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Yes & could you help me find the best Scrabble game ?? sm [2008-11-25]
I have turned my grandsons onto Scrabble. They are very into Wii and computer, etc. When they come here we have a Scrabble challenge and I cannot believe they want a board game so when I go over there we can continue. There is one at LL Bean for $50 that turns and is wood. One at Hasbro.com which is an anniversary addition for about $39 but plastic. I am just so happy we have this connection and this contest going on, I am searching, but perhaps you know the best place. Of course, I am Grammie so it takes me longer. Keep on playing board games as these kids are addicted to technology!
Same here - I can always find something nice to say if I try. [2008-11-10]
My mom always said if you donOh, that is so soft! or colorful, or unique...lol My MIL is notorious for thinking she knows me when she has no clue...even my husband will tell her I won't like something but she will still give it to me. If she mentions where she got it I will return it. If I can't return it I will re-gift it or use it as a tax deductible donation or regift. I try not to regift though because it usually means I'm going to give someone else a gift that isn't perfect for them. The way I look at it is this. If I gave someone a gift they didn't like I would want them to think of it as a nice gesture and thought of them BUT I would WANT them to get something else or give it to someone they know would use it. I wouldn't want them to feel obligated to use it or to hide it except when I come over, etc....so I follow suit with gifts that I am given.
Find a lawyer, find out where you would stand - sm [2008-10-26]
in the event of a divorce/separation, regarding custody, house, etc. Custody was my main concern as well since I lied on numerous occasions about the finances. Where I am I was told that would not factor in to the custody at all. I can prove that I am my kids caregiver 90% of the time, I ferry they around everywhere, help with homework, get ready for school, meet at busstop, etc. I could also point out my husband is an alcoholic, self treats his depression with alcohol instead of getting proper medical treatment, has threatend to kill himself (or me) numerous times (though he always says he was joking and did not mean it.....that is his standard answer to everything, or that he never said that). Now I do love him enough to deal with all that because deep down inside my DH is full of it, luckily for me, he has never followed through on anything he says he is going to do. But I thought my confession would be the straw that broke it all and send him over the edge. He still is angry with me, I am sure he will be for a long time, but is keeping it together pretty well, though he has said the stress was going to kill him, now he know how I felt I guess. I am sorry your husband is such a smuck. I feel like a dog sometimes with the sex demands, have to do it the night before he goes out of town....he will be traveling a lot for work for the next 3-4 months, which I am more than glad about, much calmer here then, though it gets tiring for me but as he is not really helping much right now it really won't be much of a change. As for yours going on 5 day weekends.....have you considered having him followed, sounds like there may be some infidelity afoot, and if so that would strengthen your case in the event of a divorce and custody I would think. Sounds a bit fishy going out until 1 a.m. and his frequent trips. My DH fishes too, but he goes 2 miles from here with one of our male neighbors, they shoot the breeze and he gets to unwind some which I encourage. Very rare weekends with a buddy of his, I am talking once every 2 years, which again is fine with me. Start keeping track of all you do, when he is home, where he supposedly goes, with whom, etc. He cannot show he will be a responsible dad if he is never there or never interacts with his own kids. My DH would probably suggest I take our older daughter and he the younger, spliting them up, he has the same perception, the oldest is mine, the youngest is his. Our younger daughter is much easier to deal with, our older daughter drives him nuts and she is only 10. My younger one (8) knows something has been going one though, and worries we will divorce, which she does not want. She is very perceptive for her years. I hope that if you do go the divorce route, which would actually probably be best in your situation, that it all works out for you and you get your fair share of assets, etc. Make sure before you do anything like that you have all your ducks in a row, so talk to divorce lawyer. I talked to one for 45 minutes, cost me $160 but was worth it to set my mind at ease. Good luck.
If I find something to sell or do for extra $, [2008-09-29]
Of course, if they'd pay me a living wage, I wouldn't have to do that. But since they don't, no way would I ever have any guilt about it. It's all about SURVIVAL.
Obviously, he is stressed out, but what's he doing to find work? [2008-09-29]
NM
In Louisville, it is hard to find gas just [2008-09-16]
because we originally over 200,000 customers without electricity, now down to about 189,000. Police are directing traffic at local convenience stores because of all the people trying to get gas at the same time. This is in the aftermath of 75-80 mph winds we had come through on Sunday. They are saying here 10 to 14 days before they get all the power back on. School is out, and governor says over 1/2 million here in Kentucky still have no power.
