I am not familiar with a divider making 2 ovens -- wouldn't that leave you with 2 smaller ovens rather than one big one? In my last house I had two separate ovens. I loved it. I didn't use the 2nd one often, but when it was needed it was great!

The other girl did. It was they type of thing where he and the other girl would break up, date others, then get back together again. Over and over. So, I guess she was used to his bad behavior and would hope that "this time" it would work out

We had a bad experience with promposals, but in the opposite way. My youngest daughter had been dating a boy for about 3--4 months. When prom season approached she was expecting a promposal. All around her they were happening .... she even helped some of his friends come up with cool ideas, etc. But not her boyfriend. He kept dragging his feet for whatever reason, and the night before the final day to sell tickets they got into a fight about it and broke up. The next day I texted her in school to see how she was doing. It turns out he woke up early, went to some store and picked up poster board and balloons, etc., and ASKED ANOTHER GIRL TO THE PROM. My poor daughter. She was so devastated. It turned out well though. She went with her best guy friend and had a blast. She started interacting with a new group of people and found new friends. She looks back now on that prom as a good turning point. Oh, and the boy? He was booed in the hallways and booed in the cafeteria for being such a jerk.

I need to have my house re-sided. Right now it has shingles and is about 40 years old. The house is a traditional cape with an addition on the side that was added on abut 20 years ago. We want to just replace the shingles with siding. A company came out and quoted a price to remove the shingles, re-wrap the house, re-insulate it and install siding ...... $52,000!!! Doesn't that seem ridiculously high?! We will be getting a few more estimates but idk if they will all be in this range? The house is about 2500 square feet total, and I live in Massachusetts. What say the hive?

Food prices are out of control, shelves are empty, gas prices ridiculous, people's 401K's are tanking ...... but at least there were no mean tweets at 3:00 am.😒

I'm just going to say it ........ BRAVA for your daughter! This jerk of a kid is harassing (a) her brother and (b) a boy who has disabilities. Way to go! You have raised her right. She didn't beat the boy black and blue, she just gave (what I think) is an appropriate response to someone physically putting their hands on your son. If she does write an apology letter, I would phrase it in a way that says "I am sorry I was reduced to such behavior but after seeing the bullying and injustice I felt I had to stand up for my brother." I would also try talking to the kid's parents? IDK I just wanted to say good for your daughter.

I planned on "retiring" after homeschooling my daughters, but then divorce screwed up that plan! I get a decent amount in alimony (not fair by any means, but decent) and I have a decent amount in my 401K . Probably more than the average person. But it was a shock to go to the financial investor and hear him say I should only pull out 4% a year from my 401K once I reach 65. That will be a pittance! I currently work full time and have fantasized about retiring. I would save on wear and tear on my car (it has 150,000 miles on it and I commute 45 minutes each way), I would not have to buy work clothes, I would not have to pay for so much gas, etc. I live with my sister so that helps with expenses. But what stops me is: When my financial consultant told me "I don't want to have to tell you that you need to go back to work when you are 70" -- that really scared me. I would have to pay so much more for health insurance on my own At this job, if I can hang in there for 3 more years, I will get a pension I will also get government health insurance when I retire, which is supposed to be cheaper. I love the idea of retiring and enjoying my later years, but so many things that are non-emergencies still pop-up. The house needs to be painted, a window needs to be replaced, etc. It is nice to have the money to do those things without too much stress. I have been very poor, and I have been well-off and then back to poor again. Being able to sleep at night without financial worries is priceless.

We used to play a game called 7-Up. You would take a ball and bounce it 7 times while counting 1 ...2...3 etc. Then you would bounce the ball off the wall 7 times Then you would have to bounce it under one leg 7 times etc. ... it would get harder as you went along. I think one of the steps was to throw the ball in the air, spin around, and catch it 7 times in a row.

I remember reading the book about his expedition ..... just unbelievable what they had to go through! Amazing story

My sister is always finding pennies, and I am always finding dimes! I think the pennies are from my grandmother, who was very frugal, and the dimes are from my grandfather because he would always give a dime to the neighborhood kids when they came to visit. Since I have moved in with my sister we have been finding pennies and dimes together. I take great comfort in them.

