I am the only girl. That is probably a large part of the issue. My grandmother died when my mother was 10 and she was sick in bed for a few years. She has fond memories of her mother though. I've always felt that my mother didn't know how to mother because she didn't have a mother herself, especially true for my teen years. She just didn't know what to do with a teenage girl.

I wouldn't necessarily say that she was writing untrue things. I would say that she's writing them from her perspective which is warped. I would say that much of my behavior was reactions to her behavior. I would also say that it's probably not best to write unkind things about people who are alive. Personally, I would focus on the positive. I have a child who has caused me to have some very dark days. I would NEVER write about them. They are private. I am not the only one who could be offended by what she wrote. My aunt should have hurt feelings as well. She's jealous of her sister, for sure. My brother says they are jealous of each other which could be true as well. For an example, my mom asked to come visit me last year. I said yes but told her I could only have her for three days and explained my reasoning. She insisted my kids didn't have school when they in fact did and it was my brother's kids who had the week off school. In the end, she decided not to come. My brother called me and told me she was telling everyone that I said she could not stay at my house. That was completely untrue but it made a nice martyr story and she ran with it. I went to a funeral of a dear friend and heard the story from her son during the luncheon. I think probably everyone has heard the story about how awful I am to not let her visit.

I would think that it is possibly the lack of filters an older person develops except for the fact that she refers to the fact that she can hardly believe how many times she has written in her diary about my terrible behavior. Apparently she's been writing unkind things about me for decades. I remember hearing her ask my father why I hated her when I was about 12 and she thought I was asleep. I was really surprised as I have never hated my mother. Even now. I'm just hurt. There's also the theme of jealousy and she talks about the size of her children's homes (square footage included) compared to her own home. She's often made comments as to how I have things she's never had and that same feeling of jealousy comes through in her writings.

The intent isn't for publication. The quality isn't even close for that. The intent is to share with family and friends. My children won't be reading it. They heard enough of my conversation with my brother and my husband to feel sad for me.

My mother has always kept a diary with daily entries. This past year she's been condensing it into a story of her life. She's been pressuring my daughter to read it. She even gave her the first few chapters but as far as I know, it's still on her bookshelf untouched. She's told me that she's had a few friends help her edit her manuscript. A few days ago I received a large envelope from one of her friends with a copy of the manuscript that contains portions from my childhood to the present. My mom warned me it was coming, that she had asked her friend to send it to me. I finally opened the envelope last night and skimmed a bit of it. I really couldn't read the entire thing because I read a few things that were just hurtful. She portrays me as never nice, always unhappy, always yelling, and goes as far to say she thinks I have a hormonal imbalance. Yes, she's said this to me in person, and I even went as far as to have my hormones checked because she wouldn't stop talking about it, and guess what, I don't have a hormonal imbalance. It's actually worse than what I'm saying but I guess I can't bring myself to write what she wrote. I called my brother to ask him if he's read her story. He hasn't so I told him about it. His response was that it was just the way our mother was and that she's known for offending people. He told me that he had threatened to stop speaking to our parents about a decade ago because my mom would not stop asking him what was wrong with him because he was unmarried at 32. He basically sympathized with me a lot but told me I couldn't expect much different considering the source. He asked what was written about him so I went and skimmed for his name from the time period of high school through the present. There was not one negative thing written about him. There's actually not too much written about him. My other brother was highly praised. He's done some pretty hurtful things over the years to my parents but none of that was mentioned. It was mentioned that he only thinks of himself but I was actually included in that so the actual words were "They only think of themselves." I now find myself in the position of knowing that she's going to ask me about the manuscript. I'm humiliated by it and it's made worse that her friend was the one that sent it to me. I can't figure out why he would be willing to send such a hurtful document to me. I can't figure out why my mother would think that it would be helpful for me to read her thoughts about me. I just don't even know what to say to my mother. I think I need to let her know how I feel but I need to do it in such a way that she doesn't turn it into a persecution of herself. She's very capable of that. She even writes about my miscarriage and how my behavior stabbed her in the heart. Yes, I lost a baby and she turned it into a negative event that happened to her. I'm pretty private and I would prefer that the entire world didn't know I had a miscarriage because I haven't told many people myself but now it's out there for public consumption. I find that hurtful in and of itself. When I was talking to my brother I asked him if he could understand my behavior and he completely did. He said that my mother would have made the situation worse and that is the exact reason I did what I did at the time. I'm trying to process this. My parents are older. My father is in poor health. My mother wants everything her way and is inflexible. I can refuse to acknowledge I read the manuscript or I can confront my mother. I just don't know what to do.

