Julie, is this money your grandmother left to you or is it money your father inherited that he's apportioned a part for you? Because if it's the former, it's time to talk to the probate court or at least threaten to.

Zen, good luck to your friend. I hope her daughter comes around. I'm sorry it's so frustrating for you.

Julie, wishing you luck with your family stuff as well. I don't know if talking it out with your family will help or not, but getting the shaft for being the good one does suck mightily.

Ginger, the latter, and even if it were the former, I'd never go to court. I can't even bring myself to speak up for all the other things I feel I've been cheated on, because 1) I don't do confrontations, and 2) I know how my dad thinks, and what he thinks he is owed, and 3) I'm getting the Grams money, just no other financial assistance beyond that. And 4) I'd rather lose money than family, even if I have simmering deep-seated issues. My dad has had enough of that bullshit from his brother and niece.

I get how he thinks. I don't like it, I disagree with it, but I get it.

I still find it amazing how much I love my dad and how much anger and resentment I have for him at the same time (beyond money BS, he's an incredibly absent father, and he does everything he can to be that way, and meanwhile everyone else who knows him loves him. Randomly, it's also why I HATE Big Fish).

I will never be able to understand all the precious, astonishing people I know here, how lucky I am to know you and how totally incomprehensible it is that your families of birth don't know right to their bones how lucky they are to have you in their blood. I'll never understand it.

sj, I'm crying with happiness for you. Endless (but gentle, careful!) hugs to you and TCG and your tiny cup of wonder.

Julie, good luck. I've had so many disagreements with family, over money and other things, and I'm so conflict-averse... I feel for you.

Thanks for the well-wishes, all. I'll funnel them into kid~ma for my friend.

sj, I said congrats in Bitches, but what the heck, it deserves it twice! Congrats on the little teacup!

All the puppies were borned! Cute short video: [link] Which one should we pick? They haven't differentiated enough for us to decide, right?

Also, Ellen stole Jesse's tumblr idea: [link]

Puppies! I have no idea how you pick out a puppy. Walter was picked out for me - I did get the best one, though. Ellen and Jesse are totally following each other, right? Reblogging and whatnot.

Oh Kat, how could you possibly choose?!

I know, just close your eyes, grab one, and run.

I will definitely be stealing many of Ellen's posts, I'm sure!

Good news, sj!!

In re: dogs, there was a note up in neighborhood recently addressed to "the owner of the sick dog." It was phrased extremely sympathetically, but still boiled down to "get your dog's shit off the sidewalk."