Robert! It's good to see you and Dorie posting again! (I saw her in the VT thread, not an appropriate place to break into just to say "hi") How are the two of you? Mac, when I placed the link, and when I click on it now, there are 3 columns - the one on the left showing the different subject areas available, the one on the right showing the different articles available within the chosen subject, and the one in the center showing the chosen article, which in this case has the headline Athletes Rescue Woman From Burning House. I just checked, and that's still where the link goes for me. But, as I was complaining about, it's a short article, so if no one else can follow the link to the article, I can copy and paste it here without taking up much room. Let me know. Vickie - poetic justice at its finest!

natal, I'm glad I can always count on you to keep me in line. You're always on time and consistent when you stop in to tell me what I am and what I do wrong and what I say is wrong. What I can't figure out is your facination with what I say. You've been critiqing things I say on his forum for over a year now. When is it going to stop? You don't like me and that is obvious, OK, I get it and I'm sure others who post here and see your repeated attacks on me get it too. So say what's really on your mind and get off my back. To tell you the truth what you say to me is just annoying, it doesn't mean anything because you are not a regular poster on this forum so I don't respect or value anything you have to say. You only swoop in to give your 2 cents and tell me what I've done wrong on certain days. I have to tell you I'm sick of it. I'm not your child, your friend, your neighbor, so stop getting so familiar with me all the time. You are creeping me out.

Is there any reason you can't go back to school now...the SS is in school fulltime (except summer). Why sit home in an empty house? Finish your schooling, work, get into a social setting (office, hospital, clinic) where you'll meet friends and do lunches with co-workers. Not to be mean, but Lady you worked far too long and hard to be sitting home miserable. Sign up for exercise classes if you'd like to meet people who might be walking/running buddies. Share recipes with and start feeling good about yourself. You are special, you count and you sound quite capable of being a every social good friend. Don't waste yourself staring at walls all day. You sound so very depressed. None of my business but if you are taking something for depression that can sometimes snag your sexual interest away (as can just plain a sense of low self esteem and feeling of total despair). While you've done the counseling route, have you had a good physical (blood work, checked for diabetes, blah blah)? It is possible that you are having the hard time 'loving' the SS because of the way your new marriage started out. Kinda placing the blame of your unhappiness on the child? You didn't say you dislike him or that he's a brat child or anything...that's a postive. How do the other children feel about SS and do they all get along? While you may never 'love' the child as you do your own children, I'm not so sure that is really something to feel guilty about. You're good to him, care for his needs...maybe if you get yourself up and out of the house and find some happiness and enjoyment in life you'll find the little guy is kinda likeable. You got smacked from being an active working woman with friends and comfortable surroundings to being the outcast and living in the shadow of a deceased first wife. You felt lost, alone and having serious second thoughts and on top of it all got handed an instant 'son' and told 'here, love him'. How is your anxiety levels. You mentioned several things that could point to problems there. Actually not knowing where a store is located should not be reason enough to not go...perhaps if you really wanted to go you'd figure it out fast enough. Are you using not knowing as an excuse for hiding. Again, none of my business and you certainly do not need to clarify for us, but sometimes depression meds (if you take any) do little for anxiety. It's really all up to you. You can stay and be miserable just as things are. You can explain to husband that you no longer see a need to 'babysit' a school age child (put him in daycare during the summers)and go out and meet the world again, or you can pack up and go back to where you came from and hope you can pick your old life back up again. Your posting was one of the most honest and saddest posting I've read here in quite a while, you poured it out from your heart and I'm not sure anyone here can actually advise you...only you know what you must do and only you can find the strength to do whatever that is. I wish you all the best and hope you can somehow find yourself again.

She has a perspective on the word "crone"...it is about inner development, not outer appearance. A crone is a woman who has wisdom, compassion,humor, courage and vitality. She has a sense of truly being herself, can express what she knows and feels and take action when need be......." I have always thought that what my Dad used to say is true: "We get too soon old, and too late smart." At this point in my life I feel that I have so much to offer as far as insight and advice, since I've really been there and done that... Yet, who wants to listen !?! I read this somewhere and had to laugh out loud: " Unsolicited advice is never welcomed with the enthusiasm that we imagine it will be." LOL Knowing this axiom does not stop me from generously slathering my good thoughts about! ;0)