Do You Have A Problem? Let's Talk About It.

Mariana, I work in a law office that specializes in probate, and pretty much every family, no matter how close, deals with tension when assets are divided. It's just so emotional to think that someone is getting more or less than others. People get really crazy and I have never once seen things go totally smoothly. I wish you luck at your meeting. Don't be intimated by the attorney. I'll be thinking of you.

I am sorry for your loss, Mariana.

Miz Jennifer - seriously, this is how it was. Mama and I were very close - I stayed with her half the year - for 25 years. Yes, I'm married - house, job, career - all of that. In last few years, mama was starting to lose her sight - so that meant more care but I did it alone - the other five basically avoided her. Well, they are all financially strapped and behind my back did acts of donation but didn't file them until after I sent them an appraisal and letter requesting to buy them out. Then, when I sent them a bill for the house insurance, they tried to intimidate me by saying they owned more shares than I did - In Louisiana, it doesn't make much difference as far as anything except they have to pay more for taxes. Ok well, that's the gist of it - thanks Miz Jennifer for your thoughts. The next two weeks are going to be spent putting together a complete book with receipts, photos, etc. My primary objectives are to have unfettered access to that house forever and hopefully get them to share in the bills. I'd prefer to buy them all out because they are all on Social Security disability and won't help me restore the house properly. Sorry for the babble. Thanks for any suggestions esp the intimidation thing - that lawyer has already been reprimanded publically for something - like comingling his funds with that of a client - anyway...he was the family attorney and now is theres...lol...conflict of interest....see how nutty I can get?! Salud.

Mariana, how different our experiences are, yet it is so easy to feel this discomfort over the visit to the attorney's office. My own experience was that both my aunt (who inherited from my maternal grandmother and my mother) and my grandmother on my father's side both died within months of each other. We (4 grandchildren) inherited from both. My father was still living at the time and he too inherited from his mother who was his adoptive mother but never adopted him through the court system. As a result letters had to be sent out to every living relative my paternal grandmother had. Cousins, etc. There were many. I want you to know that each and every relative contacted on my father's behalf quickly wrote back to the attorneys handling this denying any right to any claim on my grandmother's estate. Not one of all those many extended family members staked a claim. As for us four kids, we all met in my maternal grandmother's house one Saturday afternoon and each of us said the number one item we wanted the most and then the second and then the third and it went on and on and on. During the entire hours long procedure there was not the first squabble. I was proud to be one of this set of children. And to this day some 16 or so years later there has been no squabble, no sense of resentment. Of course, we had so much to divvy up. We had to full houses of furniture, jewelry galore. We even had a diamond ring to give every grandchild. I suppose it was just too easy for us all to feel saturated with heirlooms or knick knacks or furniture. Sadly though I wear glasses and because of the vascular disease in my eyes I still can't read easily and books are very difficult. And it quickly goes down hill from there. So very much like you, I have much to be grateful for and many blessings that are blatantly obvious to me, and still some things that are painful. We have heard many nightmare stories over inheritances. One in particular which is recent where the inheriting grandson (in his 50's I might mention) has done everything he could to take the entire inheritance and he had only his sister to share it with. And we are talking a couple million dollar inheritance. How greedy can one man be? How much money can he possibly need to go with the farm. Well, he didn't get the farm, and he didn't get his sister's share, and he is fuming mad. So sad. Uhoh. Have to go. Quick. Take care.

Oh it gets worse Miz Lynn...we were a close family but somehow the one brother who supported mama the most - went nutcase - and things started falling apart and weak folks go for what they can - you were so lucky Miz Lynn to have the experiences you had. Ours was so unlike that - I'm really embarrassed about the family situation and sorry to hang this pathetic laundry in public...but hopefully, others have the same problems and may be able to somehow get some help. I promised my mother I'd keep the house nice - and I'll fulfill that promise no matter what - I'm very strong and not easily intimidated. Despite the fact, that I would fly home at the drop of a hat to care for mama through five hospital stays, they despise me for my strength...GUILT BREEDS HOSTILITY and each one of them is hostile towards me...and I'm paying 90% of the expenses on the house!!! Thanks Miz Lynn...you're wonderful...Salud.

Good evening, Maraiana! Problems, eh? You know, life is good right now. I've been finding a place of peace with the reality that money is tight. That used to be a big deal, but God's thrown light on the path and given us the push on the behind to walk down that road.

