Hi Pal! I'm lousy at remembering birthdays, etc. What I did was buy a daily planner book where you can see the whole month at a glance and write down events. I had to do this and I keep it on my coffee table. I write birthdays in red ink. I forgot my new DIL's bday once and can I tell you how bad I felt? Other than her not supporting your relationship w/your partner, it sounds like you two are friends and you want to keep it that way. I know you're not seeking advice, but I think you need to pull her aside and tell her, "Sorry about my snarky email, but you know I'm lousy at remembering birthdays, but I did think of you." Maybe she'll apologize for her petty email too. I don't expect a party for my birthday, but I do expect to be remembered by those close to me, just as they are remembered. My family and friends are big on sending cards, and IMO, they are such a treat to get in the mail! Nobody is doing it because they're obligated either. Another thought, some of us and maybe your friend also, had birthday parties growing up, and a LOT of them. I had several surprise parties, the last being a teen. So as we grow older we still want the world to stop on that day. lol. And when it doesn't, well it's kind of depressing, even though we know that is how life is as we get older. Even if your friend said that in jest, she was still wrong to do it. She should know by now you are bad at remembering birthdays. To keep the harmony between you, I'd remind her. Oh, and next year don't buy her a Halmark card, buy her a Papyrus card. :) That will make her shut-up.

Are you a very young mom? I don't want to hurt your feelings, but there are a lot of things in your post that sound very immature--the Christmas present thing, calling people names--those are not the way adults handle problems. I think, before you start to work on your relationship with your daughter, it might be a good idea to work on your own level of responsibility and caring. Now, I realize, that if you are in such dire financial straits, that you've had to give up your home and parcel out the family among other family's homes, you've probably got a LOT of issues (aside from your relationship with your daughter) to deal with. And maybe you're just a bit overwhelmed at this point. But your daughter is still a child, even though the government says she's old enough to vote. She still needs you. You still need to parent her. Yes, it's a whold lot more difficult to parent a 'legal' child--that doesn't mean it isn't essential, though. And the situation is only compounded when the parents aren't together and on the same page regarding how to parent. But for your daughter's sake, you simply have to put those things aside and do the right thing for her. She's being a typical 18 year old. None of them really want much to do with their parents--that doesn't tear up your parent card, though, it just means you have to work a little harder and more creatively to do the job you signed on for 18 years ago. Honestly--if you hang in there, and get across to your daughter that you're still her mother, still love her, still will be there for her, she will almost surely come around in a few years. My dd was dying to get away from us (and went to college about 1000 miles away to prove it) at that age. BUT 10 years later? she's annoyed with us because we're moving 30 miles away, she calls me at least once a day just to chat, we get together for dinner or lunch or just to visit at least a couple of times a week. Sometime between age 22 and 25, they really do turn back into normal human beings, so don't burn any bridges that you won't be able to rebuild when the time is right.

I can't even imagine. The reporting is what annoys me. Several articles are more interesting in how much the house cost and who the mother was sleeping with while judging her for making it out alive. I don't think anyone can really say what they would do in that situation unless they've been there. I imagine if it were at all possible she would have saved her kids but it sounds like that house went up very quickly and they were on different floors. Maybe she went outside to get a ladder to try to reach them from the outside if she couldn't from the inside, maybe the firemen wouldn't let her back in, who knows. That poor lady is going to replay it every single day for the rest of her life. I feel so bad for her.

some suggestions... 1. Bring back the brick. This MCM house was originally meant to be two-tone. The board and batten should be painted and the brick should be raw. It breaks up the house enough to take away the trailer vibe. This would include the chimney and under the deck. That brick extension under the deck is cool, by the way. Bringing back the brick will take some elbow grease, but it is worth it. 2. Replace the roof with black shingles. This is the first step in bring up the contrast. 3. Paint the board and batten siding a deeper warm gray. This is step two in building in some contrast and complementing the brick. 4. You have some cool doors! Paint them orange to bring a pop of color and even more contrast...and to celebrate these cool MCM doors. 5. Add a new railing to the deck that obscures the house less. Err on the side of modern to bring the much-needed update to the house. Horizontal slats would be good. Paint the entire deck the same color as the siding. 6. Replace and extend your front stairs to the left. It will give you a little spot to put a cool modern planter or three. 7. Replace the sidewalk to match the width of the double door, and angle it more intentionally toward the left. 8. Add an MCM light to the right of the entry doors. 9. Landscape! Use a variety of layers, colors and textures to bring depth to the house. Voila! You now have the coolest house on the block! Here is how it could look...