Nana, I got on last night with the intention of reading all the posts and commenting....of course when I saw the word "purple", that was the first one I read being me. When I went to comment I just started falling apart and realized I couldn't act 'normal' afterall. I'd finished writing my Dad's obituary and picking a photo for it a few hours earlier, so that's probably why I was a mess. tho I seem to be staying that most of the time. I'm clearing things from Dad's room, except things special to me, because I 'have' to. I need to see that room in a different way as soon oas I can. It hurts too much otherwise. The hospital bed has to go back to the VA, so I hope to find some different furniture for that room in the future. The gigantic old dresser needs to go, but Zorro can keep the easy chair. He claimed that years ago. ;o) Basically I'm just donating Dad's clothes and going thru loads of paperwork. He saved every scrap of paper and trying to sort the necessary from the useless has been a challenge. After Mom died 10 yrs ago, and he moved in with me, he really kept very little. "Stuff" was her thing, not his. He stopped driving when she died too, their car was totaled in the wreck and he didn't want another one. So Dad's belongings are very few, except his clothes and a lot of framed family photos. I'm so glad I don't have a lot to go thru again, like when we lost her. this is the photo I chose for his obituary, its how I'll always remember him with his wonderful smile, ready to tell someone a joke. hugs, Karen

Tikanis >>>> HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!! Enjoy the kayak! I have YET to venture out in my kayak - pathetic. I got it 2 years ago for Christmas. Isn't that sick? There is only open water here and I haven't had the time or $ to get an open water lesson. Jen! Happy Birthday -- belated as well!!!! I hope you had a wonderful "YOU" day and your little princesses were good to you! You are a fantastic mom! Milkdud! Happy, happy birthday to YOU as well!!!! Wowie! I think New Beginnings is a great choice, especially given the circumstances - and what a treat for you - a new style, a NEW YOU! Your divorce went very quickly - congrats. It's a (mentally) long process. I'm proud of you, too, for negotiating an amicable personal property split. That's tough to do. You should see some of the stuff we run into when the "end" is near...! I am happy to hear you're giving his name back...that's part of the healing process. Most of our clients don't get - and aren't required to pay health insurance - I don't really "get" the justice in that, but that's how settlements work... Maddie----RESULTS of your test now??? :-) George- If you could just introduce me to Brad Johnson, the Cessna pilot from the movie Always, I'll be forever in your debt! Is that too much to ask? Bee! WELCOME! I saw you on the tail-end of last week's postings - I don't know much about what sorts of foods you can have on the plan you're on, so I can't help with the hunger pangs you're having...sorry... I am still exercising weekly. I eat exactly the same thing for brekky and lunch and snack every day, then have a variety of things for dinner with the family. This is working well for me for now. Ivamae- Don't sweat the weigh in...you'll drop that pound now that you're aware of it! Well, all for now. We are meeting with a realtor to talk about selling the dream house we designed had built and are living in. It's sad but the builder underestimated the cost by SO MUCH that it has put us in a very bad financial place. The economy is still so bad around here, we can no longer hope it'll get better any time soon. We've had a year in the house and love it, but we have to face reality...at least we got to LIVE in it! :-)

Marci, is that a trick question? I can't see any animal! The pictures are just magnificent. I have to agree with everyone else. The eel gives me the creeps. Maddie, so glad to see you again. I am happy that everyone is on the mend. OK, so Paul McCartney was amazing!!!! He is 67 years old and sang for 2 1/2 hours without taking a sip of water or a break. His band took a break and he pulled out the ukelele and kept on singing while they were gone. I loved Fenway Park. It was my first time there and I think my heart skipped a beat when I first walked in. It is beautiful. I am definitely going back for a ball game! Speaking of Lobsta! Tonight we are having some!!! Our first this summer. We are going out on the boat with some other couples with their boats and will raft up and have ourselves a feed! I am looking forward to a great evening. Suzanne, love the fox. You take the best pictures! My mom says she has one that has been coming around her house and she is concerned about her cat because she sleeps out on the deck all day in the sun. Dee I laughed right out loud with Marci's comment about the monkey looking in your office window. Being the animal lover that you are (NOT!), I would love to be a fly on the wall if that were actually to happen!! You know we love you, right? I should get off of the computer now. I only have about 1 million things to do today. Have a great weekend all! (((HUGS))) all around. oxBesh

One of my closest friends lives two blocks from me and has a daughter just a few months older than my DD, they are both 9 right now. Of course in the beginning we thought how fun for the four of us to do things together. We'd get together at each other home for coffee and bring the girls to play together. Always invited the other's daughter to birthday parties. Finally we recognized, these two don't click. Yeah, they *can* get along, and play together respectfully, there is no conflict. But they would not initiate playing together, after a while they get bored with each other, have nothing else to talk about, and generally think the other is "strange." My friend planned a party for her daughter's most recent birthday. At some point in a conversation she just said to me, "I hope you aren't offended, but B didn't put C on her guest list." She considered inviting C (my DD) anyway, b/c of our friendship. But decided the girls are old enough to choose their own friends. I was absolutely NOT offended. I see as well as she does that these girls do not click. My own DD would not be interested in B's party, she would declare the whole affair "too girly." Sure, she'd behave and be polite, but she'd be disinterested and want to leave as soon as possible. I agree that kids must learn to get along with all personalities and special needs. You never know what surprises await in new people, and you have to get to know them to find out. My kids' friends reflect different cultures, religions, and special needs and just plain quirks. One of DS#2's closest friends is deaf, wears cochlear implants, and it can be very frustrating to communicate with him. But the boys are together almost every day and make it work. We had some neighbors who drove my kids nuts, but I talked to them about how to make it work for at least a little while from time to time. I didn't make them play every time the boy rang our doorbell, but I didn't let them avoid the boy if they were all outside. Despite the fact that he could trip while walking, I encouraged my boys to give him skates and sticks they've outgrown to let him play street hockey with them... b/c he just wants to learn what they're doing. He had some learning disability and didn't socialize well, either. I did give my kids instructions on how to talk to him, to be direct and clear, literal with their words. He didn't get "between the lines." They needed to learn that, but when playing with him was all work on their part, they don't need to develop it any further. They did their part, but don't need to be responsible for his socialization. At the same time, kids deserve to have their feelings respected. If they say they don't want a close friendship with a person, it need not be forced for the purpose of life lessons. Especially when it is based on having spent time with the person and learning that they don't have a lot in common. We can learn to get along with everyone, but that's not the same as investing emotions and time into a friendship. Mom2emall's DS can learn to make it work when they are together, but should have his feelings respected and not be pushed to host playdates. Also, no kid needs to be the object of a "pity friendship." The other child deserves to be in a friendship with kids who have common interests and have fun being with him, who like him for who he is; not with kids who are with him so parents can teach them to be friends with people who are "different." That's condescending. The friendship my DS has with his friend who is deaf works b/c DS really has fun with the boy, not b/c DS is being charitable. It works b/c of mutual interests and complementary personalities... the way friendships are supposed to work. They really are quite a pair! Incidentally, the met b/c his mom and I were friends first, too. However, the boys' friendship as surpassed ours! They just hit it off the first time they met. Picking your own friends and getting along with (almost) everyone is not mutually exclusive. When the families are together let your DS know that it is a short time and they can find something to do that works for everyone. Regarding requests for playdates, I would agree to have the boy over if it helped my friend out with her schedule. But I think I'd just be honest, decline and say "I really wish our boys hit it off better, and maybe they will when they get older."