he was the one who had the apology coming, and that he had done more for us than we had for him. That we would not be were we are today if it had not been for him.

He. Makes. Me. Crazy.

you probably aren't really surprised right wabby?? so now is your big chance to be the valiant one and just ignore his inability to see the truth of the matter------there is alot of wisdom in the "old dog---no new tricks " saying!!!--------at least you have put out the olive branch and maybe if you just keep the contact "light" you won't have to regret not "trying'----good for you darlin!!!!!

Wow. That's stubborn. Sorry to hear it.

I've spent most of the day noodling around on the computer, setting up diet forms and cr**. Probably a waste of time. How long will I keep track of my diet this time?

Holy he**, I'm boring.

Kiwi

I figure I tried. He didn't. I'm off the guilt hook.

It must be a full moon. I actually lost my temper with an employee. He is the world's worst teaser. But he's not teasing. He's being abusive to other employees and then when they get mad he acts all innocent. So yesterday when I heard him make a jibe at one of the other guys I told him the "teasing" needed to stop. He told me that other people just need to get thicker skins, and he continued to argue with me. I told him that maybe he didn't realize it, but I'm his employer and sometimes he just needs to shut his mouth. Which he did, and he went out the door in a huff (it was the end of the day). This morning it had all blown over and he acted like it never happened. I didn't hear him teasing or making snide comments to anyone all day, though. I am woman. Hear me roar. Hee.

Kiwi, there is no way to make diets interesting. Of course the whole topic is boring, and yet we constantly play the whole tape over and over in our heads. And that's fine. All I ask is that you listen when I drone on about diets, ok? I'm still holding at the 12 pound gain, although I bumped up a pound yesterday, today I'm back down though. See? Boring. ;)

Oh, sure, be all boring about diets and one-up me. :lol:

Good job informing the employee where he stands. Sometimes you just have to display your alpha position.

Did I mention that we got a letter from the wayward DD yesterday? Of course, I had typed up a couple of "form" letters for her to use, with witty fill-in-the-blanks, and included envelopes, stamps and addresses, but she actually managed to write on one and send it. Brilliant.

ta
kiwi

THAT IS CUTE!!!! you are very original kiki-----------your daughter is very well looked after and that is why she is secure enough to not have to keep in constant touch {like we would prefer!!!} like for instance as we speak my dd is on the freaking crappy moose highway that runs through your dear state so i shall be up and having a hissy fit until she {and the others she is with}arrive in the "big city" it never ends this worrying---------wabby----- i hate confrontations but when you are faced with such a situation it is more upsetting to see it continuing than to try to stop it=========YOU ARE TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING THESE DAYS!!!!!

Peachie, how are things going? Come on in here and vent.

Hey, I got a lovely p-card from that world traveller who seems to have gone to a tropical beach in the Northwest. Where is that girl anyway?


Boring diet crap:
Two days in a row! I've kept a food log and kept it under my limits for calories/fat/cholesterol/sodium. No, I'm not counting carbs, do I look like a complete masochist? I've spent so much time in the past setting up ways to keep track of my diet, that it only took me a day :rolleyes: to get this one the way I wanted it. So last night, when I wanted a snack, I entered in my day's log and figured out I couldn't eat any more cheese (which, let's face it, behind Doritos, is my favorite snack). So I ate 3 slices of turkey instead, which put me right at the limits. If I didn't do anything but this every day all day, I'll bet I could lose weight... :lol3: I'm a card, eh?

Kiwi

i feel YOU are just the person to set us all straight----tell us how many caloried to eat and EVERYthing about your diet and let's try it!!!!!! :dizzy: :dizzy: this could be exciting----KIKI"s house of Dieting-------------you may get famous like flywhacko!!!!-----seriously i want to know what you ate----there is a girl on one of the sites who posts what she will eat every day====it always sounds delish----------------------------Peacher's mother's funeral is today so maybe she will tell us how it all went------------hopefully it is going well----

Wabbo, I read what you said about your dad doing more for you than you have for him !!!!!!!! LOL LOL LOL.... I believe I heard Judge Judy explain to someone once that as a father, he was supposed to do things for the kid. The kid, in her explation, owed no debt for this.

I look at it like this. Some people just can't help how they are. You can't really forgive it because it they killed half the town with an axe because they couldn't help it, that wouldn't be forgiven. Killing your feelings can't be forgiven any easier. But they can't help and at some level you detach and view them compationatley. I'm doing that with the Spawn of Satan.

The day went o.k. Was nice to see certain people. The service was brief in the military way and nicely done. The funeral director has gone far beyond his requirements in the area of kindness. It's done. It's all over. And as Sugar says, my life will change now.

The beach was lovely and beautiful and fabulous. Some might say I got a tan. Details later.

I'm so sorry to read about all these bovine trials and tribulations. Yep, you can't change 'em, you just have to change your attitude toward them and try to deal with it. Lots of family stuff on this side too, plus having to deal with going back to The Place I Do Not Love next Monday. *sigh*

Mummy and I are visiting the "Psychic Fair" this weekend. Tarot cards! Crystal balls! Palmistry! We like that kind of stuff.

Ah, Sugar -- lovely to see you in cyberland again. Mummy and I are visiting the "Psychic Fair" this weekend. Tarot cards! Crystal balls! Palmistry! We like that kind of stuff.What a hoot! That sounds like a lot of fun. Hope you squeeze out every bit of good times before you have to return across the pond.

My wayward daughter was supposed to call last night; by 11:45 I gave up waiting and got online. Yep, she called while I was online. How'd you guess? Her concert this week is on Saturday and her class (of Modern Rock guitar) is playing something by Rage Against Machine. That sounds lovely, eh? I was hoping she was playing on Friday, so we would have an excuse to go a day early and hear 2 days of concerts instead of just one, but I guess not. DH can't really take the time off without a compelling reason.

