Marilyn, that is just so inconsiderate, but also typical of many, many family situations.  Sounds like the mother has some resentment issues, which she may not even be conscious of, and she is driven to set these scenarios up.  Craig is no doubt suffering from being forced to be "the bad guy."
I want to thank you each one for your various comments.  I read every post, but am not in the habit of taking notes, and so I often fail to remember to respond.  My habits of reading and posting are rather ingrained now, since I started with SeniorNet in 1999, and my short time memory is now downright alarming.  Please accept my apologies, and know that I mean well.
I get my Judi Dench style cut every 8 weeks.
Have to confess to a new heart throb.  I think he is 35 years old, but by gosh and by golly, he MUST be the handsomest man under the sun!  Yesterday, I was watching the convention, and this Apollo approached the lectern and started talking about his law professor making life difficult for him on his very first day at Harvard.  Well, I bout fell over when it turned out he was there just to introduce that adored prof: Elizabeth Warren.  His name?  Joseph Kennedy III!
If you did not see him, I challenge you to Google IMAGE him, and than dare to state he is not a HUNK!

Marypage it doesn't bother either Keith or I to be there when she arrives but to keep Craing and the family from being  put in that position we will leave as we did previously.We have told him it didn't bother us
+ because she is nice to me to my face, but craig says she is not nice at all where I am concerned. I can't understand why, I didn't take Keith from her, She ran off with the handyman as still ,lives with him long before I was ever in the picture.

Oh by the way do you have to buy and plant new Gerainums every year ? I bought some annuals that were on sale for 99cents, I got Rosemary, a Marigold, snapdragon and two other that I can't remember the name of. I need to go gedt the tage and read about each one.

Yes, I do buy new ones every year.  With such a small place, and with wall to wall carpeting, I cannot bring the 20+ pots in and let them winter over.  Fact is, second year plants are MUCH more satisfactory, but the pots are too big and I have no where to put them and cannot possibly water them right over the carpets!  The situation is such that I am forced to buy new each year.  But I love them so much, I do not mind.

MaryPage  you must live in a cold climate concerning the geraniums . I live in southern California & geraniums grow like weeds . They reseed all over our back yard .

They used to freeze to death and turn to pulp around the first week in November, but now they go until about the second week in December.  I have lived long enough to notice the truth of global warming, believe me!  I envy you having them all year round, but do not look forward to that much climate change here.  But it is coming, albeit, as Bill Clinton said of himself tonight, there are more years behind than ahead of me.

But like the always said. From the day you are born. You have a chance of dying.
Bill Clinton lost about 50 lbs since his heart problem. He looked pretty good.
Wonder if that was their granddaughter that was with Mrs Clinton. cute

Hi Gals,, I just got back from bridge. I didn't play very well on one big hand. Don't know why. Things just seemed to be in the wrong places for finesses, etc.  Anyway, I didn't get booby prize, but I think I was pretty close.  They have a new chef at the club, so I ordered their she-crab soup which I love. It was okay except it had some cartilage in it. Grrr. Not a sign of a good chef.

I heard from Mayo's yesterday--no dice. They said they couldn't do anything for me that the local doctors can't.  I think I will call my gastro guy and see if the pain in my side could be more from something internal rather than my back.

Marilyn, I would be offended too. I think Keith ought to tell him that if you have scheduled a visit in advance, he shouldn't allow his ex to screw it up! Obviously the son is closer to his mother than his father. Anyway, have a good trip.

Mary Page, we all have short term memory glitches these days.  I don't bring my flowers in either. Our garage doesn't have the space and I don't want them in the house, so I replace my flowers each year.  This year, the heat has been so bad for so long, I'm losing some of mine. I can't keep them watered enough.  The weather guy said last night that we have had 23 days of 90+ days so far this year. Only 13 last year, and no end in sight. 

Most of the Kennedy's are good looking.

I keep my hair pretty short too, but I get it cut every 4 or 5 weeks. Since it is so curly, it doesn't seem as long.

Mary, so glad to hear your deck is getting repaired!  Hope it is finished soon.

Melanie & Sangmin are back from Minneapolis where they were visiting Jocelyne & Harrison & Henry.  She said they were exhausted. Couldn't believe how active Harrison was--on the go every minute.  Glad to know that it isn't just me!

Nothing else going on here. Just trying to stay cool!  Sharon

Sharon...I joined you in lousy cards today.  I was next to the last...our of 10 people!  Oh, well, it's nice to get out and be with people I wouldn't know otherwise.

Not so humid today, which is great.  Ray got good news from the surgeon.  He doesn't have to go in next week (Doc is on vacation) and he can take the wrappings off in 10 days and put on a large bandage and go back in two weeks. He can also resume golfing which thrilled him.  He was out there today while I was playing bridge.