I couldn't find the NYC at WalMart [2008-09-01]
nm
Thanks - will have to see if I can find it at the library. nm [2008-08-24]
nm
They have a choice to find another job, yes? nm [2008-08-20]
.
Is it hard to find considerate people these days? sm [2008-08-18]
seems like no one is considerate of anyone else anymore. I dropped a few friends because of it. A recent friend is being inconsiderate also, husband wonders why I still do things with her. Well, you know, you can People are late, don The way of the world these days I guess.
i find my internet security [2008-08-13]
and such too valuable to rely on free anything. i use Nortons Security Pkg and you can find brand new ones on ebay very reasonable.
he may find his own way out, but [2008-06-22]
just in case you ever run across a poisonous snake and manage to cut his head off, do not reach toward it. There is a heat sink reflex and the darn thing can still bite you.
Yes, as scheduled on May 9th [2008-05-23]
Have you checked the IRS website?
Mine was scheduled to be DD by May 9... [2008-05-09]
It was not. I looked and it said on there no later than May 9. Supposed to get $1300. Friend of mine said her sons was supposed to be in there the 29 of April but it didn't go in until the 30. So maybe tomorrow. Don't know.
thanks, it's scheduled to be deposited tomorrow [2008-05-08]
the only thing that worries me is this little statement:
You should receive a notice showing the amount of your payment. Please hold on to it because you will need it when you prepare your 2008 tax return.
Does anyone know how to find out about scheduled events SM [2008-05-06]
that I could attend this summer like you see on Animal Planet? There are the frisby competitions, agility events, etc. I would just love to take a chair out, sit back and enjoy the day watching these beautiful athletes in action!!! I would even take a few days off and drive to a larger event. Thanks for any help!
IRS stimulus - find out when you'll [2008-05-02]
Go to http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=177937,00.html and click on where They just added this yesterday. It will tell you exactly when you are getting yours and how much.
This is a cool thread... love the honesty and find everyone very intriguing. nm [2008-04-22]
I have some good books actually and she might find help for celiac sm [2008-04-15]
I have Bette Hagman I have made cornbread (as good as the real thing or better), Boston brown bread (heavy, but wonderful toasted with jelly on it) and a garbanzo and sorghum bread (YUK). The biscuits were so-so. The muffins were a disaster, but I think I know why. Now, her pizza crust from her French Bread Mix (you make it yourself) is absolutely TO DIE FOR. It is better than the real thing to me. I had no idea what it was like to enjoy a veggie pizza with a chewy crust without hurting when it hit my stomach and then all the way through. It was PAINLESS and WONDERFUL!!!
I love the Food Allergy Survival Guide which is free of animal products, dairy, nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat and I don Stuff in there is a mixed bag. Some of it is lovely, some is heavy and icky like vegetarian/vegan food in the 1970s and 1980s, so gross.
Because my celiac piggybacks with lupus, it is imperative to follow the diet as strictly as possible. Lupus had blown my iron binding capacity so I run around anemic if I don I have to be on steriods which will compromise my bones, so I have to take calcium and vitamin D. Celiac, untreated, flattens your intestinal villi if they don Now, 90% of celiacs can regain them if they watch what they do. Without villi you risk malnutrition and certainly anemia, brittle bones, canker sores and every sort of ailment related to vitamins and minerals. I am in a risky position if I don
I have lost a much needed 40# or so since I started steriods (prednisone) and a celiac diet. I had been feeling better, but I think I must have had a dietary indiscretion (like too much protein for about5 days running) and indulged in things that were no-nos. I am paying for it. I can't wait to get back to where I feel good.
Longer nights of rest, back on iron pills, strict celiac and vegetarian eating, no eggs and cheese no more than once a week...I It is no fun being such a pain in my own patooty!
Find out what state he is in as he [2008-04-08]
may not be from your state. Refer him to the suicide hotline of his state. Please be careful, Craigslist has had a lot of problems with stalkers, a woman was killed answering an ad, pedophiles, etc. You sound like a very caring person but please realize he may be lying. Think with your brain and not your heart in this type of situation. It can be very, very dangerous!!
I find that many kids talk like that [2008-04-08]
on myspace but if it were my child, I would take him to a therapist, pastor, or someone he can speak with. Most kids will deny to their parents that suicide has entered their mind. They speak freely on Myspace and I find a lot really get their inner feelings and thoughts on there because a lot of the kids can relate. If it were me, I would not take a chance. Expressing unhappiness and suicidal thoughts is something not to take lightly - even it was not meant. I would rather be safe than sorry.
