I am taking a moment to send out blessings/positive thoughts to all of your children and grandchildren for their health! 2011 was overall a good year. Any year in which we had no major illness or deaths is a good one. In the winter, my husband finally got a permanent job after a year of contract work. I rarely see him now because it's so demanding, but hey, we have insurance. (Ours was about to end.) In the spring, I found out I was expecting a 5th baby, who was born healthy this December. I made it through my work and got assigned to a special project and got a slightly better contract, so the recognition was nice. I am no longer speaking to my sister-- it's been about 6 months. With the help of this forum, I am able to accept it for the most part and remove myself from the situation. It's been a strange blessing. My oldest DD went back to school this fall after 3 years of homeschooling. She finally loves school and I feel settled about the whole thing. While this has been a hard year on me physically and mentally in many ways, it's been for reasons that are ultimately very good ones, so I am thankful. The only very sad thing was the loss of my friend's dad. In many ways, he was like an uncle to me. He lived a very good life-- and by that, I mean he was a very honorable and kind person-- I am so sad for my friend and her mom. The thought of a new year scares me-- will I be able to report good health next year? I am raising my glass of eggnog to all-- here's to a great 2012!

PO1, I'm going to be very clear here because it is obvious you are not getting what I am saying. BM IS NOT REQUIRED TO SEND PICTURES. 1. "You sent estranged relatives DD's pictures because I guess they do not see her or see her infrequently." Not true. "You guess" incorrectly. My dd sees my mother at least once a year, often enough to "take her own pictures", have them be current, and not "bother BM" with picture requests. 2. "Seems that BM sent that picture at the time when dad was not seeing SD, 2 years ago? " Not true. You are making erroneous assumptions again. See that twice above I told you that SD gave us that picture. It was a Christmas gift. 3. "logically dad would take his own pictures of her?" Yes, that's logical but your statement of such is redundant. See above where I state that we have many pictures of SD that we have taken. 4. "I doubt he sends BM his pictures of SD" That's true. He doesn't. But he sends SD pictures of herself. Email is a great invention that allows this to happen with ease! 5. "since SD has limited communication with dad," There you go, making assumptions and running with them again. Did you miss the post above where I state she has a laptop purchased by us and an internet connection? ********* OP, it just depends on the person I guess. When I was in the middle of a very bitter divorce I still sent X pictures of DD. I'm estranged from my mother but still send her pictures, and when my DD visits her (last visit was two months ago) she sends pictures back of DD's visit. Same with X-inlaws. They send pics, I send pics. Somehow I've managed to maintain a civil relationship with various people in my life in regards to DD that is independent of personal feelings for one another. You can't buy class. ;)

Original "built in place" cupboards from 1964 Extremely small, completely dysfunctional Couldn't put anything on the shelves in the cupboards taller than 7 inches nor wider than 10 inches Cupboards wouldn't close as they had 57 coats of paint on the doors, including the hinges Only 4 small drawers without glides - just wood bottoms sliding on wood frames which created never ending sawdust on the things in the drawer below and on the floor The dishwasher wouldn't open fully as it bumped into the cabinets on the other side and was kiddy corner with the sink so you had to reach OVER the sort-of-open door to get things out of the sink and then try and get them into the dishwasher without being able to slide the dishwasher racks out "Lazy Susan" was really, really lazy - wouldn't turn at all Once the coffee maker, toaster and tiny microwave was put on the counter ('cause there was no where else to put them) there was 24 inches of prep and clean-up space left Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera................! We wanted to wait to renovate the kitchen till we had more money saved as we are renovating the entire house but after a year of trying to "live with it" it was either renovate or do each other in.

Wow, nice! We go to a Jamaican restaurant that's just a short drive away. They were pleasantly surprised to receive an unexpected Michelin Guide "Recommended" for 2015, in fact. We're going on Thursday nite for the goat curry. Their salt cod fritters are divine.............! And of course, the housemade rum cake with its wallop of Jamaican rum!