I have no useful advice for Teppy, though I am reading everyone's comments with interest and sympathy.

Also, huge amounts of -ma for Vortex.

But then what do I *do*? What do *I* do? This just hurts so much.

This is what sucks so much when the person we love hurts. We want to jump in and do something and fix it when all you can do is love him. Which is everything.

Me and Scrappy's assistant, L., at Canter's deli

Scrappy also ogles the rugelach.

Mmmmm. Rugelach. Also, I would like Scrappy's hair color, please.

I don't know what story I'm telling here, but apparently it involves Mice Mime.

More of Scrappy's haircolor. (She's turned her face from the camera, but that's her, second from the right.)

You ARE doing what needs to be done, Tep. You are there and loving him. That' huge. The DH's ex-wife was bipolar and would not go on meds for several years. She changed from a warm loving woman to an out-of-control, angry, person who hit the DH and said terrible things to him. He stuck with her through it all because he knew she was ill, and she ended up leaving him. (She is now on meds and doing very well, by the way). The first few years of our relationship he was very wary and waiting for the "real" me to come out. The only way he could learn that I wasn't going to become abusive was just for time to go by and for him to realize I am pretty much WYSIWYG. The way to help him with this hurt was just for me to stick around.

But then what do I *do*? What do *I* do? This just hurts so much.

I'm sorry that you are hurting. Poor DH had to deal with my pain from my previous marriages. He was incredibly patient and a wonderful listener. He has had to listen to so many stories about them, not just from me, but from friends and family too.

I had (and still have 25 years later) huge feelings of failure over my divorce. It was my decision to end the relationship after 12 years and he fought me every way you could imagine. It was the right decision to leave, and yet I had profound guilt over the failure. Could I have done things differently? Of course. Would it still have ended, probably. Still feel guilt and failure.

On top of that poor DH had to deal with my unbearable grief over the loss of DH#2. For the first few years we were together I would cry for no apparent reason and he was wise enough to just be there and know he couldn't fix it.

Brendon has a number of issues with my past marriages. DH#1 was 20 years older than him and was an impressive accomplished fellow; DH#2 was dead and therefore way bigger and better than life. He often felt threatened and even inferior to my previous husbands. Craziness!

But we somehow muddled through and over 20 years (!!!) later I think he finally gets that he is the best thing that ever happened to me.

It Came From the Snack Bar.

Wish I could've framed the picture so that I got the whole billboard on the right, but I was getting rained on at the time.

Sounds like the tour was a resounding success, David. Did your voice hold out?