Post Scripts

I have come back from watching a pretty heavy movie called Rachel Getting Married. As the parent of children who both once were in rehabs and/or psychiatric wards, it hit a lot of sensitive spots. Though far more dramatic than my own story, it was difficult to relive the years of 12-Step programs, the tears and the pain of not being able to help my children, having to face the part I played in the drama, and the day to day living in an atmosphere of mistrust and fear.

Now that I have a better understanding of the bigger picture, and how it all unfolded, I realize that it is a part of our paths- such as my having to deal with marrying an abusive husband who was so like my father, whose offspring payed such a high price----as well as my children's having to come to terms with their own abusive father, and forgiveness of their mother who did the best she could under horrid circumstances.

I am now very close with my daughter, and working on the relationship with my son. I have no doubt that we will all be AOK in the end.

PS 1 - I called Megan the other day and she was very very upset. One of her fellow soldiers, the last one left in the unit she was in, just killed himself when he got home from his third tour in Iraq. He came home to a wife who deserted him, and an empty house.

My heart ached for her and for him, and for the 1,000s of soldiers who will come back from Iraq and Afghanistan emotionally devastated. Though my daughter's cancer is our biggest concern, I know that she struggles with the trauma of an 18 year old serving in a war.

When will it end I wonder. I put my hopes on Obama and hope that he will figure out how to gracefully pull our soldiers out of Iraq, yet somehow help fix the country that they have destroyed thanks to W. I also hope that this administration will give our Veterans the services and support they deserve, with honor and generosity. How about bailing out our SOLDIERS who have given SO MUCH-----never mind the banks and everyone else who is whining for a chunk of the money. And I can't help but think that the car industry has contributed to some of their own problems, such as buying up plans for engines that were fuel efficient and shelving them. Greed greed greed and mismanagement has come to bite American in the ass.

PS 2 - The deadly smell. I come home today to a strong choking chemical smell coming from my basement. I noticed outside there were trucks in my streets with hoses and such, with a flagman/truck operator in the street. I donned my wool coat, and thick scarf, and headed up the street to ask him what was going on. He was very kind and sweet, and told me that they city was sealing up certain sewer lines, so that run-off water doesn't go into the city sewer treatment plant. I asked him about the smell and he told me that if I had an old house with a certain kind of drain I might be smelling the resins/fiberglass filler that they were pumping into the lines.

I was appalled as such materials are extremely toxic. I received no warning that this was going to be going on, nor of the possible odors that might ensue.

Methinks a call to the Public Works Department is in order, as well as a letter to the editor. I am PISSED.

So off to stew, and try and be happy with the fact that Hillary will probably end up Secretary of State.....

Patti O Postscripts!