LOL Thanks Donna and Heather for letting me know about Ginger's post. My sister went home today so now my time is mine but I did try a few times to get into the KT since Heather called but I couldn't get the pages to load and it took me almost 5 minutes just to get the THS homepage to open and after 10 minutes of trying my webtv reboots itself so I have to start over. Hi Ginger! Were your ears burning?? I really can't believe this because I was just talking about you to my friend after I told her she should read the Menopause forum. I told her how you had gotten banned by Spike and that you started your own board for a while. I did read there but then I lost the link. Thank you for all the nice things you said about me. I really appreciate it. I sure did have to "pull up my bootstraps" after my Mom passed away but I had lots of help and support from my forum friends and from my real life friends. I was working for a bank for a couple of years until they downsized their staff big time and because I was a casual worker I was laid off but I had put enough into savings to keep me going until I find something else. I have to be very frugal with my spending but I pet sit for neighbours and babysit to make extra cash. My brother rents a house that I inherited from my Mom so that helps a bit too. I took the mortgage off my house and put it on the rental house so Paul's rent pays my mortgage. LOL I don't really consider it my house because I haven't stepped foot in it for over 10 years - Paul is responsible for the upkeep. Per my Mom's will I can't sell the house as long as a family member lives in it. LOL That house is my retirement fund. Ginger, I have had wonderful good things happen in my life that I just can't explain since my Mom passed away. Unbelieveable kindness from strangers, from friends, from my forum friends and from neighbours. Overwhelming kindness that I hope one day to forward on to all who have touched my life. Ginger, I am happy and I experience joy every day of my life. I haven't found the love of my life yet, no Mr. Right but then I am not out looking too far for him. I am waiting for him to come to me! LOLOL I've got my eye on someone though. My friend's Dad who passed away last year always told me to pray to St. Ann for a man but so far that prayer hasn't been answered - yet. LOL Enough about me, Ginger how are you and how is your life and are you happy? I have thought of you many times over the years and wondered how you were doing. I am still so surprised that we thought about each other at the same time! I hope you come back to post with us now that Spike is no longer here - not that I know of anyway. I used to like reading your posts. You can email me anytime through My Page above if you would like. Thank you again for thinking of me and saying the nice things that you did. Anne

I've read all your answers and so appreciate your thoughts. I agree with all of you to an extent, but I know there are other situations that enter into this mix, not abuse of any type, but things are brought up that I had long forgotten and thought she had too...things not having to do with this family even. The older two children were away at college when most of the real trouble in our family started and the younger two were left to bear the brunt of it. Their father was an alcoholic, and after we were divorced, I was an absent parent, well not absent, but you know what I mean, I think. My son became an alcoholic and one of her complaints is being left with him in the Summer, while I was working. She used to call me, she was about 11 or 12 and complain about him aggravating her, I would get him on the phone and think I had it all settled. But it wasn't settled well enough she says. The thing is all these guys are college grads except my son; he learned a very lucrative trade from working in his dad's business. One daughter has a Ph.D and the other a Masters. The youngest with the problems has a degree and a very successful career, so they arent' slackers or anything like that. I always thought she was very strong, maybe that was a big mistake on my part because she gave off that impression, independent, able and strong minded. Now I find out she has actually considered harming herself, and this sort of thing has all come out over an unhappy experience with a man. She said she was always the placater and make-it-all-okay in the family and took care of everyone else, which is true. Probably the product of an alcoholic parent and a nitwit parent (me). I had to laugh, I'm sorry SheilaJoyce, at your story because I have experienced that with this child. A lot of things are "You never"....or "You always"....when I know the black or white isn't true. I have always told her she makes things all or nothing in her memory bank, and that was not always the case. Did you feel like quitting the second cake baking after that exchange, and just serving the leftover crumbs, because what was the use? I think you should send future cakes with a little green card that says sign when received. :-) Also Sweetby, same thing here. My second oldest thinks I was a wonderful mother and my son, who no longer drinks and is happily married, says what was the problem mom, you took care of us and did the best you could. The oldest is a little distant, she never could stand her father, and here we are, the baby is really ill from all this. Coolmama, I hope your sister gets some counseling as well, you know at least a good therapist is divorced from all the interfamily drama and issues, so he can be objective. My daughter did say he isn't letting her get away with anything....he calls her on everything and wants her to explain why she feels that way. Hopefully, it will get better. We may do family counseling, which would probably do us good overall. I still feel some guilt and hurt, I think she is pulling away and we have had an excellent relationship, I thought, for at least 20 years or more. I mentioned some specific names but the rest of you gave me very important viewpoints and I am considering them all. You all lifted a burden for me in your individual comments. Thanks so much. I will try to come back and let you know what the future brings.

Nga, I can see my post may be understood as being critical, but I can't get into a different versions of scripture. I know what you're saying about translation and using the actual Aramaic language to know what the words mean, and that's where my questions come in. I have three different Bibles, none of which say the same as JW Bible. For me, there has to be standard because I can't be expected to believe everything. What is more, there are some differences in the JW Bible that don't make sense to me. I end up thinking there was nothing here or nothing there that needed adding to or subtracting from. The passage(s), itself, is clearly understood, yet something is added to change the meaning completely. How can I be sure these differences are a matter of translation when all of the others are translated similarly but different from the JW version? Because Jehovah's Witnesses study so extensively, I am sure there is much I can glean. I have questions I would like answers to such as the different kinds of love. I can't remember how many, but I think there are five. Can only think of agape, phileo, and eros. No doubt she can direct me to find all of them, as well as other questions I may have. This is the reason I didn't think a study session with her was a bad idea, but I don't want to waste her time just for answering my questions because I'm not interested in the JW Bible or their other paraphernalia about the scriptures. I don't at all mean to bash Jehovah's Witnesses. I don't mean any offense to anyone who follows their heart any more than someone choosing Catholic, Baptist, or other. And if I may be perfectly honest, I admire the JW methods. I don't know of any other religion that teaches the Bible more thoroughly. And with the exception of what little I understand about the Orthodox Jewish religion, I don't know about any other religious group that is able to get their followers be so very committed, to study so intently, and to follow the scriptures so precisely. I wish my own and other Christian faiths were nearly as successful. I truly believe ours would be a much better world.

Ha, ha, Minnie, I got the little dog's brother too! Did okay in the Christmas card department today. I received 4 wonderful cards, Thanks Susie 53 for the photo card, that sure was nice and also for the sweet letter. Many thanks to you too Marie MD, beautiful card. Loved your card as well Jannie and Tami, such a nice card! If you made it it is special. I did figure out who it was from :) Thanks bunches everyone. Sue