About 3 years ago we took a big leap of faith, and I took a job that did not provide a salary (and still does not) My boss receives no salary, either. We are "missionaries", if you will - needing to rasie our funding for this ministry. It's 40 + hours a week and it's making a good difference in several churches in Southern California. (95% of this work is doen at no cost to the churches we serve - as an act of grace) Our families are very supportive - but it took my husband a while to "come around" to a place of understanding. (He would still rather I be bringing home some sort of consistent paycheck, but he has seen the value of this ministry himself)

So - I have a grateful and happy heart - in spite of life's trips and falls.

And Mariana - thanks for sharing about your many blessings. How blessed, indeed, and how bathed in love and light we are. I continue to pray for you and your family concerns. . .for peace to settle over all of you.

Blessings, my friend.

You're in my prayers. My day is comming.

Thanks Miz Judy - I replied back on your positive thing - you are always in my prayers and I feel yours and so appreciate every single prayer. Yes, I'm glad you came into my life my friend. You are doing what you were meant to do. I know your life is one filled with peace and that makes me happy. I too have a happy and good life. However, memorial day weekend time was mama and daddy's anniversary and all that and you know I am sad...thank you.

Really Marty - oh dear - can I help you in anyway - get in touch with me please. Salud.

That's a shame about your problems with your family. With death families can have so many stresses and they often take it out on the strong one. And we're left to hold on and endure without any support. It's good you have loved ones for support through a troubling time. And keeping a family home in good order, preserving a place that has such memories is good. I'm glad to hear you are healthy and don't even need glasses (you are SO lucky about the glasses thing! :-)) Good luck with your legal meetings, hon. Enjoy your wine and seafood and just relax for the evening!

I'll be thinking of you, Mariana. It's so hard when siblings get all greedy like this and don't put in their share of the work. You would not believe how common this is though so don't feel embarrassed in the least. I like how you want to preserve your mom's house. I bet that was very important to her.

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977010539

I was just going to send you an e-mail and direct you to see this lovely door this lady painted in her house. I saw it and thought of you.

I am sorry you are having all these problems with your mother's estate. My mother had nothing left when she died, so there wasn't any problem for my brother and I. I have seen a similar situation when my uncle died many years ago. It essentially divided his family of 5 kids who had always been close and they never really reconciled.

I have a couple major situations going on in my life but don't feel comfortable right now discussing them in an open situation.

Hope you can get things settled in a fair fashion as it sounds like you did a lot of the work . Take Colonel Possum along with you; he usually has a gun with him and can scare off that attorney. I would offer the services of my daughter who is an attorney but unfortunately, Louisiana is a little far away from where she is licensed!

A book about Lousiana?? How great is that!! Wow, I'm anxious to get ahold of that one when its published.

Miz Lynn C. Oh thought you knew I write books - well, they write themselves - lol...all about my little hometown area! Miz Wilma - if you ever want to talk - just message me or go to Bayoutoes@aol.com. That's my email address. Believe me, I understand loads about many things. Miz Jennifer - mama's house was on Main St. and it is lovely - she was the town's diva - everyone loved Mama T. I will definitely honor mama. I just want to do what is right and fair - I'm an honest person - we were raised that way - unfortunately a greedy inlaw managed to come in and manipulate everyone else's mind - weak minded ones follow like cows. I saw right through him but not soon enough...you're so sweet to take the time to reply - I have another good friend who is a paralegal and helps me out - says same thing - don't let them intimidate you - luckily the attorney is right next door to mama's house and the secretary there takes care of mama's cats! But...it's a small town. Thanks for your concern, Miz Jennifer!
Donna, your comment made me feel wonderful - yes, my husband is wonderful about helping me out. We can hold our heads high - with every fiber of our being we did what we could to help mama...

more later. thanks yall. SAlud.
Oh Miz Wilma - I will go look at that door

Mariana,I am sure everything will work out for you. I would hate to be in your situation. My husband passed away, not leaving a lot of money but lots of things and I can't get my kids to take them even though I want them to have them and he wanted them to also. But I think they are afraid they will be taking him from me and nothing could do that. I have the special things in life he gave me, including our sons, and enough jewelry to cover my fingers, neck and ears. I have taken care of giving a lot of my stuff to the grandchildren I know will take care of it while I am still alive. And if your mother left a will, which I hope she did and named you as the person to get the house, you shouldn't have a problem, and if you have been paying most of the upkeep and bills on the house, are you living there? It sounds, so. Well they say, possession is nine tenths of the law, so if you are, I wouldn't worry too much. I hope for the best for you. You have been a friend of mine here for a long time. Death is hard enough on anyone but a legal mess and infighting in a family only makes things worse. Stand your ground. Take care.