Boring Diet Crap: Had hamburgers and potato salad at SIL's last night, went over my daily limits even though I only had one hamburger and a reasonable amt of pot. salad. Came home, entered my numbers in, and found I couldn't afford to have a snack (unless I wanted raw carrots or something :p). Doesn't seem fair. Then when I went to bed I remembered I hadn't written in the ice cream and cookies....

Gotta go make a doctor's appointment for my car. It has a chronic disease, I'm afraid.

Kiwi

I couldn't help myself:

from FreeCell lists of difficult deals

(6) Laura Ross of Omaha, Nebraska played all 32,000 deals, solving all but five of the deals (8591, the impossible 11982, 13007, 31465, and 31938). She found 617 and 1941 the most difficult of those she solved.

(7) Two Japanese lists mentioned on Hideyuki Ichihara's excellent site:
[a] 169, 322, 915, 1941, 7825, 30057, 31729
[b] 1600, 1941
1941 is cited on both lists as well as Adrian's "very difficult" list: is this the hardest solvable hand?

Hi Kiwi, DD's show sounds great. My car is sick also, here's what's wrong. Sometimes, when I am driving, the open door light comes on and it beeps. Sometimes it doesn't. The Ford dealer said there is nothing he can do since it NEVER beeps when they drive it. I want to trade the stupid car in over this issue. BUT I need 7 passenger capacity for the next few y ears, then all the kids will drive and I won't need that anymore...then it would be good time to get rid of it. It is not so hard on gas. DH has a truck that costs a fortune to drive. But he usually drives an 84 VW diesel that will go for weeks on a tank of gas.
Are you counting points? Calories? Aren't limits a drag?
Sugar, I want to go to a psychic fair. The lady across the field's husband died in a plane crash over the ocean. They could not find his body until a psychic gave her the latitude and longitude....it was right, they recovered the body. Isn't that weird? On the other hand, I have a friend who has a psychic party business. She goes and reads palms etc. She's a complete fraud.
I have to go be in the kitchen. I have the oven cleaner on....the last time I did this, my house almost burned down. So, I suppose I should watch it. I'm also doing my once a month cooking...aren't I efficient??????? bye

I Need To Know What You Cook During Your Once A Month Cooking-----maybe I Will Up My Count To Once As Well----so Far It's Zero----------- I Live At Subway.

This is probably more than you want to know but....I bought enough to make

8 pasta meals(with assorted meats)
2 burgers
1 meatball sandwich
1 sausage sandwich
1 steak sandwich
2 meatloaf
1 swedish meatballs
1 sloppy joes
1 stuffed peppers
1 beef soup
2 roast beef
1 beef stew
2 roast chicken
1 jerk chicken
1 baked chicken pieces
1 chicken cutlets
1 chicken soup
2 buffalo wings
1 pork chops
1 scallops

Some things I cook, others I get all prepared to cook then freeze...so all I have to do is stick it in the oven. I make the spag sauce, the soups, mix all the hamburger, etc. I go to a great butcher who trims everything for me and cuts up chickens etc.

I am so proud of myself.

I started doing this because we were eating out every night. My boys are both skinny with incredible metabolisms. Eating out all the time meant that they were always hungry.....restaurant food wasn't enough unless I got them two meals and that was costing a fortune. DD is very fussy. She now eats meat...but only certain meat...nothing with visible fat....nothing with a sauce etc. So,It became easier just to cook.

Did I tell you guys about Garden State???? It was the greatest movie...it isn't about our gay governor, it is about someone in NJ for his mother's funeral. We loved it. Go see it. Think of me even though it is north Jersey and I'm in south jersey.

bye

The Ford dealer said there is nothing he can do since it NEVER beeps when they drive it. That's exactly what will happen when I drive all the way to the nearest Ford dealer on Monday. At least I need an oil change too. FixOrRepairDaily, that's FORD (why do I keep buying them?)

Are you counting points? Calories? Aren't limits a drag?:yes: I'm doing calories/fat/cholesterol/sodium. Never do anything partway, y'know...

Do you all have that LowCarb magazine ad with the purple cover on over at the right? With the bright green and brown striped piece of pie? That doesn't even look like real food.

Okay, there is one big drawback to this detailed food log business (besides the obvious tedium) -- Looking up nutrition values is just tempting me with more food.

I've heard great things about Garden State, glad to hear it's really good. I like that guy that wrote it and starred in it. He's the lead in Scrubs.

Wow, that cooking list looks like a lot of work!! I tried OAMC once, not with a whole month's worth, but with a few dishes. Didn't work as well as I'd hoped because my family is so d**n picky. Of your list, I like everything on it, while DH would eat about 3/4 of the dishes and DD would eat about half of them. It's a lot of work to figure out for yourself what all it would take to do a month ahead of what they actually like. I'd like to do it, because we have really been cutting back on restaurants and take-out, and I wouldn't mind cutting back more. And I just can't bring myself to cook from scratch every night, let's face it. Tonight I was thinking of doing something with a pork tenderloin, but I decided to pull out some frozen chili instead. Would be nice to have a freezer-full. Maybe this fall.

Did you know that even raw carrots have fat in them? Not very much, about as much as there is in a glass of skim milk. And a cup of skim milk has as much sodium as about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter! Weird, huh?

Gotta go figure out what's in my chili.

