Thanks again for all the Mom~ma for D. The last I heard it may have been a mild heart attack. D and his brother drove up to be with her last night. They should be getting there any minute.

Goodness, Laga. Hope for good news when they get there.

Does anybody know what we were doing Natterwise between the end of March 2002 and the beginning of this board in September? I was moved into the pink house by the time we were on this board, but I don't know by how long.

~ma to D's Mother, Laga.

And, bah. Cute!Guy is living with his girlfriend. Let me tell you, I can locate with deadly accuracy those I cannot date.

So, family shenanigans. My grandma gave me a crystal punch bowl back in 2005, when she moved from her house into assisted living. Apparently my older cousin sent some bullshit email to my mom telling her that Grandma wanted HER to have it and told her many times. Which... what? There was plenty of input during the 2005 move from all 3 family branches to lay claims on stuff.

I don't know what to do. I'm angry with this cousin for this bullshittery and for giving my mom the business and NOT EVEN CONTACTING ME DIRECTLY. This is the same cousin who was grilling my sister during the wake about "WHY, WHY???" did I move to New Orleans, but did not speak to me at all, let alone ask me about it directly.

This branch of the family has always been so fucking petty and grabby hands and DETERMINED to get every bit of their fair share of everything.

I'm tempted to acquiesce in exchange for the hope chest that my mom offered to her in lieu of the fucking punch bowl. The whole thing is so ugly and it's bringing out an ugly side to me too. I DON'T WANT HER TO WIN. ugh, I hate this.

Corset-lovers, did we know about this website [link] 18thcenturycorsets.com?

I'm sorry, Nora. I have no insights or strategies to offer, only sympathy, because that pure and surely sucks.

Oh Nora, I'm so sorry. I had my own problems with grabby hands relatives when my father died. It's so awful. I'm with WindSparrow, what with the sympathy and acknowledgment of the suck.

Thanks for the good thoughts, friends. I may just have to try some Tylenol PM because the fever is harshing my sleep.

I spent 3 hours in Rock Creek Park this morning, fully expecting to feel terrible. I felt awesome! Came home, no fever...two hours later...bam, fever again.

This leads me to assume it is something in the 'hood. Which makes me ever so sad.

Laga, good reminder of the neti bottle. Even though I'm not having sinus symptoms, it couldn't hurt to wash the schnoze.

Even with the a/c on and the windows closed...fever.

In other news, Bartleby got to run in the park with his best friend Bob. There is no greater joy than watching that little guy...at 10...careening around like a puppy.

And just so ya know, great joy can be really, really dirty.

sj sounds like she was on No Reservations today. I have never actually seen Rock Creek Park, but have fond feelings about it anyway cause Pelecanos characters like to take their girl, some chronic, and some old-school and good times are often had.

It's beautiful and vast and well, well used. Today, one of our biggest problems was keeping the boys out of the horse poop. Lots of horse poop.

Yeah, we went through that when my grandma died, except with my grandma's altar. Which was horrible, because my mom did acquiesce, so it went to my cousin, who is of my generation and so far as I know only has a superfluous Buddhist practice, instead of my aunt, who is devout. I don't really care, except that it was something my grandmother regarded as sacred, and I wish it would continue to be honored that way, which, much as I love my cousin, I don't think she will. Has. Does. Whatever.