Ah, the windshield is curved! That makes sense!

What am I doing wrong with my ice scraper?!!?? I have the standard ice scraper, with a brush on one end and the plastic scraper thing on the other. When I try to scrape the ice off my windshield it doesn't clear a swatch the size of the plastic scraper, it only clears one line. I have to go back over the area multiple times to have all the little lines add up to a clear area. Am I making sense? I have tried different ways of holding it, etc. Am I just a spaz, or is there something I am not doing right?

The Stand is my favorite The Shining actually had me leaving lights on when I slept ... very creepy! IT is a very good book. The movie version was so disappointing Salem's Lot is another creepy one Pet Semetary .. very good, can be tough with some heavy situations. BTW that is how the title is written, I didn't spell it wrong haha He also wrote a book called Eyes of the Dragon. It has no supernatural stuff, other than a medieval doctor who is bad. Just a straight up story but really well done.

I would love to put in a pool but there is no room in my backyard with the septic where it is. So I was thinking of putting the money into a really nice deck/patio area with a hot tub. I would love to use it to cool off in the summer, and then use the heat in the winter. Has anyone done this?

THAT'S IT! The music is not the same but it's the look on the cats face that really cracks me up! Good job......thank you so much!

I am usually good at finding things online but I have not been able to find this one video that I really liked. I know this is a long shot but just in case ........ I saw the video on Facebook. I do not know the site it was under. The video is of a cat who got underneath a cardboard box that was upside down, and then somehow got his head stuck through the front of the box. When he walks it looks like someone made him a car or train costume because the box walks with him. The funny part is that he is walking past two or three other cats with a look on his face like "nothing to see here, just walking by in a box!" and the music that plays with the video is "Mind your own business". I cannot find who sings the song. There are some weird songs out there with that title haha but none of them are it. If anyone can find it I will be eternally grateful!

It was an expression my grandfather used to say. It means that you are the one making the happiness go away, that it is right there for you but you are making every effort to get rid of happiness.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to post and help. I'll try to clarify some points although it is hard to cover everything. This behavior from the girls has ramped up over the last few years or so. When I was first divorced we moved in with my sister (in-law set up) and we were, for the most part, very happy. My sister did everything she could to make us feel that it was "our" home. They even started calling her Mama-Auntie. They were extremely close to their cousins, my sister's sons. They called themselves "The Cousin Coalition" There were some flare ups - one time my daughter had plans to go away for the weekend but her car was in the shop. She wanted me to call in sick to work on Friday so she could take the car. When I said I couldn't because I work in a small office and needed to be there, she flipped out on me. A lot of that behavior came from me taking my eye off the goals during their high school years. I was too beaten down by my Ex to take on someone else who disagreed with me. When they would act up I did not take them to task for it and now it was coming back in spades. I have acknowledged this time and that I did not step up, that I was not a strong mother during those times. When they moved out (and moved in together) things really ramped up. It just slowly got worse. When they started posting anti-police stuff on Facebook my sister felt very disrespected. Her son had just become a police officer during a terrible time to be to be a police officer. Their rhetoric did not help. We asked them not to post such stuff but they did it anyways. As far as my "white privilege".... I'm not blind to the concept. But don't assume that because I am white, I am racist. I also am very supportive of my daughter coming out as bi-sexual. I am willing to talk about all issues. But they are so disrespectful. So, after many many family sessions and a few session with their individual therapists, we have gotten NOWHERE. They keep bringing up the same hurts. I get that they are hurt, but I have apologized. I have acknowledged. I have confirmed where I let them down. But I am not racist, I did not raise them to be racist. But EVERYTHING is my fault. I pushed too much, or I wasn't there to push, or I didn't stay long enough when I came to visit, or .......... endless. They love to tell me that ALL their friends have WONDERFUL relationships with their parents. How everything is just picture perfect with everyone else. That hurts. And they have a loving family and a welcoming home to come to with whatever lifestyle they want, but I deserve to live my lifestyle too. I once told my youngest that she was throwing away happiness with both hands. We have such an opportunity to rebuild a new life without my EX being such an ass to everyone (they currently have not contact with him ... he isn't willing to put the time in or apologize for anything) but they just keep fighting it.

I do have a wonderful therapist. He has been a profound help. I get what some people have commented on the "woke" comment. I did not mean to belittle their beliefs, it is just their beliefs are hurtful right now. I would fully support them buying from only black businesses or anything like that. Just don't try to force me and then become abusive when I don't. There are also other examples that do not include being "woke". Just general disdain for family. Your replies have been very helpful ..... from helping me find the right words to knowing that others have "been there done that"

Are you my twin?! 🙂 I have these same feelings ..... I chose to stay home so I did not make a great impact in the working world. My marriage failed. My children think I am a bad person. They are okay in the world though. They do a lot of volunteer work, my oldest is a scientist right now working on advancement in Alzheimer treatment, my youngest is an architect and an amazing artist. They travel extensively. They both make a good living. So, yeah, I guess I didn't screw them up completely. I just pictured my life differently.

Thank you! I had never met the woman but she would not meet with me because of how I voted. I said to my daughter "and I am supposed to be the intolerant one?!" I may be Conservative but I have made it clear to both girls that I will respect whoever they bring home (black, white, purple, gay, trans, whatever!) and that as long as they are happy I will be happy for them. My oldest came out as bisexual and I have supported her 100%.

Wow, it's like looking in a mirror! I am afraid this will put a permanent chip in our relationship but I have to stay true to my course. IT's hard though, when your marriage fails and your kids are distant. It makes you wonder what stamp, if any, you will leave on the world. 😞

I am terrible at getting my thoughts down coherently. And please be kind to me -- I am so distraught over this situation that I can't handle any judgment right now. Since my divorce my relationship with my daughters (ages 25 & 27) has been strained. I think there is a lot of residual anger that they have over their father just up and leaving and I am the closest target. But it has been awful. They also became "woke" during the pandemic which has made things extra difficult. We went to family counseling about a dozen times over the summer. I have also met with their individual counselors over Zoom calls. We make ZERO progress. In these sessions I have addressed and apologized for the times I let them down during the divorce proceedings They felt like I did not come see them or spend enough time with them and in some cases they were correct. So I have acknowledged that and apologized many times. I never claimed to be a perfect mother. However, they also have accused me of: Raising them to "make fun of people who look different". I was SHOCKED when I heard that accusation. I have always taught them to be kind, when in doubt choose tolerance and that bullying anybody that would be the worst thing they could do. I have many, many examples of me teaching them this but it just falls on deaf ears. Being a white supremacist because I would not acknowledge my white privilege Being mad at me because I will not commit to buying from only black-owned businesses That they had to unlearn 99% of what I taught them because I am basically a bad person That they wished they could have a mother who was Liberal. I have always been a Conservative. My daughter said her boyfriend's mother did not want to meet me because of how I voted. This crushed me that she did not defend me even a bit. They have been disrespectful to other family members also. Their cousin, who they used to be close with, became a police officer and they would post terrible things about the police on their facebook pages. I know it's hard to express all the accusations and feelings swirling around and that this is only my side, but I am trying to explain this as close to the truth as possible. These are a few examples. It is like their whole childhood and everything about it was terrible. The counseling sessions just go round and round. My oldest texted me today that she wants me to join in with another session. I can't do it anymore. I cannot sit there and take the abuse that they hit me with. I also cannot keep apologizing. I need to say that I am stepping back, that I am still here for them but not in this dysfunctional way, and that I want them to continue their counseling to try and sort themselves out. I am sick to my stomach over this but I cannot keep being their punching bag.

My sister keeps telling me that I should have my lawyer go to the judge and ask for relief from all of my XH's hassles, but I know that will not work. Rosie is right .... it is about the law and not justice.

Thank you for asking about this! I have been trying to figure out how to do puzzles with two cats in the house. This seems like a PERFECT solution!! I am ordering one tonight!!!!