Jaybird, I would have loved to go to the Estate sale with you, sounds like a wonderful day of browsing! And the white dishes you got look like they will be very versatile, going with any other colour and looking great. And I'm glad to hear, I'm not the only one who goes back more than once to sales! Too bad, you didn't find a dig camera for sale there! Karen - love your depiction of a "senior blonde moment" LOL! I am sure us dishnuts are much the same as the GJers. DD

We wish you didn't have to be here, too but we're glad you sought us out. There are no pat answers to the questions that all of us who lose a child ask. I'd say you are still in the stage of shock and disbelief. I wish there were some comforting words that would make things easier or better. In time, things will be different than they are now. Please be comforted that we who are here do care and would like to hear about your son -- not how and where he died -- but about the things that made him so dear to you, about the life he lived as your son and how much you loved him. I'm linking to a thread from a couple of months ago which has a link to yet another thread where we've talked about losing a child. There are several of us here who lost an adult child. It's the worst thing we ever had to face, but we're all here to help and to prop each other up. Nell Here is a link that might be useful: Link to words of encouragement

OMG, I just checked out the home disaster thread and some of the titles are hilarious. I feel another thread addiction coming on! Ha! Theresse - I can't believe you're having to go through that, you're basically damned no matter what you do. Neighbors are a key element to a happy environment. I've literally gone to the expense to move just to get away from people I could no longer stand to live next to so I completely empathize with your situation. Sometimes there is just no other way to solve the problem but to move. Venting to people who can at least relate is helpful though, so check out the conversations side of this forum and vent away!

Like, Dislike, or No Opinion. Does it really matter? If you read a post and personally gain from that information but have no specific comment to share that is okay. Take bits and pieces from life and grow from the knowledge. There isn't a need to always provide feed back or approval. This all ties into self-absorption and the thought process that we all need reaffirmation. This is similar to the mind-set of let's give all the children a trophy because they competed in the soccer game or every swimmer gets a ribbon, even if all it says is "participant". The winners should get recognized and the others should simply learn from prarticipating and work to get better - to achieve a trophy or ribbon that carries worth.