Quiet week until next Tuesday for us. 

jane

I have to buy new geraniums every year, though Ray does save some and he had a Martha Washington geranium, I think it's called, to winter over.  However, the deer also like it and they've eaten it to the ground!

Quiet day here.  Ray loved getting back to golfing yesterday, and today he and another guy in town are headed to Dbq to an indoor shooting range...a guy thing!  Laundry going, grocery list started, and I need to get a walk in...looks like rain may be on the way.

Have a good almost end of July Thursday!!

jane

Well, they've finished the constructing work on the deck.  One of the guys came by this morning to sand down any rough edges, and to help me put the hangers back up and replace my hanging baskets, bird feeder, wind chimes, and wind catchers.  They'll come back sometime to repaint - and do it all over again. 

jane, how great to have Ray being able to get out and do the things he loves.  Otherwise, like having a caged tiger pacing.  LOL  Can he get back to the pool yet?

Marilyn, I guess you're back making the rounds with Freckles.  Any new trips planned?  Did the sale of Keith's building finally go through.

Sharon, sorry you weren't offered something miraculous from Mayo, but it's nice to know that they think you've got access to good medical care where you are.  I hope you can find something.

Molly, I know Mohamed is having some awful heat, too - as is "normal" in that part of the world.  But I'm sure they don't have the humidity that we have here in the south.  I hope your basement has dried out.

And now I've gone blank - but Happy Thursday to Ginny Ann, Darlene, MaryPage, Joy, Sue, Jeanne, alpiner, and all the Buddies.

Maryz....Nope, no swimming.  They're afraid of infection in the open wound, of course, so that's off the table.  Yes, he's much happier now that he can get around a bit more, but he's also religious about having it raised for 3 hours a day.

My walk is over and I'm dripping.  The humidity is terrible today...and dark clouds as if rain at any moment.

I'd best get to the grocery, since the "boys" aren't going shooting until after lunch now.   

jane

Maryz Yes Keith's building is finally gone and the new business has done a lot of work on the building and the grounds.

We are leaving tomorrow for Vancouver Washington and Freckles is going with us.  It seems like packing for her is ending up to be more than I take for myself. All I need is my cosmetic bag, some pj's and a change of clothing. For her its her bed, food and water plus food and water dishes, her pills and the wipes to wipe her down before I spray her belly with the  antihistamine spray. She is allergic to grass and has to be wiped down. I think this is the last trip we take until Christmas when we go to California to Gilbert's.

Today is the Furry friends luncheon and monthly meeting today we are eating at another of the fine Mexican restaurants in Coos Bay.

Baby, it's HOT outside!  Just to step out of the door is to be enveloped in a moist furnace heat that has the effect of making you step back inside with record speed.
Our newspaper has been writing stories about our potential as a community to experience more and more of the flooding that has made our recent years tedious with the burdens such flooding has brought.  Today's editorial in The Capital is one I wanted to copy and paste for you, but I find my on line copy of the paper (which comes with the paper one I subscribe to) does not allow that.  It states, and I figure you will be interested in this little fact even though you don't live in this neck of the coastline: "The city has already seen the nation's largest recorded increase in nuisance flooding in recent decades."  They say the prospects are for a SIX FOOT increase in water in our low lying areas by the year 2100.  Apparently the Pentagon is more than a trifle agog at the vision of the United States Naval Academy being under water!  Ah well, say I, if it were the Army or the Air Force, even more alarm bells would go off, but I'm betting Mother Nature cannot sink our Navy!
I am spending a quiet day in the a/c resting up from the two days just spent house and dog sitting over at Debi's while the family went through the funeral home visitation hours and the next days funeral and luncheon.  At 87 I find that just a little effort takes a huge toll on my energy levels.  I could not have managed to attend those things, but at least could be of some little use.  Steve practiced his eulogy on me before he left to give it, and it was most excellent.  Maria gave a smaller eulogy, while Kathryn sang Ave Maria.  Debi tells me "she hit it out of the ball park for Nonni." 

Safe traveling, Marilyn!  Enjoy your weekend away.

I've watered a bit and have the laundry ready to carry upstairs and put away, and then I'm finished for today.

jane

Marilyn, I know it's a great burden lifted to have the property gone.  I know that's how I felt when my house sold.  Have a good weekend!

IT'S RAINING HERE!  REALLY RAINING!  And the temperature has dropped to 75!

Marilyn, have a good trip, and a safe one! Dogs are like kids--they take twice the "stuff" of an adult. 

Mary Page, you have 10 yrs on me, but I'm the same way. After I've been out and about for a couple days, I'm wiped out.

