This is getting to be my mantra, but, has your mother seen her doctor lately? Urinary tract infections can really knock the elderly on their pins - erratic behavior, mood swings, hallucinations, drops in blood pressure (resulting in fainting or falls), dehydration, death. And a short course of antibiotics takes care of it. That was the first course we took with my mother after my dad passed away in 2001 - any test we and her doctor could think of ruling out a brain tumor or anything organic - but we really knew she was taking her first steps along the journey of Alzheimer's type dementia. I was her primary caregiver until she went into a nursing home six months ago. My folks both had wills and revocable living trusts; took great pains to have all their additional documents - living wills, DNR's, etc. in order so the only thing I had to do with mom was get my name added to her checking account and have my brother's and my names put on the safety deposit box. A conservatorship is something to consider if and when your mother can no longer handle her own affairs. That always seems draconian to me, but a necessary step when someone is intractable and totally unaware or unwilling to admit there's a problem. It's too easy to say go see a lawyer specializing in Elder Law because you can't force your mother into making arrangements she has no interest in making. But it seems that, instinctively, you know something is going to have to be done although it's extremely difficult to know exactly what that "something" is until a critical event occurs - like being forcibly removed from a place of business, a total breakdown, having to be hospitalized for a mental evaluation, etc. It would be ideal if you could catch your mother in an agreeable mode, try and discuss some of your concerns. Failing that, the next best step would be to get your siblings, daughter, your mother's sisters and anyone in the family who would even be remotely concerned with your mother's welfare on the same page. If one person is designated as "in charge" (usually because most people are relieved to let someone else take charge), make sure everyone agrees that whatever is done is the right thing. The hardest thing right now is that you're pretty much stuck between thinking about getting ducks lined up for when they're needed, wanting to help and do what's appropriate for your mother with her blessing and being backed into a corner if the situation gets out of control. It's when you're backed into a corner you might get a result no one anticipated - like your mother being placed in a less than ideal, space available facility.

Michelle -- are you still working on this? I have the same assignment for my daughter's class. The past few years they have included: * full formal class pic with teachers, * many candids, * individual pic of each child, * individual baby pic of each child (w/out captions -- anwer key at end, a guessing game, really), * write-ups for every grade/teacher (In Mrs. Lucy's Kindergarten class, we....), * a Remember When section, for kids to post both funny stories and on-going pass-times, * a "trends" page (names of popular artists, fashions), * poetry, artwork, etc. * a "In the year XXXX I will be ..." section for each students predictions. * a couple of pages for autographs. Any other ideas from anyone? Any other resources you've found helpful?

For my final in my Yearbook class, my class has been assigned to do a ten page yearbook about ourselves. And so we can choose between putting it together by hand (scrap-booking, etc) or by using Adobe ID. I NEED your help. Finals are due in three weeks! Thank you. Sincerely, Keisha

As stated earlier this is such a personal choice. I find the "rule" of hanging personal photos in only private spaces TEDIOUS!! What is the point of having pictures if you can't display them?!? I have also been told one should never display kid photos in a master bedroom, that is WACKED too IMHO!! Saying that, I have one family photo, 8x10 on a large corner table and I have the kid's latest school pictures in 5x7 frames on top of our antique secretary in the living room. Each of the 5x7 frames is a photo album book. I have smaller photos, formal and casual of each of them, for each year inside. When distant family appear or when the kids have a reason to show them off, the photos are at hand. Downstairs in the family room I have many, many photos on book shelves..from my grand-parents to my nieces and nephews. I find it curious that "high style" dictates no photos, yet every movie, TV show that goes into someone's home family photos are prominent. So far I have one graduate, one coming this year. My son's senior picture is in the 5/7 frame. When they were being taken and printed I made my choices on what to print, with with the realization that within one year or less of his graduation I am the only person who will ever care to look at it again. I will not ever display a college graduation picture. There won't be one, I would suspect. I don't see the point of them. If mom doesn't want one, they don't happen!! Some day wedding pictures will need a place. That is so far from now I can't worry about it. Perhaps I will finally put away the sibling family wedding pictures I have on display down stairs.... As far as what to do with the 11x14 or 8x10's I am clueless. Never in my life have I purchased an 8x10 of a single person. There isn't enough wall space I figured, and if you can't display them what is the point of having them? I find family picture wall galleries a magnet, a conversation piece. Everyone loves to see the pictures, time standing still. Why would you want that in a "private" space? It will only mean you will have people trooping through your "private" spaces.