Kiwi

Oh, Kiwi, do you really think that the teensy, tiny dot of fat in a carrot means anything to a body that had ice cream and cookies?
Speaking of icecream, I can't eat it anymore. It makes me feel bad. In my whole life, no food I like has ever made me feel so bad that I consider not eating it anymore. Is this the way 50 is going to be?
One of the good things about pre-cooking food is that the fat separates and you can skim it.
My cholesterol and the rest of my bloodwork are good....not because of anything I do, I think I deserve to be through the roof based on what I eat....so it makes me wonder if what you eat has that much to do with the cholesterol problem.
Must go deal with the trash before the truck comes. L

Hello miss Lohani-----------does anyone else think that Lindsay Lohan has "fakers"????? she sure shows them off alot!!!i want to thank you for posting all that food info loho----VERY interesting---you are much more prone to working than I------------must be great to live at your well organized home-----------mabye i will vacuum and think about it :^:

In my whole life, no food I like has ever made me feel so bad that I consider not eating it anymore. Lucky you. I have a whole list of foods that I like that I'm allergic to -- believe me, eating them makes me feel more than just bad. Life would be so much easier if I could eat all fruits and veggies, shrimp, crabmeat, not to mention wine. I would trade those for not being able to eat ice cream any day.
My cholesterol and the rest of my bloodwork are good....not because of anything I do, I think I deserve to be through the roof based on what I eat....so it makes me wonder if what you eat has that much to do with the cholesterol problem.
Yeah, you just have really good genes. I figured I'd take after my mom, whose cholesterol is fine even though she eats too much and is overweight, but either I have a different gene makeup, or I ate my way to high chol. Doesn't really matter, I need to do this even if it doesn't affect the choles. numbers at all. That just gives me some motivation, which I have so little of.

DD called from guitar workshop last night (lo and behold!). I think she has a boyfriend there. I asked her if anyone she knew from the 1st week was still there, and she said "just Joe" -- you know, all casual. She had mentioned him the last time we talked. So I asked who he was. She says "he's from New Jersey" -- how informative... Not "he's just a friend" or "he's in one of my classes" or "he's some kid that hangs around" -- "he's from NJ". Got my radar going. Gonna have to find out more....

We're leaving early tomorrow morning for CT. Will probably run into torrential rains by Sunday.

How did Bonnie treat Podunk, Peaches?

Kiwi

I don't know, Bagz, vacuuming sounds like work too.

Julia Child has passed away! :cry: I really liked her. She said her idea of a really good meal was "red meat and gin." Ah, there's a real DAME!!! Lived to be 91.
As the trend toward healthy eating grew in recent years, Child accused "health experts" who advised cutting out rich foods like red meat and butter as "nutritional ****s."

"I think these fake foods aren't worth eating," she said in 1992. "Either have the real thing and a little of it or have something else. I like real hamburgers and real meat, real butter. Eat everything. Have fun."

Kiwi

I know Joe. He's one of the nicest kids in NJ, there's nothing for you to worry about.

I don't vacuum. Here's what I'm doing today: I painted ds's room this week...in red and white with a black stripe running through it. His rug was blue..so I bought him a black carpet this am and now I'm installing it. So, the house is a sty, but we have plenty to eat and nice carpet.
I'm pumping myself up with coffee to get going again.

Are we supposed to care about LL's boobs? If I must....I will. They are fake. Just like Britney used to say her's were real...but then it came out that they are fake. Mine are real. They sag to my ankles. It's an adorable look.

bye

how did you get them to grow to your ankles??? mine only go past my waist.!!! you know that friday night is always 'date night' with dh,but he is not feeling well tonight---so i may have to make margies here myself--------probably won't cause i don't need the headache---------i have been having severe sugar problems lately----dd has been making cookies every few days and she eats around two of them---I,on the other hand have eaten as many as EIGHT--------then i feel SICK---and i can't stop myself,and then i have a headache and a stomach ache and @!!!!!! i may have to join lush in her ice cream denial--------------do you think we can get thinner by being sick all the time---how about allergic like kiki?????

do you think we can get thinner by being sick all the time---how about allergic like kiki?????Oh good luck, never has worked for me. Maybe if I was allergic to grease and salt.

DH went to the grocery store today. He called and asked if I needed anything. I didn't. He asked if there was a bottle of wine in the house. There was. He went anyway and came home with what I think of as "boat crap" -- wine, doughnuts, potato chips, cookies and chocolate. What the heck is wrong with him? He presented this all like an exciting treat. Is he wired wrong? I'll bet if I asked him if he was trying to undermine my diet, he would either get mad or claim he didn't know I was dieting. After having seen me do these food logs and asking me about them at least twice this week...

My response is to have a Mike's. Then I'm making pork piccata.

Our sailing friends in Florida have had to evacuate from their boat in Ft. Myers to stay with friends. They were sitting in the dark about an hour ago. No one yet knows whether their boat has survived.

Kiwi

Didja miss me? Even though I'm mad at my dad, I'm not mad at my mom or my sisters. We went on a girl's day yesterday to Bonneville Hot Springs resort. Mom had a massage. We girls just did the pool, mineral water jacuzzi and lolled around in the sun. And of course we had lunch. Then dessert after swimming. I'm fat, but my swimsuit stretches.

Lush, it's late afternoon here and you're making me darn hungry. Everything on your list sounds wonderful. It's so hard to cook for just DH and me now. I always make enough for an army. I guess I could freeze some.

Peach, good to hear things went ok and you're now free of obligations and guilt.

Did you know Julia Child didnt' start cooking until after age 40? There is still time for us to make our mark on the world! Not much time, but it's possible. I liked Julia too. She seemed to love what she did.

I'm allergic to ice cream too. It makes me break out in fat. I've been good today, but it's friday night so who knows what could happen. And it's a bunco weekend, and you know what that means.

Kiwi, do you think DH is actually sabotaging you, or do you think he's just oblivious?

I can't vacuum. DD borrowed my vacuum so I can't clean. I guess I'll just have to have a margie instead. :cheers:

Peaches... I am sorry I was out of the loop. I was relieved, embarassed and furious when my mother died... and I doubt she was actually diagnosible with a mental illness... unless you count addiction to Dewar's/J & B, etc. You will always have the memories you choose to keep of your mother... and if you managed to spare yourself a large quantity of hurtful memories, my had is off to you. My parents opted for pre-arrangements, as well, and cremation, AND NO FUNERALS at all. It was hard not to have a ritual. Thank goodness my minister/friend insisted on dedicating a service to each of them (at the time) and also insisted I invite the people I wanted to have around me for comfort. It's taken a long 20 years, but I don't grieve any more... just accept who she was, how she was, and the nature of our relationship. I don't think it was anybody's fault. May you find the peace which passes understanding. <<:-)>>

Cowie... Love that Judge Judy. MUCH better than Dr. Laura!
Kiwi.. is 11982 really impossible? I just do them randomly and have no idea which ones I've done and which ones I have managed to miss.
Sug-- I like tarot, too.... but only if I do my own interpretations... I especially like the aquarian deck.
RIP Julia "Role Model" Childs... from my hometown, too. Bet she didn't weight 135...
Or care about LL's boobs... I'd rather have her boobs than her family, though....