Mary, Hurrah for the rain and the finished deck!!  That deck area must make it seem much more like a house than part of a retirement unit.

I went to the grocery about noon. It was Super double coupon day (Everything up to 2$ is doubled)  I try to buy up extra stuff that I have big coupons on, even if I don't need it at the moment. I saved about $40.  Anyway, by the time I got home, I was wiped out.  I had taken a pain pill before I went, so didn't have to use the motorized cart, but I was sure glad to be finished.

Found out that another HH friend had passed away.  She had been fighting cancer for a long time, but she finally lost the battle.  Her husband was a good friend of John's and played golf with him. Both of them were in our Bible Study down there.

Jane, I'm so glad Ray's leg is better and that he can do more now. I know that makes you both happy.  Sorry your cards were like mine!!

Well, I need to get going and fix dinner.  Hi to everyone.  Sharon

MARYZ - Many thanks for thinking of Mohamed and I.  I spoke with him twice today (sometimes he calls several more times in a day .  He has been encouraging his younger brother to make a medical appointment for some discomfort in his abdomen and I hope that is added to their chores soon.

Our temperature here in Concord, NC has been really HOT recently - almost reaching 100 degrees - so I've stayed inside most of the time.  However, I need to dash to the grocery store for some food and then hurry home again to get away from the intense heat.

I've been watching the Political news on the evening program and plan to turn in again tonight at 10 p.m. to listen to what Hillary has to say.  Nothing else to mention of interest.  Hope you're planning for a good weekend.

Friday morning almost ending of July greetings!

It's very overcast here this morning, but weather thingy says only 10% chance by late afternoon and radar shows only spotty rain north of us.  BUT, I just looked out the window here by the computer to our drive way, and it's raining!  Goofy!

We're off to the city today for some errands, a stop at Sam's Club for Flonase and maybe Best Buy for a new Ipad cover, etc.  Just a "messing around" kind of Friday.  We're trying a new to us place for supper tonight and it'll just be 4 of us.  The other couple has been there before, so it should be fine.

Have a safe and peaceful Friday

Hi Gals, I had to make a run to the CVS (I forgot Zyrtek yesterday + needed a sympathy card for our friend) and to the ATM.  It's supposed to be down to around 91 today, I think. That's downright cold compared to the rest of the week!

I've also done some back exercises that are new to me. We'll see if they do any good.

Molly, it really has been horrendously hot. I'm staying in as much as possible also.

Jane, hope your "messing around" day goes well and that you have a nice dinner tonight.

Hi to Mary, Marilyn, Mary Page, Ginny, Joy, Darlene, Jeanne, and anyone else I've missed.  Sharon

I guess I didn't post yesterday.  I hope everybody's ready for a good weekend.  Nothing doing here.  My big stuff yesterday was getting a haircut and playing duplicate.  I'm not thrilled with my partner.  She's someone I'm barely acquainted with, and after several times playing, I still have no idea of what she means by her bids.  Since we have no contact outside of the time we play, there's really no way to talk about it.  I guess if either of us were really serious we'd make the effort to do that. Having said that, we came in second yesterday, so I guess I shouldn't complain.  And, in any case, it give me a chance to play bridge.  The group I have played with here seems to be deteriorating - for a variety of reasons, but I'll be missing the next two weeks in any case, so we'll see how that works out.

Ann & Al (John's sister and BIL) will be here late Tuesday preliminary to our trip.  We'll be flying out of Atlanta next Friday for our boat trip off the coast of Maine.  Really looking forward to the trip, but concerned about handling the trip home by myself - it'll be the first time I will have had to deal with it all.  Hope springs eternal.  LOL

Have a great weekend,  Buddies!

Good Morning!

We have cooler weather this morning, so we walked and then I suggested we stop in a cafe on our route and we had breakfast and are now home...exercised and fed!!

I worked a bit on our hedge that the landscapers trimmed for us, but there were quite a few cut pieces they missed on cleanup, so they're now brown and easy to see.  When they're still green, they're hard to see.

Our bridge group has grown as people come from the formerly huge Tuesday group.  That group has deteriorated due to one woman who insists on telling everyone what they SHOULD have played and who can't be trusted to be the only one keeping score.  She brought along another woman who apparently has a bit of a foul mouth and that offends others.  So, they're migrating over to our Wed. group.  We had 10 on Wed. 


Your trip sounds great, Mary.  Enjoy, and I'm sure you'll be fine on the way home.  Maybe you can ask for a cart to be at your stop when you sign in  to get you from one gate to another if you have to change.

