Well, I can finally breathe a bit.

Brother Mine left Friday.


The visit was...nice, weird and exhausting.

I don't know what other people feel when something like that happens in their lives, because I am not other people.

The closest thing I can equate it too is perhaps a sibling group that is separated as children, put up for adoption or taken to foster care, and then find each other 25 years later.

There are a few memories, mostly painful, none good really. There is a physical family resemblance. There are some mannerisms that you find you have in common. You discover you have the same acerbic sense of humor. You both have a love of music that manifests itself differently in your lives. Still, I was glad he took the time and energy to come and reconnect. I do miss him. I do love him. I do NOT love my other two brothers and have no wish to see them whatsoever. Of the three, us two were the closest in age, and personality, and also experiences.


We didn't so much grow up together as we occasionally interacted. Our groups of friends included people in common, so we did see each other as children, older children I mean. The teen years. But, other than small children, we have no real history at all together.

I had a very weird childhood. Which led to a very weird adulthood LOL

It was sort of like that.

It kind of opened Pandora's box, which needed to be kept tightly closed LOL. I managed.


The kids enjoyed the visit, both young and old kids.

Currently, today is Tuesday.

¾ Pint has now joined the household. She was still refusing to go to school in Pittsburgh. Nursey signed the Power of Attorney, and we enrolled her in the same school with Pint and ½ Pint. The first day went really well. There is already a kid in her classroom that she goes to karate with. She knew people on the bus. She liked her teacher and her class. She had a good day.

The weekend went fine. Monday morning came. She got up, got dressed, and everything was fine. Till it was time for the bus. Then, she sat in the chair and grabbed hold. DH was up because we knew this might happen. I told him to grab her and go to the door. He did, she was screaming. He carried her to the door and gave her to me. I put her over my shoulder and we trucked on down the driveway with her kicking and screaming the entire way. We stood there, she calmed down, I held onto her little arm. When the bus came, she started again, trying to run. I picked her up, over my shoulder, and up onto the bus we went. I plopped her skinny little butt down in the chair, said “hi Pam, how are you this morning?” to the bus driver, the other kids sat down and off the bus I went. I heard Pam say as I went down the stairs, “honey, you have to stay in your seat, I am driving and shutting the doors....”

I picked them up at school, off to karate we went. Got home, ate, went to bed.


This morning she awoke. Got fed. Meds. Dressed. Hair. Bathroom.


Watched TV with cousins. Alarm went off, I said “c'mon girls, time to go.” Put on her hoodie. Got bookbag. Out the door she went. Turned and said “Meemaw, will you walk me down to the end of the driveway?”

I said of course I will. And did. The bus came. She held my hand. I walked her to the stairs, and up she went.

I turned around and went back into the house.

It's a good day. ¾ Pint seems to be doing well. Big sigh of relief.