Baby & Boy

I think this is the first time my nephew has ever held a baby!

Beyond Cute!

This cute dog belongs to my sister and she is the best & cutest little lap dog. She is just darling! My chihuahua Duke has a big crush on her.

When Parents Are Too Toxic to Tolerate - NYTimes.com

Sometimes you feel right on trend with things and this is my situation at the moment. I have just returned from a 2 week journey to hell and back. Oh yeah it was my vacation to Europe with my dad & his wife. As I was in some kind of delusion I could handle the depressed evil person known as my dad,I foolishly agreed to join them on a tour of Europe. I had no idea that this was with my dads wife's group from work, a screaming meemee of a group that move as sheep from one historic site to the next snapping pictures, buying Euro tourist crap and yet absorbing nothing of the people or the culture. Why do I call her my dads wife instead of my step mother? That is because she had more the status of most favored daughter than any kind of a mother. Oh mention please that she is just 3 years older than me and came over here as a mail order bride and you will get some kinda idea who my father is. But the deal between them would take more time than I have, so just suffice it to say, my dad bought what he thought was a servant and the tides have now turned.
So now aside from all the verbal abuse I took from him on the trip. Yes he was just incredibility mean and laser sharp with his multi criticisms of me, that one would think he was not getting senile, which he is. The point is aside from that, I still got the feeling that when I was alone with him he wanted to hit me! Yes push me around and slam me into walls or hit me with his belt, all the stuff he did when I was a kid.
What do you do with someone like this? The pity I feel for him is huge. He is the most unhappy person I have ever encountered. But do I continue to let him tell me I am fat & ugly? Do I continue to let him intimidate me? When does one stop feeling scared of being beaten by someone and that someone is their father?
When does an 82 year old man stop ruining your life?
I have some choices to make about how I want to spend my time and who I want to spend it with. Nothing is certain right now except that the game has changed and some people are getting stronger and some people are getting weaker.

Mind - When Parents Are Too Toxic to Tolerate - NYTimes.com

The New York Times > Arts > Image >

The golden Orb Spider has long been desired as an object for silk production. Now the spider is being used to make silk in a massive way. Will it too be used to death like the humble honey bee?

""And what became of the spiders, without whose very personal contributions the textile would not have been possible? While some died in its production, Mr. Godley and Mr. Peers said they set up a system in which the spiders being used were released daily, and detailed spreadsheets were kept to chart the number of spiders used, their yield and the casualty rate.""

Welcome to Michelle's Law - History and Background

This has now become federal law. It is too late for all those who went before, but at least it is now in place. As a mother who had a seriously ill college student this law was too late for us. My child did not die but the hardest part of the illness was dealing with the insurance people and the school. My child had to worry about keeping a full load so she could keep her insurance.
The passage of the Bill is too late for Michell but through her pain and suffering we will all benefit. We all owe her a great deal of gratitude.
God Bless You Michelle and may you rest in peace.

Welcome to Michelle's Law - History and Background

Cat Cafe in Japan

This is a cafe in Japan that has a bunch of cats that live in it and you pay to come in and eat and play with them. I like this idea but in America we have rules that no pets can be around food in a public place. The Cafe is called "Calico Cafe"
I used to have a calico cat and her name was Poppy. I love me some Poppy. She lived to about 15 years old then her kidneys gave out and she died a long sad death. I wish I had put her to "sleep" sooner but I kept her alive even though she was in pain because I loved her too much. When she died I vowed to not get anymore cats. I still had 2 more living cats and then they died too. I was heartbroken.
So now I am cat free and will not be getting anymore cats as I just get too attached to them. Also, they used to make my eyes itch!

My Mother

My mother was a beautiful Latin Lady. She was Spanish & Portuguese. Her father came from Salamunca, Spain. Her mother was born here but her parents came from the islands called The Azores that are a part of Portugal.
The Azores look very green & peaceful but perhaps for some they are too isolated. I do not know why her family from the Azores moved here. Was it to have a "better life"? I want to go visit The Azores.
The picture is from a private memorial....just me & her...that I had for her to mark the anniversary of her 30th year in Heaven. She is around 17 years old in this photo. In 28 years and 5 children later she would be dead.
Rest In Peace Dear Mother, you did a good job while here on earth. I love you & miss you.