Prior to this coming year, I listened to the neighbor's little girl play outside and the hum of distant boats on the lake (the boats are distant because I'm on the cheap side of the road, not the lake side. I have a "seasonal" view of the lake. You can't see it in the summer when the trees are in full bloom.) Last summer DH got me an Ipod for my birthday. I perceive myself as technologically regressing, so it took me 6 months to figure out how to program it. At that, the music is mostly, the DH's collection of mp3's. This gardening season I'll be listening to a lot of zydeco, Jimmy Buffet, Peter Gabriel, Police, Genesis, Stones and David Bowie. Yeah, I'm a classic rock kind of girl.

I don't know if you've seen Heart lately, but Ann Wilson is absolutely amazing. Out of all lead rock singers in that age group, she is one of the best, hands down. She still has incredible range and power. When she sings "Love Reign O'er Me" or Led Zeps "Goin' to California", I KNOW Daltrey and Plant cannot hit those notes as well as she can. Of course, the Heart songs will give you goosebumps, too. Other shows we have tickets for: Van Halen Iron Maiden (world tour kicks off here, so DH is very happy plus we have incredible seats just behind the pit) Roger Waters

1. What are you wearing now? White denim capris/turquoise/white tee/w/studs 2. What have you eaten today? Turkey/avacado sandwich on Oatnut bread 3. What is the weather like today where you're at? Haven't checked, but probably 99-104!!! Austin,TX 4. Currently playing on your iPod or radio these days? Country, nothing in particular. 5. What fun thing have you done so far this summer? Gone to San Diego to visit DD #1, Orange County,CA(went w/DD #3 and GS)to visit DD #2, and took GS's to Disney, San Francisco for GS B-day, and spent the week-end at Riverwalk in San Antonio. 6. What are you looking forward to happening in the coming weeks? Going to visit my best friend of 50+ years in IL!!! 7. What is your favorite BBQ/cook out menu? Pork ribs(short ribs?)hands down! A baked potato, FRESH corn on the cob, and a salad w/home grown tomatoes is perfect! 8. What have you treated yourself with/to lately? A black patten Kate Spade handbag and wallet. 9. If you paint your toenails, what color are they today? Very dard red What is the length of your hair? Little past my chin.

I think SS is confused and torn. I've been with DH for several years so SS barely remembers life before me (just random memories of things like kids have). It's hard for him because he knows what a Mom is, and what a Mom does, and how she behaves. But then he sees someone who has the title of "Mom" who doesn't act that way at all, while I do. It was never my intention to be Mom figure in the beginning; SS was the one who kept trying to put me into it. My choices seemed to be to either refuse to do so out of deference to an absentee mother, or to try to be the best pseudo-mom/custodial step-mom/whatever that I can be. Given the circumstances, (DH has had custody of SS since he was a year old or so, and the 90 minute travel distance), it would be really tough for BM to have formed/maintained a close relationship even if everyone involved was very committed and outstanding parents, I'd think. At this point, he doesn't seem to have any real bond with her, and I don't see much chance of one being formed without extensive effort (including family counseling for BM and SS) and I just don't see that happening. BM's attitude seems to be that she deserves SS' love and admiration because she is his egg donor, sorry, I mean mother, and so he should be the one to change, not her. So he's left in this situation where he knows that she's a poor excuse for a mother, yet she (and the courts) insist that because she is his mother, her behavior, by default, is perfectly fine. And we cannot talk to him about it; God forbid we'd agree with him (out loud) when he says that she doesn't want him there but makes him go, or that she's a liar, or any other charming sentiments. (He is in counseling so presumably he is talking to the counselor about it.) So no, he is very pragmatic about it. He's never known her to behave any differently so he does not seem to even expect that she might want to talk to him on the phone, or show up for one of his events, or go to the doctor when he is sick, or anything else. I wish she'd just go away. I honestly do not see this situation getting any better. I wish that SS wasn't being made to feel that he was obligated to love and care for someone who does not seem to love and care for him. Sorry, I've gone completely off-topic. It's been a rough summer. :(