Tep, I'm so glad your brother has you, and the both of you have each other when it comes to your parents.

I heartily endorse the spend money on stuff that makes you feel better method of coping (without going into debt, of course). Honestly? I'd pay good money just for the scalp massage that comes with a cut and color. Massage therapist scalp massages aren't the same for me.

Woo hoo for concerts! Live music is restorative.

Thank you for the update, Tom.

Steph, maybe your brother can focus anger at your dad into his recovery in an "I'll show him!" sort of way? Worked for me in pulling my 7th grade Social Studies grade up to an A at the last minute to spite a teacher I despised.

I have managed to eat a healthish breakfast and lunch, put soup in the crock pot for dinner, and both dropped off and picked up ltc from school on time today. This is an accomplishment after the last couple of months of slothitude.

Way to go, sj!

In an attempt to try to alleviate some of the pain of needing to decide what to eat for the next nmeal over and over and over, I made myself a chart of 17 proteins and 16 starches and rotate through the combinations in a systematic fashion. Sometimes this means I eat lamb and oatmeal for breakfast, and macaroni and peanut butter for lunch. You know what? Both quite tasty.

Good idea, -t! I haven't felt worth the effort much and TCG has mostly been handling dinner. However i did take down a meatloaf and a roast from the freezer. So hopefully I can handle dinners this week.

I have a cold. Generally I make dinner, but I am telling the family that someone needs to bring me home sushi. Medical necessity for wasabi to clear my sinuses.

Also, I am a big baby because I never get sick. I chalk it up to lack of experience. I have managed to work today, and swam 50 laps in the pool because I don't want to skip exercise. That is seriously all that I am doing today. Oh, and I did laundry. Dude, I have clearly done way more than required.

Teppy, and the rest of you with defective parents, I am so sorry. You deserved better. Honestly, I feel I hit the parental jackpot and it just breaks my heart when I hear tales of parents who Just Don't Get It. I'm not even close to a perfect parent, but I really hope I don't hurt my kids, and I hope they tell me if I do.

Sorry you're sick, Laura!

I took some lentils out of the freezer on Saturday but didn't eat them yesterday and today isn't looking promising, either. Tomorrow is still fine, right? I mean, it's lentils.

Should be fine, Jesse.

You know what is exhausting keeping someone else busy all day when they don't know enough to work solo yet?

Sounds like parenting a four year old.