I hope those of you in the lower left hand corner of the country are safe and dry enough.

Bonnie didn't come here. Charley is a fright!! People dead and they don't know how many! For some reason, the day before Charley, we got a cold front.Where did it come from??? It pushed Charley off.

Painty, I have a counsellor question for you. Let's say that three people, siblings, in their 60s now, have for years "seen about" and done things for an aunt. Let's say the aunt has one daughter who doesn't do these things and doesn't actually think they need to be done. The aunt was in a very good nursing home situation. So, the aunt dies and the three siblings:

1. call relatives and bad-mouth the daughter, pointing out how wonderful they were in comparison.
2. threaten the funeral home if the funeral is conducted per the daughter's understanding of the aunt's last wishes .. not their understanding.
3. say they are too upset and will not attend the funeral if it's not their way
4. their way involves moving it closer to other relatives so more can attend and they can socialize.
5. never drop by the daughter's house or offer condolences in any way (one sibling's wife did ask the daughter to come over for dinner)

Question: What were their motives?

I want to play Freecell, see Garden State, have a gay governor, lose weight and eat month's worth of sausage sandwiches with peppers and onion.

Sugar, what the pyschic say??

Don't You Want To Do Anything That I Am Doing???? How About Driving Kids To Work At 6:00 Am And Picking Up Other Kids From Work At Midnight???? That Has Been Great Fun!!!!-=----------as Bad As It Can Be,i Am Tempted To Make Fudge Right This Minute----i Cannot Resist.

Without having talked to them, I can hardly "know" yet..

Let's say the aunt has one daughter who doesn't do these things and doesn't actually think they need to be done. The aunt was in a very good nursing home situation. So, the aunt dies and the three siblings:
1. call relatives and bad-mouth the daughter, pointing out how wonderful they were in comparison.
The aunts are ageist and constantly wonder what is wrong with the younger generation. They are guilty for how badly they treated each other when they were in junior high and think they can make it up now that the difficult one is permanently silent, and (therefore) relatively appreciative.
2. threaten the funeral home if the funeral is conducted per the daughter's understanding of the aunt's last wishes .. not their understanding.
See above.
3. say they are too upset and will not attend the funeral if it's not their way
See above AND add that they are afraid of change, flexibility, driving, other relatives (especially great nieces nephews and people with opinions different than theirs... especially en mass.)
4. their way involves moving it closer to other relatives so more can attend and they can socialize.
They see it as a social function for them, rather than support for ALL of the immediate family.
5. never drop by the daughter's house or offer condolences in any way (one sibling's wife did ask the daughter to come over for dinner)
They think they are the center of the universe (or ought to be) and don't realize that until the older generation is actually incapacitated, the elders should lovingly offer their strength, hope and wisdom to those who are younger.

Notice that none of it really has anything to do with the lovableness of the daughter! Hope you can grieve what you are missing (or what you never got in the first place, and be relieved about the rest! :sunny:

Julia was SO cool. She's my idol.


DH went to the grocery store today. He called and asked if I needed anything. I didn't. He asked if there was a bottle of wine in the house. There was. He went anyway and came home with what I think of as "boat crap" -- wine, doughnuts, potato chips, cookies and chocolate. What the heck is wrong with him? He presented this all like an exciting treat. Is he wired wrong? I'll bet if I asked him if he was trying to undermine my diet, he would either get mad or claim he didn't know I was dieting. Kiwi

Ack! Your dh and mine MUST be twins separated at birth. I deal with that stuff on a regular basis and his response is "Well, you don't HAVE to eat it." Mine is "If I know it's in the house, I WILL eat it, so keep it away from me."

Ahem. The psychic fair was very cheesy but the guy I chose to do my reading was gooooooood and picked up on many things that I already knew and needed to hear from someone else. I was a blubbering idiot by the time he was finished. Too complicated to go into here. Nothing life threatening. Just sad. He had lots of Kleenex. Ho hum. He told Mummy that she and Dad were going to live into their nineties, which is nice. Yesterdy Mummy said "Your father is difficult sometimes." and I said, "Can you imagine how difficult he'll be when he's 95?" :lol:

In other news: Mummy's cute Phillipina cleaning lady is flying to Scotland tomorrow to meet her Scottish internet boyfriend for the first time. He re-decorated his whole house just for her. Isn't that sweet?

sugar!!!! you should be sending out private email screenings of your session!!! DID YOU ASK HIM ABOUT US???HAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA------------------i am now making fudge-----------sue me.

I love fudge. I also want the details of Sugar readings.

someone took pictures of me at a party last night ----OH MY GAWWWWWWWWWWD!!!!!!-------------i have been shocked into dieting!!!!!!!!!!!now i must choose my plan of attack ----------------i looked like a dumpy middle aged cow [i probably knew it,but needed the horrible affirmation of a photo}FRIGHTENING.

Bagzie, don't you know the first rule of denial is to stay out of camera range????!!!! Of course there is the random unplanned glance into mirrors, but those are only fleeting glimpses of our middle agedness.

Peach, I can't believe you didn't ask me my opinion of the cousins. The answer to your question is that some ppl just like to build themselves up by tearing other ppl down. It's sad but true. Also, it's because they need to get a life.

Sugar, tell us all about it. We want to hear the source of your blubbering. Nothing is too complicated to go into here. We have all the time in the world.

Bunco was an eating and drinking success. We had yummy drinks consisting of a few raspberries in a glass, with raspberry liquor (Chambourd?) and champagne. Yum. Baked salmon. Pasta salad. Apple crisp w/ ice cream. And I wonder why I'm fat. Well actually I don't wonder. I know.