Good luck and my thoughts are with you!
Got a creamed dried beef question. Do you find it best to saute the dried beef in the butter and [2008-04-04]
then add all the rest or do the cream part first and then add the dried beef at the end. Seems like both ways are in the recipes and just wondered which gets the best.
Try googling "The Stewpot" SHould find a link there, [2008-04-03]
x
If I got rid of my land line, how on earth would I be able to call my cell to find it! [2008-03-17]
LOL! I misplace my cell all the time. I use my land line to call my cell so that I can find it.
I would try to find a piece of carpet [2008-03-17]
somewhere in your house - closet, etc., and have cut out the area and install the other piece - it will stick out like a sore thumb for a while as it is not worn - but eventually will look fine. You might even be able to find a carpet installer to help you with this
If he wants IPOD, it is brand specific. sm [2008-12-04]
find out which one he wants and get him that one. They are the best, and especially if he wants an IPOD.
I post this every holiday season and will try SM [2008-12-04]
posting again. Sigh.
I have two stephchildren. One is 30 and one is 25. I actually love them like my own children. Problem is gift giving. Do you give gifts to adult stephchildren who do not give gifts to you? If they were small children or teens, of course I would buy them gifts, but they are ADULTS! Every year I post this same question and get same answers from people saying how much they LOVE buying hundreds of dollars worth of stuff for EVERYONE they know and that I shold get in the holiday spirit of buying. I don I have two grandchildren, 4 and 1-1/2, and have spent a combined $100 on their gifts. Ibuying my SIL a book.
Last year, stepdaughter gave me a regifted gift card from Starbucks and stepson gave me small bag of candy (smushed carton).
They don I find buying gifts for adults silly. And please, do not suggest handmade gifts. I made that mistake years ago, when I made stepdaughter handmade mosaic tile box, with velvet interior. She threw the thing out.Isthere some tactful way out?
DH and I are w/my family for lunch [2008-12-04]
and his for dinner. I have ex-aunt that still gets invited to holiday get togethers since she was married to my uncle for so long and her kids and now a grandaughter will be with us. She and a real pain in the but. Even when it is not her house she tries to dominate everything. Where everyone should sit, when we should eat, the conversation somehow always revolves around her. She will ask you a question and even before you finsih answering she is off talking about something else. We basically just roll our eyes and try to avoid her. This year she wrote a letter to my mom asking her to move her Christmas Eve plans to a different time (have been doing the same thing for years) to make it easier on her. Not going to happen.
At DH I like her most of the time, but lately I have found that I just tend to tolerate her. She and I have never had any problems but I think her getting older is starting to take its toll. She and I differ anyway. Every Thanksgiving it is the same, everyone that comes brings a couple of dishes but she also does some of the cooking. She doesn This year as soon as we got there she took a hot pot off the stove and put the food into a serving dish. I decided to go ahead and wash it. The pot was extremely hot so I turned on the cold water to cool it off just a bit before I washed it. She came to the sink and turned the hot water on. I politely said I was just trying to cool if off a bit before I stuck my hands in it. No, that is not the way I do it. I was stunned. I have been married to her son for over 20 years and I always wash the dishes. I don But this year I said, well if you want me to leave these for you to do, fine. I did help clean up after dinner but I did not put my hands in any dishwater. Besides they were still a bit pruned fromcleaning upafter lunch. LOL!
Btw, this is thesame woman who gives me something that she collects every year for Christmas even though I andher daughter have very politelylet herknow this is not something I want.
You may want to see a doctor if you [2008-12-03]
haven't already. I had tinea versicolor many years ago. My experience was that I noticed the pigment of my skin was changing - having the usual color with sort of white spots all over. The doctor told me it is a fungal infection. I never had problems with irritation, burning or itching, just the loss of pigment. He gave me a body wash that I had to use 3 X a week. You apply it to the body and then wait for 20 minutes and then take a shower. It took close to a year to get rid of it. Although I am not a doctor, it doesn't sound like tinea versicolor but more like an allergic reaction to the wire of the bra. I would see a doctor to find out exactly what it is.
Am I the Wicked Step-Mother? [2008-12-02]
I know I don't post here much but I do read and feel you are all friends. I offer prayers for those that request them and feel for those with troubles.