Miz Elsie - the house was already divided up - we each got a share. So we each have a deed to our share and each pay taxes...however, they don't want to help with insurance - which is fine but they should help with something...! If not, fine also but I want to use the house like I want and they can't do anything major to it without my permission - according to my attorney! I only live there six months out of the year...hope that counts as some kind of possession. I appreciate what you are saying very much. The basic thing is you don't get something for nothing in this world. Mama gave me her jewelry 20 years ago...she must have known something like this would happen. Oh yes, she'd love me to have the house - I wanted to buy the others out and give them usafrux...however you spell it - but see they want it all so they can rent it out or whatever and that's not my intention...thanks Miz Elsie - you're really an inspiration to me! I appreciate your comment so much. Salud.

Oh, my I am sorry for your problems, Mariana! - I hate to think when my Mother goes - my bum alcoholic brother already conned my Mom into changing the will a few years back where he gets everything and I get nothing, and my other brother only gets something if he's still sick. We caught it, and Mom felt like a fool that she had be conned, so we changed everything back where it's all equal. If my bum brother wants to drink his third that's fine, but why should he drink all of it? Actually, I hope my Mom uses it all on herself and there's nothing for any of us.

I personally am spending my son's inheritance so there won't be any for him to worry about - although he's an only child so there wouldn't be any squabbles anyway. Sadly, my bum brother is back in the picture again.... and who knows what he may be trying to con my Mom into this time! Families! What to do...what to do....! that's why I transport myself back into history or the backcountry and try not to think about it all any more...... I was the good sdaughter who stuck around all of her life and was always there for my parents - and Mom constantly gets conned by the bum on the street and thinks he's her little angel. So....Now that I know what I want to do with my life - I'm doing it and trying not to worry about the family stuff any more. Fortunately the family mementos that mean something have already been given to me so my brothers wouldn't lose them when they were down and out.

Mariana, It's very difficult to be the success in the family. I suspect that is part of what you are dealing with. I hope your brother who lost it gets through his pain soon and back on his feet. You really are not alone in this inheritance dilemma. Many people go through it. It is painful and hurtful and really messes with your head because you don't want to believe people who love each other do this to each other. Still you will get through it. Time will pass and most of the uproar willl settle down. At least I hope so. You, I am sure will be all right, if for no other reason you can go back to your other home and literally walk away from it. And there is still more than likely love in the family. People aren't perfect. I am not the success story in my family. My older brother was. And sometimes it really got to me. I admit that to me it often felt that my parents wasted their time having the rest of us because they so obviously had everything they wanted when they had Alan (my older brother). And, I do believe this is true. However, they had us and they did love us. It's sort of like our animals, I think. We really do love them all. The friction may be over money and possessions but it may be really about a sense of lessness, of them feeling inadequate in comparison to you. My sisters and brothers were blunt. Alan was the be all and end all. He was slotted to be a lawyer from the day he was born and the one who went to the best schools. (Ours were good, his was just best). But my brothers and sister will quickly to this day tell you I was the one Mama loved best. Mark was the cutest and has turned out to be quite the colorful actor and was a pride and joy to my father before he died. My sister was the "little mama", the professional cook at 9, the seamstress at 12, Marilyn Monroe at 13. I will say that while my grandmothers and my aunt and my father gave me absolute hell because Mama doted on me, my brothers and sister were not unkind. And when push came to shove as adults, my brothers and sister stood up against my aunt for being so cruel to me when my mother died. So we had our sibling jealousies and hurts, but we managed. I didn't attack Dede because she was Marilyn Monroe and I was a skinny, flat chested urchin. Alan reveled in Mark's acting even when he was a monkey in the Wizard of Oz at 6. And we all loved eating Dede's homemade sweets. Give it time. There is upset now. The years have a way sometimes of making people see the truth. I think some of your family will come around and realize you didn't do anything wrong to them. And you can learn to accept without pain the fact that some might be jerks with no realistic basis for it and go on with your life. And the world keeps turning. It'll be all right. These things just take time. And one more thing. At least you have an extended family. We are down to 3. Only me and my sister and baby brother are now living. We are it and I am the oldest. So you in one way can afford some upset. They may all not be fair with you, but more than likely some of them will be. If not now, then later. And yeah, "family" dirty laundry hurts. But you will survive that. I am still living down my daughter stealing the Virgin Mary. As long as I live I will never, ever get over it. So we all have our trials. A silly teenage prank turned into a felony charge. It all turned out okay, but among the Catholic community here at the time I didn't want to show my face. I thought I was going to die of absolute humiliation. Well, I didn't. And no one outside the family ever had the nerve to say anything to me about. Hang tough and let time pass. I'M ROOTING FOR YOU !

