TheBanyanTree: Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

[Laura]

Today was the big freebie day at King's Island, near SinSinCity.  We 
decided not to go, for many reasons, not the least of which was that 
Larry has had lots of overtime and is plumb wore out.  Two hours drive, 6 
hours walking around riding on rides that give you a headache, and two 
hours drive home again just didn't appeal.

Kids were cool with that.  Especially since we told them we would go out 
to eat and then go see this movie that they really were just *dying!* to 
see.  

My cell phone was flat, so I left it home recharging.  Larry's was flat 
too, but we took it in the car with us, just in case we needed to make a 
call out.  It stayed in the car during lunch and the movie.

We got home about 4 hours later with some neat purchases from the 
discount book store and the discount toy store near the theatre.  I sat 
down to read, Larry played on eBay, and the kids went to do whatever it 
is they do outside.  Fight, probably.

As the sun started to go down, I figured that now would be as good a time 
as any to water the front garden, which was starting to wilt from 
neglect.  As much rain as we've had all year, it's hard to remember that 
NOT having rain for two weeks is bad for the plants!

As I was coming back in to get a plastic bag to get the chipmunk carcass 
out of my fountain (apparently the animals are thirsty too, and they 
can't swim very well), I heard the phone ringing.  I picked up the phone, 
and saw that it was Larry's aunt.  Just then the answering machine picked 
up.  I must have not heard a couple of rings.  I pushed the talk button 
on the phone, and the stop button on the answering machine, but Donna had 
already hung up.  That's when I noticed that the machine had 5 messages 
on it.

No big deal, I have two ads in the paper, trying to sell a mattress, and 
a lawn mower.

I picked up my now charged phone, and checked it - 3 voice messages.

Uh, oh.  This isn't good.

I pushed play on the machine.  The first message was Larry's cousin, 
letting us know that his sister's husband had a heart attack this 
morning.  He died instantly.  Sitting at the table one moment, and 
slumped over dead the next.  His 12 year old son was with him.  

This is the husband of the sister who has, well, mental troubles.  She is 
not well balanced.  The same sister who has been making the settling of 
her mother's estate a real hell for her brother - my husband.  We didn't 
realize how much we had been depending on her husband to help out with 
the care and maintainance of her.

Geez.  Now what are we gonna do?  What are her poor kids gonna do?  I 
feel terrible for thinking of myself and my family right now, but that's 
what I'm doing.  Are WE gonna have to be responsible for this incompetent 
and her kids?  I just can't - I really can't.  I would lose *my* mind, 
too.  This puts so much pressure on my husband, and he is already 
mentally stretched almost to the maximum.

Don't get me wrong.  I liked Tim.  He was a great guy, who stuck by his 
wife's side through thick and well, just about as thin as it gets!  He 
took good care of his family, and he will be sorely missed. 

But God, why oh WHY couldn't you have waited until Mom's estate was 
settled before you took him?  Then she would have had a steady income, a 
house, something to count on.  Right now, she has nothing, and we have 
all the responsibility.  Why now?

Oh, I'm sure I'll figure it all out in time, but right now, I'm not a 
very happy camper.  

-- 
Laura
wolfljsh at insightbb.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~wolfljsh/index.html