I would like to know what you think about my latest dilemma. I came home from town today to find a phone call from my step-daughter, age 43. She has my cell phone number but for some reason she wonno this time and now I feel terrible. She started out by saying she had a medical bill to pay and then turned it around to a DUI fine that has to be paid by Jan. 1. She got picked up in August for a tail light out and had been drinking with co-workers. Her story. I was advised by the court not to help her so that was part of the reason I said no. She works two part-time waitressing jobs. She's divorced and no kids. She said she would pay me back $100 a month. If that is true why couldn't she have saved $100 a month and had the money to pay the fine? She called me a few weeks ago and I know she wanted money then but she didn't come right out and ask until today.
Thanks for listening, I appreciate it.
Ethnic variety/languages. What's yours? [2008-12-02]
I'm just curious.
I am a Germanic blend. The Scandinavians are actually one of the original Germanic tribes. I was born in Sweden, raised in Norway, had German Father and live in the US. I learned Swedish and Norwegian at the same time, English later and can fling a phrase or two in German. (Tho I read it better, if slowly, than I could ever speak it.) My preferred method of communication is actually what a friend refers to as Swenglish but is a weird mix of all my favorite languages.
I consider myself a Scandinavian, but I am a Californian as well. This is my home now, even if I do sometimes pine for the fjords. (Gratuitous Monty Python reference, for you slow types!)
I have actually met people who do not know where their ancestors hailed from! That is inconceivable to me!
So, tell me about your family and language, please. I find this kind of thing interesting.
Where are you from? Where did your ancestors come from? What language do you speak in the home growing up? What language do you speak now in your home?
Like I said, just curious.
i've gone out on the deck a few times, [2008-12-02]
but like the other poster, find it inconvenient. I have several items to drag along, and have to secure laptop so pets don't knock it over. Only do it on the nicest days when i can stay out there several hours and make it worth the trouble. i am very used to (and like) having everything at my fingertips in my office.
Lucky you! I'm a clutterbug. [2008-12-02]
I tried the organization thingie and it was great but I couldnhere but now it.
I love things neat and tidy, but I can't waste 3 months looking for something.
I saw on the Today Show....... [2008-12-02]
50 gifts for under $25.00. There is a link on their website Todayshow.com.
I donsupposed to buy for (I personally think it is ridiculous that someone feels they can tell you who to buy for), but my teenage daughter is really into scarfs now, the kind to wear in cold weather as well as with sweaters. I found several today at Wal-mart that were just $7.00 and bought her 2. Someone also suggested movie tickets, etc. Here is our area 2 tickets would be $16.00. Not to say that isn't much, but that is an idea.
For adults, get a gift bag and go to the dollar store and buy things that will be used. Magnetic note pads for the fridge, candles, chip clips, etc. I find this such a fun bag to go through...we have done this in my family for years. I know some may frown on this, I don't know your family, but we all have so much fun seeing the neat things that can be found in a $1.00 store and thinking, Yes I can certainly use this.
Hope this helps a bit.
Internet and cell phones - I remember before (sm) [2008-12-02]
I was a secretary in the late 80s for a medical association...I had to make up and send out hundreds of meeting packets to the doctors who were going to attend every month's meeting. Pages and pages of copies, colating and stapling them, addressing every FedEx label...it was an all day job, sometimes two days. Now you could just do a mass email and send it to all of them in 5 minutes. Amazes me every time I think about it. I also used to keep a monthly calendar of accredited events doctors could attend and had to mail that out to everyone...now, that can all just be put on a website to be viewed by anyone who needs it.
The cell phone thing though...other than being really glad I have it when I have car trouble or something, I'd rather not be tied to my phone like that. It is as though everyone expects you to be available all the time. I don't answer mine most of the time and call back if I need to.
This happened to a friend of mine from high school........sm [2008-12-01]
He had mono after we graduated from high school and was off work for about 5 weeks. He went back to work too early and, while driving home from work one day, his spleen just burst and he crashed into an oncoming log truck, killing him instantly. It was really a double tragedy because the first people on the scene to find him were his mom and dad, who had a bad heart anyway. His dad suffered a major MI on the spot and had to be taken to the ER. His poor mom lost her son that day and almost lost her husband.
Dear Charmed [2008-12-01]
It is obvious your sisters do not love you, but don’t let them destroy your life. Join a church, find new friends. Get counseling from a minister. Life is too short, don’t let their bitterness ruin your life. You have already seen that riches don’t make them happy. Start a new life without your sisters.