Hi Cowies. Eight suitcases are packed and we're leaving today and I'll be back in the saddle tomorrow with a nice case of jet lag.

Psychic said that, among other things, there would be MAJOR life changes coming up and that we would be moving. Also something about large amounts of money. Oooooh. We'll see.

OOOoooo. Did he say that you'd be moving to Oregon and win the lotto? Have a nice trip home.

Move??? Maybe to our hemisphere???? That would be nice. Now you need to pick OUR ocean. I know Wabby is over there..but the rest of us are here and everything important runs on Eastern Standard Time...doesn't it? PLUS....Wabby is social and her husband is too. He will bring her here as soon as he hears how wonderful the Cowtown Rodeo is. It is only a short hop from here and it is a real rodeo....pointy boots, tight boot cut jeans..the whole bit.
I like a kind of fudge that I make. It is mostly pb and marshmallow with a little chocolate. It is yummy if it is frozen. I will not make it because who wants to cause that sort of problem.
I'm tired...from what I don't know. I am sick, sick,sick of kids who just want me to spend money on them. Mine, I mean. Does anyone else think their kids are a tad spoiled? Did I tell you that soccer starts this week? I can't remember....I wrote a message this am but I don't think I posted it....I got halfway through then got distracted. Anyway...that signals the end of summer. We have barely had hot weather...all it does is rain.
whine, whine, whine. I'm going to bed...maybe I'll wake up in a better frame of mind.

Dang!!! This place is eating posts left and right. Wabbo I knew I didn't have to ask you. You just can read my mind. One relative told me their treatment of me is bordering on slander. I think about them far too much. Ruins my day. What can I do? Also, speaking of reading mind, huzzah! Huzzah! that Sugar is moving to Florida. We can go to Starbucks together and pretend it's Timmys. They just said on the radio that the Atkins diet cost about $15 a day.

Go into word. Choose a impressive looking font. Make a lawyerly looking letterhead. Send letter threatening action regarding suspicious activity.
OR write them a letter.
OR...I don't know, it took me months to get over the fact that no one spoke to me at my mom's funeral. We went to another funeral a few months ago and no one spoke to me there, either but it only bothered me for a day or so. This is what I'm free of....those nuts living in my head. That doesn't mean that when confronted with it I don't get upset, but I don't think about it when it isn't happening any more.

Also, when people tell you things are said, confront them about letting the remark pass. If they didn't defend you, ask why. This stuff happens in a system and part of being free of the system is being free of people who want to play it both ways. Remember, it takes two people to hurt you, the one who says it and the one who tells you.

On that note, I will get ready to go to the mall to get dd's senior portrait outfit.
bye

Lush, you are so wise. I spent last night's insomnia bout thinking about my parents again. I really would like to get them out of my head and quit wasting so much of my limited mental energy thinking about them. How do you do that? My oldest sister told me that my mother told her that I'd sent a "pretty hurtful" email to my dad. This is the email in which I told him that it really bothered me that I was treated like there was something wrong with me because I kept my nose to the grindstone and did my best to be a decent person. It was not hurtful. I sent this email a year and a half ago. He thinks I owe him an apology because of it. It's the same deal as your cousin situation, Peach. There's nothing you can do to make them see things your way, so you might as well stop trying. That's the point I'm at.

Lovely Lush, kids always want you to spend money on them. They don't realize the stress it causes. My kids always assumed that the money in atm's was endless. If I told them I was out of money, they'd just say "use your debit card." Pennies from heaven. Everyone is whining here because we've had too much summer. It's been nothing but hot, and no rain. Everything is crispy.

DH is working out of town this week. I won't know what to do with myself. I keep thinking I should accomplish something while he's gone, but who am I kidding? I still have to work. I don't have the energy for much else lately. Because, did I mention it??? It's hot here!!!! :hot:

it took me months to get over the fact that no one spoke to me at my mom's funeral. We went to another funeral a few months ago and no one spoke to me there, either but it only bothered me for a day or so. Last summer I went to a funeral and one of DD's friends made me laugh while I was taking a drink of water and I did a giant spit-take. I'm pretty sure the next funeral I go to, people will actively avoid me, don't you think?

Sadly, this still makes me guffaw every time I think about it. I have no class at all. DD was away at music camp at the time, so her friends took great joy in relating the incident to her.

I'm afraid my way of dealing with family slanders and snubbing and criticism is to rant and rave about it at the time and then completely forget what everybody said or did. This early senility is very helpful in keeping me from bursting a blood vessel. I should apply it to more parts of my life I think.

So vent all you want, we are certainly a sympathetic audience. Just don't forget to let it pass eventually and forget about it if possible.

Hugs to Sugar. I'm not sure I approve of strange men making you cry. Hope you are not dead tired from the trip.

Kiwi

P.S. to Bagz: If you are horrified by pics of you, I could send you some of me that will change your mind :s: Hey, I've seen pics of you and I think you are svelt!

the person who told me this is long-lost cousin and I'm glad to have her back that I'll forgive that she just listened because after she listened, she went and found ME!

I am a rump roast.

Here is my day. Drove DS and 2 others to school. Ate breakfast at McD's (hotcakes and sausage and OJ), drove back to the school, slept and read in the car. Signed DS out and took him to the orthodontist for an emergency visit (something came off). Went back and had lunch at school by invitation as they were having ground-breaking for a new building. Saw in the daily that a story I've been working on broke. Called and got into FAXed to me and told the office people to put it on my desk. Someone else (you know) got it off my desk and wrote it up. I rushed back to do it and couldn't find it. I told him that I had info not included in there. He said, "So do I." Not .. what info do you have to contribute. Then got email form ex-sil about ex-dh being in hospital. It's depression. So on and so forth. Rat race. Blah.

dear friends---would an insanely delicious marinade recipe for barbequed spareribs help anyone get over their anxiety??? I am so in love with this marinade that i think i will make loads of it and freeze it------------------------splendiferous!!!!!!!--------i get a weather report in my email every morning---it's fun cause i picked my hometown,my steppies hometown and PARIS as the places i need to know about!!!!-----i like knowing what it's like in Paris everyday!!!! i was thinking of adding all of your towns just for fun!!! maybe i will.

what I want:

1. marinade recipe

2. celery recipe

3. beet recipe

4. a smaller rump roast

Also, I'd like to have Bagz tell me how the weather is in Dogpatch each day.