Boy I sure hear you on that. My mom passed away and left me as executor of her will which pretty much was nothing to distribute. But my oldest of two brothers didn't like it and made trouble with the step brothers and my sister sided with him and them. My younger brother and I were the ones who took care of her and were there to the end. She had nothing much to leave and it ended up a few trinkets here and there and the things she had me get before she passed. Everything else my oldest brother and steps got, they went in and stole and sold it. I didn't have money for attornies and all the court battles. The only thing I am upset is she wanted me to get the geneology book she finished and worked on for 25 years and I have no idea what happened to it. But it is material anyway. I let them just have it. But they still think I am a bad person why I have no idea. I didn't get anything out of it. Didn't want anything. Did as mom asked and sent the things to the siblings she directed that she did have me take until she was gone.

But worse than problems with them is my kids and the problems there. Can't go into it here though.

Well, The Lord - I wish I knew your other name but for now - it's ok - thank you - because you know exactly what I'm going through. It's not about things - it's basically that I resent them because mama nor my aunt were ready to die and they broke their spirits for their social security checks...however, as you know what goes around comes around. Mama said God doesn't sleep...so you know that she knew what was going on...thanks so much for dropping by...wow Miz Lynn - will read in the morning - I'm bug eyed...many hugs. Salud.

Miz Lynn - I do love you - thank you because you understand exactly what I'm going through - forgive me for laughing about the Virgin Mary thing - please - but it brought a smile to my face...and I needed that... you're awesome - so glad you're back...I'm ok with things...mama is with me...my aunt is with me. I carry others suffering sometimes too much. I am overly compassionate...however, like mama said - God is good...and God Bless America. I'm lucky that I took the time to enjoy my beloved mother...yes, I have a niece who loves me and she is the love of my life! Thanks Miz Lynn - I'll drop you a line later. Hugs to all...Salud.

My parents divorced when I was in my late teens and at the times of their deaths, neither of them had anything of value. Nor did they have any debts, so in some ways we were lucky. However, something happened when my mother died, which bothers me to this day. We all went to the funeral, but when it came time to go to the burial, my sister and one brother said they had to head home, which was 900 miles in the other direction of the cemetery. So they did not attend the burial. When my other brothers and I went to my mother's apartment the next day to go through her things, we found that everything which was of any sentimental value had been taken by my sister. Even drawings and things that I had done for my mother had been taken by my sister. She didn't ask any of us if we wanted any of it, and she didn't tell us. It was as though she just thought since she got there first, it was fair game. I love my sister but still resent that action, and when I've been to her home and seen my drawings and paintings hanging on her walls, etc, it still bothers me. It has been 17 years. I would have liked to have these things to pass on to my son (She has no children) but I don't have that option.

It's not the same thing as your situation, but it shows the same tendencies. My sister is usually the most generous person in the world, but at a time of grief, people sometimes react badly. My prayers are with your family... I sincerely hope that you are able to resolve this and put it behind you.

