Pix and Drew, I hope they've figured out what the problem is and can fix it.

Ew ew ew. I was cleaning my kitchen cabinets, and I found a bunch of rodent droppings at the back. Ew. Just took all of my stuff out of that cabinet. I guess I should email my landlord?

Much ma to amyth and Trudy and anyone else who needs it for themselves or their family members.

Pix and ND, I hope they can resolve the bowel obstruction thing soon. I'm with flea: that's scary, and nothing to mess around with. I wish that they had caught that last time. I'm so sorry that he's in so much pain (but at least getting some good drugs, now) and sorry that you are having to see him go through this (and have a sleepless night on top of it.

Trudy, I wish that I could be in NYC, for my brother, my SiL, my nephew, and so that we could get a drink near the hospital or something. Much ~ma to you and your family.

May Tuesday be a good day for us all.

ETA: Oh, Trudy, I forgot you were in FL right now. ::smacks forehead:: Well, the ~ma and thoughts are extended to you and yours all the same. Hopefully, Sloan-Kettering will be covered in a protective coating of powerful Buffista ~ma of Tuesday.

((((ND and Pix))))

"If I was nosy, I would have found out about this a long time ago!" Okay, she had a point there. She clearly is not nosy enough.

After she recently broke into her adult son's frequent flyer account....

P-C, every time I think your parents have reached the limit, they prove me wrong.

Geez, P-C! How did you turn out so well?

It's a marvel.

P-C, you're a great storyteller

Thanks! I try.

And then they wonder why you don't come by as much as they'd like?

Right?? Why would I williingly subject myself to this? My mom seriously asked if I were looking for a job there so I could move back home. "NO!" I said, for the umpteenth time.

What I see from the children is so amazing, but I do see that push from the parents. I had to actually work with a couple of them this summer to learn how to play. When we put out buckets of water, a couple of kiddie pools, and a sprinkler, they didn't know what to do. And that makes me sad. But, I'm the fun police, so I taught them how to play.

Someone has to.

P-C, I meant to say earlier that my heart goes out to you and your brother. I can't even fathom being in your situation.

Thanks. It's just so hard to get anywhere when they're so—

OH GOD I FORGOT THE BEST PART. At one point, my mom called us closed-minded.

WE LAUGHED THE LAUGH OF IRONY. It was pretty great. My brother hadn't said anything in a while, but I heard him burst out laughing. "We learned it from you!" I said.

(Except we're not closed-minded. We are listening to their arguments and refuting them with counter-arguments. They are listening to our counter-arguments and...dismissing them.)

As brutal as these phone calls are for you guys, I can't imagine what it's like for her to be a kid, living with them 24/7 while they're so wound up and furious.

She was there, but she didn't say much. My brother thinks she was trying to be the moderator; every now and then she would sum up someone's point in an attempt to generate a proper response, but it was ineffective. She hasn't really chosen a side completely, since she still lives at home.

I wish your parents had even a tiny inkling of just how inadvertently spectacular a job they've done of bringing some deeply splendid human beings into the world.

They just wonder what they did wrong.

P-C, every time I think your parents have reached the limit, they prove me wrong.

They're just so completely in their own world. When they finally let my brother leave, he hugged my mom and told her he loved her, and she said, "I love you too. Now please stop this." After a fucking hour of...all that, she still didn't get it. I actually considered saying at some point, "Do you guys seriously think you're going to convince him to break up with her?" Because, really. It's not going to work.

Much ~ma for the hospitalized Buffistas and Buffista-fam. I hope Drew's bowel is easily unobstructed.

P-C, I wish you and your brother continuing strength in the face of your parent's obliviousness.

Healing~ma to ND, get him fixed this time, doctors!

I can't imagine the need to control the minds of your adult offspring.

P-C, I know you love your parents and I wish you the best in dealing with this. You're probably never going to change their minds but stick to your principles.

~ma for amyth's and Trudy's loved ones.

Pain ~ma for Drew.

{{{Pix}}}

P-C, tons of ~ma for your brother and you and for your sister. I can't even imagine.

~ma to anyone who needs it who I missed.

Oh Pix, how scary for you and ND. I've been in your place before Pix and I can easily recall exactly how I felt. Sending strength and good health vibes to ND.

vw, that's very interesting about the kids and the failure to play. I'm so glad you have given the opportunity to play. It's so important, so enriching and revitalizing.

I can't imagine the need to control the minds of your adult offspring.

I can imagine it as I see it play out often enough. It just seems like a fool's errand to me. In a way, raising children is a leap of faith. You have to trust that they will find their way.