Flight was like all the other 57 times. Rubber chicken and loud babies. Can't believe we are back here. I am 1) browner 2) poorer and 3) fatter. No one can sleep. Kids were up all night sobbing for their Canada grandma and ds11 asked if selling his Pokemon cards would give us enough money to move. What a guy. Dh had to go to work today so he should be plenty knackered when he gets home.

Jet lag is not good for my mood. I KNEW I should have bought that "cute but crabby" t-shirt I saw at the Clam Shell Gift Shop when we visited the aquarium last week.

Cough up that recipe, Bagzie!!! We love ribs. I also saw some very cowlike pictures of myself taken on vacation and have been shocked back into reality. Bought tons of exercise videos (Pilates and yoga) that I will probably just stare at for the next few weeks, but who knows, maybe I'll get motivated.

Sugar, welcome home!!! You sound tuckered out.

Yes, Bagzie. Do tell the marinade recipe. Although I've decided to be a vegetarian while DH is out of town. Maybe I will lose a couple pounds. Yesterday I had 1/2 canteloupe and cherry tomatoes and corn on the cob for dinner. Then I finished it off with a tub of Ben and Jerry's low carb ice cream I found in the freezer. No idea who bought it. Today I will be better.

And how is the weather in Paris today, Bagzie??? Still hot on the west coast, but bareably so today. The hot weather makes the water hyacinth in my pond multiply like crazy and I can't make myself just throw them away. I can't see the water anymore. It's too hot to work in the yard. Too boring to work in the house. What do I do with no DH this week??? I'm lost. I talk to my dogs a lot. :dizzy:

i really like cantaloupe with cherry ice cream. Great idea Wabbo.

get a new kitty. when u talk, they ignore with style.

OKAY!!! well they say this recipe came from the "BARBIE BARN"---never heard of it------------you need :1/2 CUP KETCHUP
1 CUP APPLESAUCE [SWEETENED OR NOT]
2 CUPS OF BROWN SUGAR [YES I SAID TWO]
2 TABLESPOONS LEMON JUICE
2 CLOVES MINCED GARLIC
1/2 TSP PAPRIKA
1/2 TSP CINNAMON
PEPPER
SALT--------------------------------------- IT MUST BE A SUGAR FEST BUT IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOO YUM------------I USED PORK RIBS WHICH I SIMMERED FOR 45 MINUTES AND LEFT THEM IN THE MARINADE FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS----[IN FRIDGE]-----I GUESS YOU CAN LEAVE THEM MARINATING AS LONG AS YOU LIKE---IF YOU ARE LIKE LUSHBAT YOU CAN FREEZE THEM IN IT SINCE THEY ARE BASICALLY COOKED ANYWAY------BARBEQUE AS YOU LIKE------------ WHAT ELSE CAN I USE THIS FOR???PORK CHOPS ??STEAK??CHICKEN??

Yum. This will give me something to do - I'll cook up a bunch of ribs w/ your marinade to grill on Saturday when the DH and DS get home. I should be ready for a meat binge by then.

the person who told me this is long-lost cousin and I'm glad to have her back ..............
Here is my day. ........ Rat race. Blah.
Lord, what a day. Well, I'm just glad you have a long-lost cousin! See, silver lining and all that?

Here's my day: Got up at 8:45 am, ate cereal, skim milk and OJ, took a shower, downloaded the cutest little black cat photo ever seen, got in the car and drove to the big city airport to pick up old bf from NYC. Drove him around big city (them NYC boys jest love seein' that there big Paul Bunyan stachoo), let him take me out to lunch, drove him up here and dropped him off to catch a seaplane ride into the wilderness where he is meeting his son at a remote lake. Then I drove home, rescued DD from her strandedness, got her a dentist appt for tomorrow at 9AM, told her she could drive herself there, then drove her to a friend's house. Later, after a slapped-together dinner, I have a meeting of the performing arts boosters officers. Did I tell you I have been elected the secretary. Lucky me.

Now, you all are so jealous of my exciting life, but try to get over it. Old bf says hello.

i get a weather report in my email every morning---it's fun cause i picked my hometown,my steppies hometown and PARIS as the places i need to know about!!!!-----i like knowing what it's like in Paris everyday!!!! i was thinking of adding all of your towns just for fun!!! maybe i will.
I think that's an excellent idea. I have a personal yahoo page set up that gets the news headlines from different sources -- I have the Charlotte NC news in there so I can keep up with big news where my family lives.

And I definitely want the marinade recipe. I love marinades. On sailing trips when we used to go with 2 or 3 boats, I was marinade queen. Amazing what you can make from a boat cupboard.
Bought tons of exercise videos (Pilates and yoga) that I will probably just stare at for the next few weeks, but who knows, maybe I'll get motivated.
I find that watching the tapes with a bag of popcorn is a very relaxing way to spend an hour. And you'll hardly break a sweat.

Be back later.

Kiwi

Old bf is a Paul Bunyon statchoo? I just accepted a new job. Yep.

I just accepted a new job. Yep.

DO TELL. Is this the start of your new life? Will you still have to deal with ediots? Will you be independently wealthy soon? Can I have your old job? Just kidding.

My baby ds8 started grade 3 today. He was up at 6:30 with much wailing and gnashing of teeth telling me he couldn't possibly go to school but once he got there and he saw his little buddies, my services were no longer required so I went to the grocery store and bought an ironing board cover that actually fits my board. The other one was too big and annoyed me for a couple of years until I decided to do something about it. May even iron something later. This is what jet lag does to you: yesterday kids asked for popcorn and it took me about 5 minutes of staring at those little yellow kernels to remember how to make it. I'm not kidding. Sing with me - I left my brain in San Francisco- la la la.