Mariana,
I want you to know that if you need someone in you corner for that meeting with them and the atty, please let me know. I don't know much about the laws of inheritance, but I have one hell of an evil stare that I can shoot at certain people within that room.
Life here is as chaotic as ever as far as work is concerned. The kids finished school on thursday 5/24 so they are now staring at us as parents wanting something to do. Nola hauled tailed the day after graduation, she's enjoying her "me time" before doing the job search and starting college.
I am registering our youngest one in a couple of vacation Bible schools to try and keep her busy and out of trouble, at least for the morning anyway. After that, I am unsure of what I am going to do with her. Our son, he's the middle child of this house, we are unsure of what to do with him as well. He's now 14, too old for Bible camps, he has no interest in sports, so we are stuck in how to keep him busy, any ideas? He's a great worker, wanna him?
Dh and I's relationship is dwidling down, it's a long story, but unfortunately, I see a divorce in the very near future for us. We are so darn angry at each other that it's imposing on the relationship with the children. I suggested a marriage counselor, he won't go and going alone just won't produce the desired results.

A friend and I were out for a walk during lunch. We were grumbling about things at work and just hashing up the usual negativity that people often fall into. Then we passed a man without legs scouting along the sidewalk seated on a skateboard. He was having a blast.

My buddy turned to me and said "WE have NO problems".


Please do not misunderstand, we all have hard times, and it is important to talk about them but that legless man on the skateboard has always been an anchor of reality that I grasp when life turns gray.

...you know, I am not a violent person nor do I easily become enraged...but as I read your article and the comments that followed, my blood pressure started to rise...why is it that material wealth can cause people so much sadness...obviously, your siblings don't give a hoot what your Mama's last wishes were...how can they honor her memory as they greedily grab for rental purposes that which your Mother held dear. I'm with you Mari...!

We're going through much the same thing here.... so much manipulation and BS around my mother in law's will. She had reasons forwhat she did - but her wishes seem to be the last thing on anybody's list of priorities.

Hi Mariana
Been there done that. I lost nearly all my respect for mankind for a long while.
My advice...do your bookwork to the best of your ability and get rid of all those attachments. Be free. Maybe it costs money but freedom has no price.
I'll say prayers for you. Be strong.

My dear friends - wow - this is so wonderful to wake up in the morning and have this much support from all of you. Miz Vicky, oh listen this has been going on for a couple of years now. It's surfaced because I wanted to buy everyone out to spare them all the expense of restoring, insuring, and paying for the house. Mama had very few possessions - they were mostly things that we gave her - we used to call them Early Accumulations. So, that's not the problem. Yes, the house has sentimental feelings for me. Mama and Daddy were married around Memorial Day so that's why I'm feeling blah plus all next week, I begin the legal preparations.

Fred, your prayers are so appreciated.

flit - mama wanted to be in her home - I was there to take care of her - I could afford nurses should I have to run to the store. These family members wanted to use her little social security check and Veterans Pension...that's why they moved her to their house. Her wishes didn't even count. They even told her -an 86 year old woman that she would have to change her routine...her joy was getting her little Popeye's Fried chicken on Sundays...I brought it to her every Sunday no matter what. You see I was there from June - November every year so I had to come back and last two years she'd stay with them until I got back.

Bob, thank you - well, my blood pressure rises so much. I prepared my whole life to take care of mama - to have summers off, lived frugally so I could buy her clothes and things and then she gets moved out of her house so that they could use her check. Yes, I am waiting to hear back from Social security right now with my questions.

Greg - I have a friend who was beautiful - a great dancer - I last saw her dancing at one of the class reunions - in her prime - had a three year old daughter. Suddenly her brother was killed offshore and her little daughter got leukemia and died quickly - in one month or something like that. Then, she was in an accident and is now a paraplegic and lives in the nursing home. Her mother has cancer and my precious friend spends her days in a wheelchair with limited mobility. Now, that's problems - yet she is never down - she smiles. She's my Faith! So, yes I know that people have far worse problems than this. Mine is contained. I do everythign with an honest heart and a paper trail - lol...I just wanted to offer up a forum for other folks who are going through this very common thing when folks die.

Stephanie - oh girl, now you need someone in your corner! I'm fine. It's owners ONLY meeting - no husbands or anything and I have an evil eye as well. I did everything right - but lawyers can be crooked. We'll see how it works out. I'm sure I'll be bending your ear. Yes, I will be needing some help around the house. I'll let you know - it's too bad you live so far away.

Ok more later. Thank yall so much for your thoughts. Salud.

I know what you are going through. I lost my grandparents last year and my father was named the executor of their estate. This was quite a surprise since they did not acknowledge him much while they were alive. Now he has to try to divide the estate between he and his three sisters. This has been very stressful. I hope your meetinggoes well and tht you will get some relief from your stress!