Nothing big going on here this weekend.  I need to continue cleaning kitchen drawers.  I didn't get too far the other day. 

jane

jane, your morning walk and breakfast out sounds great.  Re my trip - I've already booked a wheelchair.  I know from previous experience, that's just the best way for me to deal with airports.  That's too bad about the "other" bridge group.  One (or two) bad applies can certainly spoil the group for the rest of the bunch.  Glad they have your Wednesday group to move to.

Good for you getting the wheelchair booked already.  It's the only way to go.

jane

I just came home from the grocery store and thought I was going to faint from the intense heat before I could unload the bags and bring them into the kitchen.  I park the car by the side porch so it is easier for me to carry the bags directly to the kitchen, rather than up the staircase from where I park the car.  Still trying to cool down a  bit.

My wonderful neighbor was also in the Store and we agreed to share a large Watermelon.  We do that regularly, since the larger ones seem to be a bit more tasty than the smaller ones or those that are already cut in quarters.

When Mohamed called this morning I could hear children in the background singing and having fun.  He explained that his Neice and Nephew had come to visit to see what mischief Uncle Mohamed had ready for them.  He is always thrilled when the kids come to visit.

I decided to treat myself at the Grocery and bought a Bundle of fresh food so I don't have to go shopping again for a while, thanks God!  I've been experiencing more and more pains in the back of my neck, shoulders and along my spine whenever I am on my feet too long - like shopping in a busy Grocery Store!

Hope all friends stay cool and enjoy the weekend!

Mary, do they have couples bidding cards (forms) available to you? If so, that would be a good way to suggest sitting down with her and deciding what conventions you each use and what you don't. I'm glad you have booked a wheelchair. If and when I fly again, I plan to. These airports are so big now for those of us who have trouble walking far.  I hope you have a great trip.  Hopefully, it will be a lot cooler there. Mary, can you tell if the Melatonin is helping you?

Jane, I still haven't gotten to my drawers, however, I did get the fridge done.  I have a load of laundry in now. John got his walk in early this morning before I even got up!  I was up till 4:00, so I slept in till 10:00.  This not sleeping really is the pits.

Molly, I'm glad you got your shopping done. It's a lot cooler today than last week, but still awful. You have my sympathy for all the back pains. I'm right there with you.

No plans for the day other than to make a Greek pasta salad with shrimp.  It is a nice cool recipe and we love it although I haven't fixed it for a while.

Have a nice day and weekend, everyone.  Sharon

Hi, Gals!  Much nicer day today: we are only in the low eighties!  Not many boats out there for a Saturday afternoon, though.  I expect everyone planned to do something else with this last Saturday in July.

I've been doing not much of anything.  Worked up my calendars for the next few months.  Got some small, easy chores that have been nagging at me completed.  I always feel a halo over my head when I have accomplished that!

So now I'm going to finish reading this week's The New Yorker and get back to the Aunt Dimity book I am reading currently.  Wishing you all a pleasurable afternoon, with my love, MaryPage

Sharon, we play duplicate at the Chattanooga Bridge Center.  The organization owns (or rents) the building and is the local facility of the ACBL.  All the hands are pre set up on boards, and we use bidding boxes, little computers for the score-keeping, etc.  This is the page showing the hands and scores for last Friday.

http://thecommongame.com/ClubWebHost/131219/160729A.html

We can look this up almost as soon as we get home from the center on the day of play.  Makes it easy to check hands and see what others did.  (Sorry, not of any interest to anybody else here, I guess.  LOL )

I think the melatonin helps.  I think I'm taking about 6 mg at night.  I still wake up once or twice during the night for potty breaks, but mostly I go right back to sleep.  They come in 3 mg tablets, and you might try one of those. 

Sounds like you're getting some good stuff done, MaryPage.  Enjoy your book.

Hi everyone  just  taking it easy  having fun with  the grands 

Mary's
Hope you get better service than I did when using a wheel chair at the Chicago airport. I was heading for Texas at the time. Had one leg on a cast. Chair was waiting fine. Had to get over to gate for Houston. Only had 20 min. The girl went wrong way got lost. I missed the flight. People waiting in Texas. I got out of the chair fuming because the told me a hour wait. Told them I wanted first plane going to Texas no matter what lone or class. They had to get hold of family and let them know. They  do have  a corporate office which I found. He got me on one in 15 min.
It was so funny coming back as they had a booking for a wheel chair . Told them forget it I will crawl over. They said .Oh you must be the English women who they lost in the O'hara airport.
We were warned. Really got good service . I still had to get another connecting flight from O'hara to champaign. They had also heard the story.

That's quite a story, Jeanne.  You surely got their attention.  I've always had great service.  And fortunately both my flights are nonstop - and I know that helps.