Oh yeah, dh comes home from work yesterday and says "Amazing the things that happen when you go away for 5 weeks". Apparently his secretary, who had been divorced twice and must be pushing 60 married her long-time boyfriend who also works in the same department. Isn't that sweet? And then the bad part: the 16 yr old son of one of dh's colleagues dropped dead last week and no one knows why. He went swimming, came home and said he didn't feel well and that was it. Ugh. How awful.

Have I mentioned that as soon as we got in the door on Tuesday the house returned to its usual state of squalor? I don't know how we do it. There's stuff everywhere and there are still 4 more suitcases to unpack- Driftwood, shells, salmon jerky, 95% of the contents of the dollar store, two folding chairs, tons o' books, Pokemon cards, SpongeBob t-shirts etc etc etc. It's horrendous. Someone save me.

I want a complete list of the Dollar Store puchases. They sell bleach for $1 a bottle. it's 99 cents at Walmart. You didn't carry bleach home did you? Anyway, you have lots to do. Yay, huh? Sad about that boy. My boy is that age. About the secretary's age .... hmmmm.

Today, DS and I are going to look at dolphins after school. At school, it's hamburger day or something and parents are invited to help serve.

are you just looking at the dolphins or are you going to buy one???my friend with the colon cancer is having her operation tomorrow---they are taking the tumour an testing the nodes around it---if they are cancerous she needs chemo---if not----no chemo----can you help me send out clear node vibes!!!! that would be so wonderful as the cat scan and the ultrasound show that there is no involvement in any organs.........i need to do something useful today instead of just letting the day get taken away by kids and all their needs----------did anyone notice that children are NEEDFUL THINGS????----school doesn't start here until the 7th or 8th of SEPTEMBER-----i still have TWO weeks left to fill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Peaches has a new job and she didn't even stick around to tell us about it. Enquiring minds want to know. Spill the beans.

Sugar, so sorry to hear your house is not co-operating with you. Sign up for the flybat for a few weeks, then when you get sick of her yada yada, learn to ignore imperfection in house cleaning. I've been home alone for the last 3 days and the house is still a mess.Terrible, terrible about that young boy. What a nightmare for his parents.

DH called to say he would be coming home a day early. Just when I finally started figuring out what to do with him gone. I started a sewing project, which is strewn out all over the kitchen, I bought a bench for the front porch which I had planned on painting this evening and now I have to go to the grocery store and cook dinner instead. I'm just never satisfied.

Bagzie, my friend came by with the coolest painted tray. Reminded me of your craftiness. It was made out of an old cabinet door, complete with old paint chipped hardware and handles made of old cabinet pulls. It had little ceramic cabinet knobs for feet. She stenciled a design for a background, then decopaged some sheet music, photos, etc. It is soooo cool. And guess what?? this is my friend who just went through colon cancer and chemo and surgery and the whole thing. She's well and back to being her same amazingly creative self. And so will your friend. I'm sending good vibes.

Kiwi wins the prize for most interesting life because she has an old boyfriend. My DH is my old boyfriend.

Sug-- I thought you were going to be Stateside forever.... I completely understand instant chaos that happens to house upon return... with or without childrens.

I am avoiding doing anything important today. No reason that I know of. I don't know what I WANT to do... although a heap of papers, books, and "stuff" to put away should be a clue. It is rainy out (IN AUGUST!! IN TEXAS!!! MIRACLE!!!)... maybe I will go stare out the window at my garden, drink coffe3 and decide what to knit.

Then physical therapy and sweating in public. Ick.

Hi Kids!

No, CP, Paul Bunyan is not my old boyfriend. Paul Bunyan is my DH. Wasn't he wearing his plaid shirt and suspenders when you met him? Oh right, that was in Fla., he must have been wearing his summer plaids. How come you're not fessing up about this new job? Is it embarrassing?

I made a chocolate pie this afternoon. I wonder how many calories are in that item... I have fallen behind in my food log, as predicted (by me). But all is not lost. None is lost. No pounds, anyway. I'm babbling. I think I have had too much water.

We're going to friends' house for dinner today. Isn't that just exciting? Of course it is.

Best wishes for Bagz' friend. Blowing clear node air up your way.

Kiwi, befuddled by chocolate. I mean water.

1. Job is not embarrassing. Life is overwhelming. Will advise later.

2. I forgot what else I meant to say because puter is so low.

3. Am reading "The Curious Incicent of the Dog in the Night-Time" by mark Haddon. It's told in 1st person by a boy with autism. Reminds me of the Adrian Mole novels by Sue Townsend. Witty. Funny. Easy to read. Droll. Etc.

4. Painty send me your email address. I think I have it but have too many I don't know who they belong to. Wil advise on new life stresses via secret correspondence.

5. Dolphins were cute but did not leap out of the water as the captain said they normally do. But it was nice being on the water in air that was fresh as long as you weren't near the muffler-thing at the wrong time. Saw jelly fish swimming around. All the kids were given cameras which they used to make horrid pictures. Saw one little one taking numerous pictures of the counter in the center of the boat.

6. Must give notice this morning. Am a basket case.

It will be ok, Peach. What a whole bunch of stressful stuff going on at the same time.

I think I'm getting sick. I hurt all over, and it hurts to breath deeply. I wanna go home. I bet if I had a piece of Kiwi's chocolate pie, I'd feel all better.

I just finished reading Good Grief by Lolly Winston. It was a good vacation/summer type read. Young widow lives overcomes depression and moves from big city to small town, where she finds happiness, a new career, and a decent guy. That's pretty much the book in a nutshell.

Peachie, sorry to hear you are overwhelmed. Can't wait to hear about the new job. I'm sure a change of venue will be great.