Charmed...I have similar relatives. Here is something to remember [2008-12-01]
MISERABLE PEOPLE LOVE TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE MISERABLE.
That is why the saying misery loves company.
I know they are your family. However, if they treat you that badly, dump them and move on. I went through this years ago. I have family like this. They never had anything to do with me unless they needed something from me or they wanted to belittle me.
One can find friends who are more like family and treat you with respect. Make sure you have caller ID and DON That is the first step. LEARN TO SAY NO. It will not kill you, I promise. When you empower yourself, you learn to like you for yourself and it no longer matters what these people think of you. When it no longer matters what they think, they will see it and pick on someone else.
It sounds like she needs brushing, but [2008-11-30]
not a bath right now. You might find a kid right in your neighborhood who would brush her for you for a small fee - their first job. That's assuming your dog has a tolerance for kids and brushing. But I know you don't want to put water on a tangled dog. Always treat the tangles before a bath. My Siberians could go 6 months or longer without a bath most of the time. It depends on the coat and whether the dog has an odor or oily skin or skin problems.
Likening a spouse to a dog or horse... [2008-11-30]
imagine if a male doc suggested treating a wife like that; the outrage would be heard round the world. Maybe acting like adults and having a conversation like a married couple would help. How demeaning to treat a husband that way. Where do you women find these men that you have to train? Gesh, I always thought my DH was fabulous...now I am CERTAIN he is!
I just need to VENT and see what you all think...Beware...this is long...sm [2008-11-30]
I have tried twice to tell this story but deleted it both times because the story is just too long so I will be as short as I can.
I have a bunch of ROTTEN TO THE CORE sisters.My sisters are just about the worst people I have ever met in my whole 43 years on this planet. There is one who is especially bad and I just told my other sister that if she ever dies, to please not call me as I won I come from a very large family with 5 sisters and 1 brother with my brother being the oldest. He is not involved. He sort ofleft the family years ago because he couldn They did terrible things to him after his divorce. We rarely see him now.I am considered a scumbag and a loser because my husband and I don We don We don We can We love our children with everything in our souls. They have made fun of me and my husband and insulted us to our faces.My husband and I have a difficult marriage as he is tough to get along with so they hate my husband My sistershave all gone out to dinner without inviting me. I have found out because of someone They have made threats and sent rumors flying throughout the family, without me knowing, about calling DCYF on me. I heard that one too from a slip of the tongue. I cried for 2 hours in the shower that day. They talk about everyone and I mean everyone badly. They have awell known reputation ina couple of our towns here for being mean horrible girls. They are about as fake and phony as a person can get. Sweet and all smiles to your face and when you turn around, they stick that knife in as far as they can get it in. They have what they have in their lives because of what someone has given them. My sister had her property given to her by her in-laws. It is worth about $1,000,000. My other sister had land given to her by her husbandto lessen their mortage burden so now they owe almost nothing on their $500,000 house. They think they are fabulous people. They think they are the cat In the past years when we were all talking and I would be invited to a holiday, I was not spoken to at all the whole time I was there. I am a venter and I always have been so if my husband and I are fighting, I will always go to my older sister (one up from me) and vent and vent until I can She gets on the phone the second I leave and tells every person in my family what is going on. They in turn judge me and my husband, make their threats, and so on. This is also happening to my oldest sister and her partner (she is in a gay relationship but was always dating a man and was married twice) and my sister The three of us, me, my sister and her partner, and my sister We get along well. We are happy with each other. We don Whatever happens in each other lives, we just accept it and don I now attend holidays at my sister I don I don The sisters (I like to call them the Witches of Eastwick) all attend holidays with each other up at my sister The three of us are not invited. My older sister has a son. Several yeas ago, my sister and her partner had a terrible fight with him. He went to the witches and told them a bunch of lies and now they have pretty much shunned her and her daughter and me too because we still talk to her.I have a sister, who is involved in all of this, that I speak to on a regular basis. She is close to my kids or at least my oldest son. She pretty much ignores my other two children and they tell me, It She is the one who has spread rumors about me in the family trying to get everyone to call DCYF on me. I heard this too by a slip of the tongue from another sister a few years back. I tend to be a forgiving person so I quietly forgave her for this without her ever knowing that I knew what she was trying to do. Now that they are all inviited to the holidays up to my sister They are extremely fat just like her. These holiday trips up north are usually kept quiet and I only know about it the day before they are leaving to go, which is when she inevitably asks me to come feed her f******g cats. This is how Iknow that a big party is going on up at the cabin and once again only the chosen selected few are going. This is usually for 3 or 4 days and they get fed twice a day so I have to goto her house twice a day. Sometimes I have to give them medication and the last time she asked me, I even had to soak her sick cat She lives about 20 minutes away from me. This girl would NEVER, NEVER, EVER do this for me. My husband and I took our children on a cruise 3 years ago and we have a cat and I never asked her to do this for me as I know she would have laughed in my face. I have been feeding her cats for years now when she goes away. Keep in mind though that she was in the select chosen few to be invited up to the cabin. I was not as I am considered trash in the family. I am SICK AND TIRED of feeding this girl My sister who invites everyone to go is a mean, horrible, sadistic, vicious, backstabbing wretched b***h. No one will say anything to her like, Gee Pat, where is everyone else? Didn They could care less. All they know is that THEY were invited.