David - I so appreciate you dropping by - and hope I don't sound like a whiner - just as I said above - maybe others are in same boat and we can shed light or something...I need to get over my resentment but it's difficult when the very people you trusted - family members - get desperate to survive and take desperate measures. I hope things work out for your father - poor guy certainly doesn't need the stress at his age. Thanks hon - appreciate as always hearing from you.

Julie - it breaks my heart about the paintings and drawings. Maybe you can ask her to scan them. I scanned all the family pictures for my sister to hang on her wall and put the originals in a special area in case of fire. It's good to have a copy of things anyway. Maybe she would do that for you. At least, you'd have something. I know it's horrible that they could do that. Before this happened to me, I had heard it happening to people but thought oh no - not our family. Oh yes. Well, it's not the material things that bother me. I own two fully furnished houses - it's the fact that my beloved mother had to have stress her last two years of her life just for a measly $700 a month. I would have given them that if I could have had mama back at HER house where SHE wanted to be. Thanks Miz Julie for dropping by! Salud.

Mariana - well, the last couple of weeks have helped me prioritize - financial worries had gotten me to a place bordering on despair, and then Deb got sick. That made me take a big step back and realize that there is nothing more important than having her walking by my side. The rest of it we will work through. So, I hope today has brought you a sense of calm about all this you must face with your family. Your mama would be proud of you for holding true to the promise that you made.

Oh my dear Miz Tonia - dear - I am so sorry - financial worries are not good. Yes, sometimes we have to simplify our lives for the sake of health. Just know I am hoping that all will go well and so glad that Miz Debbie is doing better.

Yes, well, mama was a quiet person - she never complained. Thank you for saying what you did. Mama did tell me she was proud of me and I will carry that in my heart forever. I did what I could for her but when they go you realize all the things you missed. There are things I do not understand about medicare - etc. I am looking for the answers now. I'm going through mountains of paperwork. Thanks so much for coming by - much love and light to you and Miz Debbie. Salud.

Mariana, I don't think I knew at the time of my mother's funeral that my oldest brother had to pay the whole bill by himself. However, I did know it later. I suspect you are the equivilent of my brother in your family. I greatly and painfully regret not being able to first tell him thank you for handling the funeral arrangements and I also regret being at the time unable to do my share. Of course, I was never asked because everyone knew we were in college and had no money. Still, I wish I could have thanked him. Your family may feel the same as time goes by. I hope so. I hope they have time to make amends with you too, and tell you they appreciate you. Grief can cause people to act very cruelly. I hope time makes this better for you. And yes, I thought you'd enjoy the Virgin Mary debacle. I can't tell you how horrible it was. But, growing up in LA in a heavily Catholic area I think you totally understand. They intended to put her back. Their whole goal was to have the principal of the school look out her window and find her missing. They had no intention of keeping the Blessed Virgin. Unfortunately the police dropped her and broke her. 13,000.00 dollars of pure Italian marble. My daughter was facing 3 years in prison. That year my stomach was in my throat. The Judge kept her on probation and promised her prison if she failed to make the payments for the statue. She had to pay to replace the statue. I think it ended her criminal career (which began and ended with the statue). We would not help her pay for the statue. She had to do it on her own. Not because I would have minded the money, but I felt so strongly it would be wrong to pay for her mistakes. She needed to do it and let me tell you, those 3 years it took to pay for that statue were 3 long miserable years for her. I can imagine in my mind the Blessed Virgin smiling at Jennifer and suggesting she come visit again.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss and grief. Eventually things get sorted out. So go out in the sun and have a good time.

Mariana~ You will get through this sunshine!!! Just hit them head on!!! Your mama is working with you...through you!!!

Mariana, I'm sorry for the loss of your mother. Hopefully, everything will work out with the lawyers.

When my aunt passed away my mom and my other aunt (my mom's other sister) were to divide everything left behind. Well, my aunt went in with her grown kids and just about cleared the house of everything that wasn't tied down. She left us all the stuff they didn't care for. I believe what goes around comes around.....

thank you Miz Carmen, Miz Debbie, Ravi, Miz Lynn - I appreciate yall stopping by - this isn't at all about possessions - it's really about the lies that were told and mama having to leave her house to support someone else with her social security check when she had usafruct of her own house...I think there's a crooked lawyer floating around...Salud.

