Well, well, well...I came on here to check in and see how things are going, and here you are! How nice to 'see' you again! We all went thru so much this past year, haven't we...and some of us still do..;-) My Mother has adjusted very, very well into her nursing home, and is thriving. She's the type that the gals there just can't seem to stop spoiling, and she loves it! Jokes with them, uses her wit to tease them, and they think it's the cutest thing. LOL! She still knows who I am, and mentions my brother (who can't be bothered to email me and ask how she's doing but that's a whole other story!) and our DD. But she gets so quiet sometimes, and has her melancholy moments and gets tearful, but all in all, enjoys our visits. She said she's "going downhill" and it's so sad to hear.....I know I'm not supposed to say, Ah, Buckup! You'll be fine! because she won't be, and it just makes it more difficult for them to find peace. She turned 92 in September. We hope we can give her a Merry Christmas day! Not much else, really....I'm knitting FunFur scarves for each of the full-time care-workers in her wing (about 6 done, maybe one more to go), as well as purple mittens for her former care-worker at our home to match the purple scarf (her fav colour) I knit her last year! LOL! As well as my first attempt at a "lacey" cap for our DD and matching mittens out of "Dream"...feels kitten soft and about as much fun to knit with...so slippery! ;-D Sorry to hear about the little lump in your breast; I always keep care-givers in my prayers, and hope it helps you through your excision/surgery. I feel confident it's not cancer, as she's removing the entire lump....seems more like an encapsulated cyst or some such....."Let Go and Let God", Gabby. To all care-workers, their family and friends, I do sincerely wish you all a very peaceful, holiday season. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all! ....Lynn

Have a great vacation, and yes, please post those Maine pics for us to see.

thanks everyone, I go on trips with my DD21, we went to Paris this April break. And DD went wiht dad's family on a trip during her other break in the winter. In neither case DD forced herself on neither me nor her dad. But both I and X have more vacations that that. It would be normal if his DD would spend SOME of the vacations wiht him, but it is all of the vacation he has. KKNY DD27 and her mother had fights on travels, during those fights SO was forced to take sides (he took daughter's side), all those fights were bad on a relationship. It almost feels ot me that she was trying to stand between her dad and mom. Of course that's not what caused a divorce but I believe it contributed to it. woudl she stand between me and him? It is entirelly possible imamommy that she is trying to do just that, but it's been like this always. the only change is that SO finally stopped going just him and her and now she goes with us (or actually the way it looks like they go two of them and I am dragging along LOL). KKNY we went on many trips and vacations together but as we got more serious, DD27 wants to be wiht us all the time and since she is always here whenever dad has vacations, we simply cannot go anywhere anymore. i was looking forward to July vacation but now we can't even do that. On few occassions we planned on going somwhere ona trip, but DD changed her plans or alternated them, left earlier than plannned or flew in alter etc. My SO also cancelled his trip to college reunion past winter because DD27 decided to visit the last moment (when she found out he goes to reunion). Bizzare.

We were road tripping in Nova Scotia on September 11, 2002 when the World Trade Center etc was bombed. Canadians were so gracious to us. We spent a couple unplanned days touring and in spite of it all thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I know you will too...the picture taking opps abound!