All across the western United States in communities with enough LDS kids and an LDS chapel next to the high school you will find release time seminary. So basically all of Utah (which has seminary buildings) and many other communities in the western United States. The high school just north of us in suburban Phoenix has release time seminary. Our high school doesn't. There's just as many LDS kids at our neighborhood high school but there's not a building for them so they go to seminary in the morning before school starts.

First off, this isn't failure on the boy's part. He has neurological issues. It isn't his fault. The failure belongs with the mother for not following the one on one support rule and the leadership for not enforcing the rule. I would address the leadership and explain the impact of their failure to enforce the one on one rule. I would request that they enforce the rule. The leaders must stand up to the mother. If they won't, I would find a new troop. This is coming from the mother of a boy who acts much like the child you described. He's a scout but we don't send him camping without his dad. Even boys who are willing to take on the guardian role lack the skills to effectively deal with such behavior and it's not fair to anyone involved.

Instead of removing small scraps from the sink, you can push it down the drain. Personally, I don't like touching scraps. Perhaps it's really not easier but I think it's more pleasant.

You want one. It makes cleaning the sink easier. I grew up without one and I would never go back.

Element or burner. Coil is you are referring to a specific part. I've never heard it called eye before this thread.

I had a package arrive opened last week. It was metal shelving.

Oh goodness. I'm realizing that some of you would consider me homeless. I'm living free of rent, including utilities in a home owned by family and have been since July. I don't consider myself homeless even though I'm relying on the generosity of others. I think the main difference between myself and the situation I'm referring to is my own ability to get housing which is high, and this family's ability to get housing which is low. Truthfully, I don't think housing was ever this family's problem. They were well cared for. The problem is stable employment.

There is much I do not know about their situation. Employment has been sporadic. I don't know why. They are good people and are in needed to improve their situation. I just think calling them homeless when they are well cared for by family is manipulative. In case anyone is interested, they did receive a paid for home and money to relocate. I hope they are doing well.

Is a family homeless if they are living in the home of a family member? I just stumbled across a fundraising site dedicated to raising money to buy a modest home for a homeless family. I happen to know the family. I'm bothered by it simply because I don't consider the family homeless. They were living in a 3000+ square foot house owned by family. The family member vacated their own home to allow the family to live there. I believe they lived in the home for at least 5 years and there is no way they would have been pushed out of the home. I think they probably felt guilty and wanted the family member to have their home back, but were they homeless?

I think they would discuss the holiday with her. I just found it funny that she thought I should call the school and demand the day off because it was a Jewish holiday.

1. You don't contact administration to explain the injustice of having a school day on Rosh Hashanah. Yes, my 6th grader asked me to do this today. She just didn't think it fair that her public school peers had the day off and saw no reason her school wouldn't want to join in on the day off. Same kid who stomped off the school bus in the first grade after learning Hanukkah was happening without her and demanded to know why we didn't celebrate Hanukkah.

I'm going to take a position of support to ALL people who identity as being Christian. Who am I to judge their relationship with Christ? If you tell me you're a Christian, I'm going to believe you. So, to all of you Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Orthodox, Charismatics, Episcopalians, and others who are judged to be "not real Christians," I will defend your right to define your belief system.

I could really use a nice knife. Great idea!

Ha! You're hilarious. I want something for me, not for the household bathroom users. I'd be open to kitchen items. Probably something that I don't have, which is probably much as I really haven't bought anything since I was married nearly 20 years ago.

I was given an $100 Amazon gift card for my birthday. Yay! I just don't know how to spend it. I know, I know. Who has that problem? I have $16.67 worth of merchandise in my account and now, I'm stuck. I don't want to buy books. I want to buy something nonconsumable that will improve my life in some way. Suggestions?

We avoid soy.

I think this rule would only be effective for my family if there were multiple living areas on the main floor so that loud and quiet activities could take place at the same time. Otherwise, it would not work for us. Disallowing electronics in the bedroom is our rule. Depending on personalities, this rule may work nicely in a large home. It could also be a disaster. I say if it works for them, then it works for them. Not my place to judge.

I have, but I don't like it. This is my kid who has repeatedly put a metal pot in the microwave though. I have reasons to have reservations. I don't let my kids stay home together ever. They would fight. I always take at least one kid with me.

Do you use baking spray for muffins or for other foods you cook in the cups? I really don't want to use baking spray. Ds has many dietary restrictions and I just don't want to use spray with him. He's my main muffin consumer too. I bought some wonderful parchment liners at Target and I love them. I ran out and bought some paper liners and realized just how wonderful the parchment liners are. I started thinking about the silicon cups, thinking maybe I could eliminate the ongoing expense of buying liners. I'm just nervous I won't like them.

They'll help you. I'd suggest calling first and setting up an appointment. That way you know they'll be expecting you and it may reduce any anxiety you may have about going to the center.