Well.... What a way to make my "comeback'?
I decided to reply to your "latest" article and I read about family problems? Not exactly the best topic for the Funny Guy to work his magic but I'll try.

Ok, say I had two brothers and one sister and my pet pigeon (Rocky) dies. Now I was the one who took care of Rocky when he was just a little chick pigeon. I feed him, took care of him - the whole nine yards. Suddenly, the "family" finds out that rocky was a very rare bird and worth 4 Billion dollars.

The one brother says he's entitled to half the money because he "Babysat" Rocky one time (the bird lives in a cage - what form of baby sitting is there?)
I tell him - listen punk, you ain't getting squat! Rocky doesn't even know who you are.
The other brother dives in there as says he's entitled to 80% of the money because according to him, Rocky liked him more than me? I grab the other brother by the neck and pin him to the wall and said I'll give you 80% if you know how much weight Rocky can bench press? (the answer is 50 pounds) - that's right he didn't know so he's out of the picture.

The sister gives it a crack and says she's entitled to ALL OF THE MONEY because she's the one who taught Rocky how to talk. Right then and there she just screwed herself. I said tell me one word that Rocky knows? She started sweating like a mule and I told her she was lying because Rocky was dumb as a door nail (but had a hard body) so I said nice try sister but no prize for you.

So what did we learn here? You know who's BOSS so don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

keep laughing
The Funny Guy

oh Funny Guy - Thank you for stopping by!~!!! it is so good to see you - you're funny no matter what - I've really missed you! Welcome back - it's triple points week! So, time to write one of your amazingly funny stories so all of us can come and comment on it!!! I haven't seen Jadan around but Sue and Wilma are around and I'm sure would be happy to hear from you!!! Salud.

The worst in family members arises when estate matters are at hand. You are well to avoid doctors unless necessary. I wear glasses but take no medication, except for when I get bronchitis.

Be well my friend. This will be a good time for you.

Sending a 10 your way, Mariana!

Mariana, The Gather guillotine of the upgrade is about to fall ....
Sorry you have these challenges. I think this sort of thing is quite common. My grandmother never talked to one of her brothers after her parents died. So I had cousins who were strangers...the bad boy brother was a judge...

I HOPE because of this that all us kids thought was shameful...plus the wonder love that my mother is, I hope we will all be civil when that day comes. Most of my sisters want to keep the family lands and homestead together in joint ownership, so I am good with that. I really hope everyone will work together.

I will send you positive vibes of good will...I come from a long line of mystics, psychics, aura readers and healers...plus whacky engineers and violin makers. I should be able to muster up some sort of positive vibes for your relatives!

Ellie -how did you find this - thanks so much - I am really grateful to come back and read this because I need to tell you what happened at the meeting. thanks so much. that was a year ago!!! Blessings. Salud.

Mariana, I was not a member of gather a year ago and did not know of the transition of your mom. God bless you and I pray that the family situation has resolved itself. I to am glad that Ellie found this, because I got to know a little bit more about you. Salud my friend.

Stumbling across this may be timely.

I expect that before too much longer I will have to deal with the divisioning of family assets; and I do not look forward to that.

Thanks for sharing your pain and frustration. It gives me a heads-up.

Hope everything worked out for ya.

Peace --

blessings all of you - this happened a year ago - I can't tell you the burden it placed on me. They all hovered together but let me tell you - I was in the right - yes, I was and not for profit or gain - I know that in order to get anything in life one has to work hard -here's the scoop - my lawyer said well my lawyer said to them - you have to pay whatever per centage you own - if you own 55% (which my sister did cause she behind my back bought the brothers off) then you pay 55% of the insurance and maintenance - also, they were instructed to pay me for the roof I put on and pay a per centage of the utilities while I am gone - very minimal...they haven't done a thing and so I am paying almost $400 a month to keep the house going and that's ok. God works in mysterious ways and I'm doing great. I could have run singing out of the lawyers office -- they are cutting the grass for which I am grateful. I dont' want bad blood because we all grew up close but one has to realize that old homes need repair and when you live in the middle of bayou country, hurricanes can (and have been brutal) - more on this later - I do have funny stories but let me assure you my blood pressure is normal again and mama is still inside of my heart cheering me on. Life is good and I want each one of you to know how much I appreciate your help. It warms me inside. Blessings, Salud.