Anyway, I am sorry this is so long. I cananymore. I have been thinking of this all day all weekend long. I am really to the point where I just don I am goingto tell my fat a** b***h sister to fnd another way to get her cats fed because I She is just using me and believe me when I tell you, she enjoys it. She is verydiabolical. She loves it that I am not invited and she and her husband are.She even questions me and counts the cat food cans to make sure that I came on all of the days they were gone. These people have balls of brass and I have had ENOUGH.I am just sitting and waiting patiently for the next time she says, Oh, we Can you come and feed the cats? I just canNo. I can I will never feed your cats again! Find some other sucker to do it!
I believe that they are severely narcissistic people and this is nothing to take lightly.These types of people are very destructive. Do any of you have family members like this and what do you do about them? How do you stop them from making you feelsad, lonely, excluded andless than you are or deserve? I think it is time for me to cut all ties with them. I just can
I feel exactly the same. I am very depressed and [2008-11-29]
anxious now about everything and don I have to find a way to tell my nieces, etc. that I am not buying gifts this year, but it is hard. My mom is elderly and ill and things are not right for it this year. Good luck to you.
we don't exchange gifts either [2008-11-29]
We stopped exchanging gifts about 30 years ago. When my husband and I first approached the subject, we met with some resistance, but we stood our ground and said we would not be buying gifts. My husband is the oldest in a family of 7. By the time they all married and had children, the number could have been quite staggering to buy for. I was a surprise baby, my sisters being greater than 11 years older than I am, so when they began their families I was too young to buy anything to buy for them and so never started doing so. Now both of our families agree the holidays are much more enjoyable without the stress of the gift buying, worrying about what to get, how much, will the like it, can I afford it, etc., etc. The true gift of Christmas is the love we feel for our families and all we ask is time with them, and everyone agrees on this. We usually bake or take small treats to the families are who have misfortune of spending Christmas at the Ronald McDonald House in our city due to the illness of a child. Often the other kids in the family (the healthy ones) get lost in the shuffle of caring for a child with cancer. There is no gift one can give as great as giving and bringing joy to a family in such a situation. Anyway, my point is that there may be others in the family who will feel the same way, that it is just too stressful, and you may find that they will appreciate the holidays much more if the gift stress is taken out of the equation.
I should add here, I do buy something for my own children but usually one or two things and my grandchildren because, after all, Santa still comes (!) and I do think Christmas gift giving is for children. Watching my little ones open is a gift a truly a fun thing to do and makes me happy. I do ask my kids not to buy for me or my husband because they have young families and can't afford the extra money. I have always told them I would rather they spend time with me any day then go out and buy a gift.
I feel exactly the same way. [2008-11-29]
When my siblings and I started having kids, we agreed not to buy for each other's families. That has worked out fine.
This year, we have NO money. Even though we still have our same jobs, it seems like more money is going out than is coming in. I don't quite understand where the money is going myself, try explaining that to family. I would just like to completely forget Christmas this year. I would even volunteer to work to get out of it.
Don't feel bad about being bitter. I find myself getting tired of having no money and having to explain why we can't do the things we used to do all the time. I've started preparing the kids for Christmas, telling them it is going to be real skimpy around here. They are old enough to understand but whether they believe me is another thing.
