Tmann, they just arrived. It is going to be rainy and cold for a week with snow on Friday. I hope they can survive to build nests and fledge babies. I also can not get a sparrow that has become attached to the TRES nest box from last year. They seem to be so sneaky this year. But I won't give up. Karen

You know what, Cathy, I am wrong. It does open from the top so that's not what the problem was; it was the mesh right below the opening. Do you think I can remove that? Or should I put the screws right through the wire? He is out there singing loudly this morning and I know what's coming. I caught a few early in the season with my repeating trap but some animal kept knocking it over in the night so I stopped using it. I may have to set it up again. As I said in a post earlier in the season my new next door neighbor had a sparrow nest on either end of his roof, so figure 10 baby sparrows each nesting. I may be in trouble here.

Although calling may lead to loss of custody to the abusive parent. As crazy as this sounds, it happens all the time. DYFS will transfer custody to the abusive parent. Email me for examples if you are in disbelief. I notice this happened around Aug/Sept, so did the mother and children receive protection? Here is a link that might be useful: DYFS transferred custody to Abusive Parent who exposed child to Megan's Law convicted sex offender

Oh how I read your posting and my heart goes out to you. I lost my sweet Dad too, it was 2 years ago in August. So many of the details that you described about your Dad's condition were present with my Dad too. Your story brought back my memories. I know losing someone that you love so much is just gut wrenching. It is so tramautic. To me, it's like post tramautic stress disorder, the act of losing that special person is so mentally draining, something you only go through when you love someone so much. After I lost my Dad, well it was so hard. But my Mom was so miserable without my Dad. We all immediately focused on helping Mom to manage without him. But 7 months later we lost Mom. Mom was my best friend, along with my Dad. Now there both gone. How do I manage without them? I don't even know. I was so very lost in the beginning, and so very angry. There were so many unforgiveable surrounding circumstances. So many things made it harder to bear. I, too am so sad that my kids don't have their grandparents, that loved them so much, and I feel so cheated. They still have a paternal grandpa, but it's not the same. And it IS hard to hear them talk about my husband's father. But I'm glad my husband has HIS dad, and I talk about MY parents to them. And show them things they bought them, and cards from them. And we have pictures and some videotape of them, of course I haven't been able to watch those yet. I just think that your grief never completely goes away. But you do figure out how to get by each day without them. Other things and people come into the picture to help you figure that out. I'm just sad now, not so angry anymore. I guess because I believe in Heaven and I believe they are there. And I look forward to seeing them again. And I believe they are together and in no more pain. I am sad that they miss out on my life but I believe they can see me and my family and I look to the sky for them. Death is a part of life but we still never want to let go. I would have been just of sad had my parents lived to be 100. Just hang in there. Love your children and your husband each day. Thank God for them and for the time you had with your Dad. I've been reading a book "Motherless Daughters". It is very validating for me with my feelings but it also reminds me of how so many people lost their parents before they were even grown. I'm so glad my parents got to see my kids. My last child was an unexpected girl, after 2 boys. I'm so glad that they knew her and could share in those moments with me. Hugs to you.