Dolphins are pretty cute. When we were at the beach, DD and her friends were floating out beyond the breakers (on rafts) and discovered that some dolphins were swimming very nearby. There were at least half a dozen of them, possibly a couple of young ones too. Of course the girls paddled out further and further to get closer to them, which eventually freaked even me out (thank goodness my mom was not watching at the time; she would have called the coast guard), and I took a raft and paddled out to make them come in. They got within about 10 feet of one of them, it was pretty cool. The dolphins were as curious about the girls as the girls were of them: they didn't swim away for a long time.

2. I forgot what else I meant to say because puter is so low
? Oh, slow? I get it.

It has been pouring here all day. DD and I were signed up to sell fundraising stuff at the wooden canoe festival today. So we drove down there and got soaked looking for the people who were supposed to be there in the shift before us. They weren't there, hadn't been there and nobody had heard they were coming. So we looked around for a while, got some lunch, and drove up to where we could see the canoe race when it came over some falls. There were only 6 boats entered. Not that I blame them. It was 60 deg. F, and still pouring.

When we got home, there was a message on the voicemail saying they weren't going to sell stuff today. They had called 25 minutes before our shift started. Takes at least 25 minutes to get from our house to the festival. Thanks, guys.

DH is on the sailboat this weekend. Probably in the rain, too. Is it raining in Southwest Harbor, Bagz?

Must go watch more Olympics. I'm obsessed. I have hours of it recorded, and I just keep recording more. It's great to skip the commercials and boring stuff. Mostly I skip basketball. And men's handball--when did that happen? I thought handball was the game in a little room with a little hard ball that hurt your hand when you smacked it. This olympic handball is dull dull dull. Sort of a cross between soccer and basketball. I can't watch more than 2 seconds of field hockey either. Or fencing. I thought fencing would be interesting, but turns out it's deadly boring, except for the screams. Now softball, surprisingly, I can't turn away from. And I don't know why, but I can't stop watching swimming preliminaries, which is a stupid way to spend time too. I will say the swimming finals are great, especially the relays. The best things so far (and I haven't caught up to today yet) are the men's gymnastics, trap shooting, and synchronized diving. How eclectic of me.

Kiwi--Not getting any exercise, but watching lots of it.

P.S. Did you know that gym means naked?

Hey Wabbit, I hope you are feeling better. Sounds like flu. Dr. Kiwi says you need bed rest.

I am embarrassingly well. DH bought us both new walking shoes so we can tramp around Chicago in merely 2 weeks. I AM SO READY FOR A VACATION. Sightseeing suggestions welcome.

Other than hallucinating that I am smelling a cigar, I can walk better, feel stronger and can navigate stairs better -- attributing same to PT. Have turned some corner making it easier than ever before to choose reasonable foods to eat. Have NO idea what is making it possible to do at this particular time.

Regrettably, my client load is DOWN, so now I wonder about scrounging cash to pay month end obligations. DS is set, though... his dad came through with cash for a lap top for grad school... and his FAFSA loans are in process. Daughter has two potential job offers for NEXT spring after her MBA is complete.

I, too, liked Good Grief very much. Her description of crazy thinking when profoundly depressed (probably nearly psychotic) was spot on.
Was NOT impressed with the Jane Austen Book Club. There were snippets of humor, but NO PLOT. I guess I am shallow. I LIKE plot. It doesn't have to race along (although that's fun), but I just couldn't find a thread here.

Splurged on several $100's of dollars of yarn. Must get knitting for the holidays.

P.S. Did you know that gym means naked?

Makes one afraid to ask what 'nastics' means, doesn't it? :o I watched the men's rowing this morning. Hubba hubba.

Decluttering and doing laundry today. The place is in total chaos and that won't do at all. BUT both kids are in school tomorrow so I'll have peace. Go me.

When does you job start, Peachy? Did they all stand there with their mouths open when you gave notice? Serves 'em all right.

There was a dolphin at the Vancouver aquarium and he was soooo cute. They got him from a Japanese fish net and he still has the scars from that.

We bought these soap molds on vacation so soap making is going to be my new hobby. Until I get bored with it, which knowing me will only take about 2 1/2 days but what the heck.

Yeehaw. Boy did I sleep late today. Had creepy Olympics-related sci-fi dream.

Sounds like things are good with you Painty. Like you're on a roll!

Good luck with the moldy soap, Sugar. I love homemade soaps, as long as they are not overly perfumed. My niece made us some very nice ones for Christmas. Delightful.

Here's what I have accomplished this weekend: Cleaned off the top of the refrigerator. Oh lordy was it nasty. Not only was most of the stuff from about a decade ago and covered with half an inch of furry sticky dust, you should have seen the actual surface underneath it all. Black. ~shudder~ I am truly the worst housekeeper. Except for this one woman I know whose kitchen I would never dare to eat in. Not that you could find a spot to set anything anyway. And it always smells horrible; you know there are things moldering away in there. Yeah, I can always look at her and feel better :rolleyes:

It's a beautiful sunny day today. Too bad it wasn't like this yesterday when I was all motivated to hang out at the canoe fest. Here it is 1:30 and I haven't even had my coffee.

What should I/we do with the week and a half we have left until school starts? All suggestions welcome. DD mowing the grass for nothing is the first item (I gave her $25 for the key deposit at music camp and she lost the key the night before she left... :mad: )

Kiwi

Have just spent darned near the whole day either recovering sleep because I stayed up til 4 am watching Olympics... Loved the swedish table tennis player!! and then I got a brainstorm and installed some McAfee virus protector (alleged) which bollixed up my email in and out box. AAAAAAACK.
Now I have to go get dressed and act prim and proper at a formal tea where I don't know if I'll be able to eat much. I guess though, since I haven't had breakfast, I could have a yogurt and some nuts/granola to stave off major munchies.

I don't want to "do" the next week... I want to skip to the week after because that's when i get vacation. Unvortunately, if I don't DO next week, I won't have money for birthdays or Christmas, or maybe utilities. :lol: