Interesting how you can identify a poster who will manage to bring down an otherwise upbeat and fun thread.
How can any intelligent person say they āhavenāt a clueā about how to research a certain topic?
I think I need to step away for a while. The thread is a trainwreck-- hard to look away from, but making me sick to my stomach.
I am so very sorry you needed to start that thread. The road ahead is hard.
It puts some of the other complaints, whining, and daily need for being the one to claim insult or offense into perspective.
Is there a better Tony opening than the 2013 Neil Patrick Harris extravaganza?
Glad it is finally warming up around here.
USPS- just when I think you canāt possibly be any more incompetent, you prove me wrong!
Too many airplanes 
tonight, too few bats ?.
I am saddened to learn that nearly 3 months after the fact, you are still not speaking to your daughter who was ill and missed your birthday party, which you threw for yourself.
No, you are not my best friend; you were my best friend in HS and we keep in touch. Big difference. Canāt wait till you leave. 
Iām your PRIVATE BANKER, Banker for money - do what you want me to doā¦ just your Private Banker, banker for money and any old music will doā¦
Sorry, but I really had to get that off my chest because Iāve been singing it here for weeks. Hoping Tina Tuner leaves me alone now and that I didnāt just pass the ear worm on to everyone else.
My name is Patrick. I wish we could use our names on CC. I feel very dull with my username.
I feel like I am dying of heat. We are just not used to this BS in Nor Cal. If I wanted to live somewhere this hot, Iād have air conditioning. Save me!!!
Leaving this beautiful, cool Michigan lake weather to return to 108 degree heat in AZ. 
Starting next year, weāll be spending our summers elsewhere.
You are 3,000 miles away and left our visiting company with your car that you have not changed the oil on in who knows how long. The engine light came on. They added oil. and more oil. And you are texting that the situation is NOT due to the oil? You even mentioned that you were late (no idea how late but I will find out) and yet did not check the oil before you left. You love your old car but donāt understand that they start eating oil???
Well, fingers crossed as they have added enough oil that the engine light went off and they are driving the two hours home. Your solution, āthey should have it towedā. Just who was driving 4 hours round trip to get them home? And no, I am not going to let you know this until you ask. You did not even know to turn the gas off on the grill when it was on fire last week. Your lack of life skills is unbelievable. Looks like being born with a silver spoon turned out to be a negative.
Right, there are no double standards here. None whatsoever.
Normally your calling to tell me youāre here two days earlier than planned for the wedding would be terrific news. I love both of you and we so rarely get to see each other anymore. Catching up would be a blast.
But this timeā¦ I just got home last night and havenāt been home since May something or other - before Memorial Day sometime. I allowed myself two days to try to clean up our place, get laundry done, catch up on bills, pony needs, and garden needs, etc, before visitors came. I almost came back today wondering if I could get it all done in one because leaving mom in ācaring, but not quite so capable handsā was heartwrenching - as are the texts Iāve received since. Iām glad I didnāt because H is out there now fixing a well pump that decided today was the day to quit working. Of course that had to happen now. It couldnāt wait a month, or happen early last month. Laundry and showers will wait until tomorrow, but at least we have tomorrow. Right now we donāt even have water for the toilet.
Or we thought we had tomorrow. Now I have to figure out how we can all get cleaned up to go out to supper and I know the talking will last long afterward even if we all know we donāt have āmuch timeā and āhave to get other things done.ā
My brain is starting to shut down after spinning from so much happening at once - probably why Iām on here venting instead of continuing where I was paying bills and cleaning. Two deaths, one near death, one wild card that could die or have some more time - tests are happening today - and one wedding with plans to head back to the near death and/or wild card areas almost immediately afterward. They arenāt even remotely close to each other - or us - of course.
At least H and I had some time together giving vaccinations and worm meds to ponies this morning figuring the timing was āclose enoughā and āthe best we can do right now.ā Who would have thought that would be stress relief? We thought we had two days of a mad, āget the list doneā schedule, but it was sort of doable. In reality we had the morning up until supper tonight, because hey, surprise!
Any chance youāre open to visiting Gettysburg, by yourselves, tomorrow? The Visitors Museum isnāt free, but itās there - or you could perhaps hire a private guide to drive your car around explaining the sites to you if one is available last minute. Iād really rather not have you here watching my every move or even trying to āhelpā considering your ages.
I suppose the plus side is if you have a motel room, we have access to a showerā¦
There are still wonderful, intelligent, caring folks out there! Thank you so much for telling me, āWell, we decided we wanted to stop in Gettysburg tonight because Iāve always wanted to see it. Is it ok with you if we just meet up tomorrow instead?ā when I called to see if youād reached us yet.
And thank you also for not being offended that I had forgotten to keep you updated about what was going on (seriously, sis told me she hadā¦). So many people get offended so easily and we didnāt mean to skip anyone. Our minds were fried.
Plus itās incredibly awesome to be married to H who can fix or replace practically anything. The bathroom is available again! (And kitchen, and laundry.) I can only imagine what that $350+ bill would have been if weād needed to call a plumber - if one had even been available on the spot.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. My brain can relax just a tad from this afternoon and that feels so good.
Back to cleaning, and now I can even use water, though there was plenty of mail/papers/sorting/bill paying from being gone and soon leaving again to keep me busy before!
ps Everyone should definitely have an emergency fund. Ours has been tapped quite a bit in the past three weeks for everything from water heaters, well pumps, airplane tickets, and unexpected meals + assorted other things needed at the drop of a hat when health issues arise far from home. An unused credit card with a decent balance available comes in handy too. I canāt even fathom having to handle all this without funds available.
One day of the week I set my alarm for a bit later - only to be awaken two hours early by some loud growls and squeaks coming from the ravine. Blasted raccoons! Take your squabbling elsewhere.
Even when you know how the story ends, itās still terribly hard when it does. Thank you Gabe, for all of the chapters you shared with us. How I wish there were a lot more to read.