Has society become this bad and why [2008-11-29]
I saw the post down below about the Wal-Mart worker. Here is a new article that just came out (link below). The police are now looking at video surveillance to see who trampled this poor worker to death. Personally I hope they find all responsible and prosecute them to the fullest. It doesn I like their store just fine, it is what society is doing to people that nobody even bothered to stop and help this person. I grew up in the 60s/70s in a small town in New England. Maybe I'm old fashioned but my parents/grandparents taught me better than this.
I just can And for what? Getting a Christimas item? This is one of many reasons why I do my Christmas shopping (what very little I do) online and gift cards.
I think the traditions of the big shopping day the day after Thanksgiving should go away. I really donlove thy neighbor, not trample, bite, and spit at them so you can grab that item. (BTW - you can shop online at Walmart too).
I think to myself that I thought the spirit of Christmas was supposed to celebrate Christ. Oh yeah, I'm sure he is so proud of people like those who harm others and cause death so they can get what they want.
I hope those guilty are sitting at home worrying about whether or not their face is going to show up on the video camera.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081129/D94OJ4NG0.html
Wal-Mart employee [2008-11-28]
I read about that as well - pitifully sad. Shows the state of manners and common decency in this country. If they ever find out who it was who incited this, they should get the book thrown at them! That is one of the reasons why I shop online the majority of the time...
PLUS SIZING [2008-11-28]
Probably a 3X or larger, depending on how busty she is. Talbot Woman Withincatalogs and search for larger sizes. You but lost 220 lb. over 13 years ago with GBS. And yes, I kept it off. Rosie
Older folks sometimes lose it before they really lose it sm [2008-11-27]
It sounds like she having some issues with money and thought processes. Four potatoes and three sweet potatoes? She has lost touch with reality. I don't mean this in an unkind way. I think she didn't stop the think or plan the budget around this. Perhaps she has lost the ability to properly plan on some level. This makes no sense.
In my family, food at grammatoo expensive and started using shavings of naphtha soap. She started saving little soap slivers and making new bars of soap with them. She stopped buying shampoo unless it was in the markdowns at the grocery store. She started using a baggie for her vacuum cleaner bag. You get the picture here.
The interesting thing is that truly, that gramma never fully lost it. We considered this idiosyncratic and went on. She kept the rest of her faculties, but had these odd ways of saving money. My other gramma who never did any of these things did, in fact, suffer from profound dementia the last 10 years of her life. Of course, that set of grandparents had the issue the other way. Toilet paper: Bought in bulk 6 cases at a time. Find a salad dressing you like, buy a couple of cases. You never did want to tell them you liked a certain food, paper product or soap something because if you did, along would come a few cases of it!
We all do something when we get older. Help her out so she isn't embarrassed by this!
Holidays are hard [2008-11-26]
My parents were divorced so my sister and I spent many years shuffling between two houses. When we each got married and had our own families the situation got even more complex. My parents are now deceased and my sister and I are estranged (even though we live in the same town), so in some ways life has gotten simpler. I still get very emotional and depressed around the holidays because of my dysfunctional childhood and negative expectations, but I don't have as much guilt and stress anymore.
My husband's parents and family are back in our hometown 600 miles away, and for the last few years he's gone back there for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas with our youngest child. I don't begrudge him that because his folks are elderly and I don't want him to have any regrets later. I can't go with him because we have a lot of animals to take care of, and frankly, I'm really comfortable just hanging out at home with them anyway. We have adult kids too, and two grandchildren, and I encourage all of them to live their lives without the burden of guilt and feelings of obligation. If they can come by and have dinner or visit that's great, and if not BIG DEAL. Honestly, it's just a day. Things got easier for us when we realized we didn't necessarily have to celebrate a holiday on the exact day it was scheduled.
I really understand your not wanting to let your mom down, and I would feel the same way. Your husband is a big boy and has made a choice, so that's on him, not you. He's probably being a bit immature and stubborn on this one. I hope you'll extend the invitation to your husband one more time, then go to your mom's and enjoy yourself whether he comes along or not.
Prices just keep getting worse s/m [2008-11-26]
Instead of throwing the meat away here, they have a list of churches that will take it for the soup kitchens, etc. At least they know it is going to a good cause.
We have been skimping more and more on meals. We are having more grilled cheese with soup, french toast or pancakes with sausage or bacon (when I find it on sale) and we were just given a deer that we had processed for ground meat and such. I have cutway back on snacks, a bag of chips and a bag of apples or oranges for the week. With 4 kids in the house, that goes fast!
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