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.

In totally random news, I really liked CHAOS and am bummed that it's been doomed.

It is way too hot here for me to even consider cooking anything, so I don't know what to do for dinner. I could go to a restaurant, or I could order in (but I don't really like any of my options), or I could go to the grocery store and get some stuff to make a sandwich or salad or something. But my brain is feeling too fuzzy to decide. I've got all the windows open and the fan on, but it's still much too hot, and my air conditioners won't be put in the windows until Tuesday.

When my great-grandmother died, my great-uncle (her eldest son and my grandfather's brother) pretty much just opened the house and said, "Take what you want. What's still here when the house sells gets pitched."

That didn't end well.

The extended family played nice, showed each other things, told stories about items like jewelry or furniture. But my mom's siblings? Went apeshit.

The house eventually sold. My mom and dad rented a UHaul to go up there and retrieve the items that my mom had reserved and also to pick up a huge armoire thing for my uncle. When they got up there, Uncle B said, "See all of this? Noone's wanting it. Take it." My mom, who admittedly, has a hard time letting go of things when she associated them with a loved one, took him at his word and loaded up the truck.

When she got back home and her brother came to pick up his armoire, he freaked out on her. Calling her selfish and materialistic and that all she ever thought about was herself and how could she trample all over Gramma's house like some sort of theif???

My mom was so hurt.

And then it really went to shit when my gramma died. People still don't talk to each other over things they grabby-handed and then found out later it was supposed to go to someone else.

(Not that Nora was grabby-handed. Gramma gave her the damn punch bowl, not cousin.)

When I arrived in my wicked stepsister's house following my father's death, absolutely every single thing that belonged in my family was displayed in her living room. She apparently didn't feel compelled to wait until the actual, you know, death.

"Oh, I didn't think you'd want anything." That was her rationale.

My response? "I'll get some boxes." I took everything.

I just don't understand why it took 7 years to figure out how important it was. GOD.

I am also super sad today and missing Grandma.