My father called and left another message on the machine. It was almost a minute long, and he said he just wanted to say hello. He also said "sorry I called you a name but I lost my head and got mad a the world, but now Social Security has sent me emergency money for my utilities now....And everything's okay". Then goes on about his health problems, blah, blah, blah. I suppose I should be thankful that he apologizes for calling me a bitch, but it all kind of rings hollow after a while. And it's obvious he's been doing his crazy impulsive spending again if he had to get emergency funds from SS again. When will he ever learn?

Ah, those parents.... {shaking head and chuckling ruefully}

Honestly, I can't wait to get this or another modem working with the caller ID so I can just zap his calls before they even get to me. I don't want to hear his voice, his sob stories, or his excuses anymore. I've just had my limit. :(

On a brighter note (laaaa!), DH and I are driving down to Tennessee next weekend for a get-together with other members of Dave's Garden! I think there's going to be around 75 people there, including families and kids of members, and we have a whole campground to ourselves. It's about an 8 hour drive each way, and we'll be roughing it with (1) No A/C in the car and (B) both dogs with us for lack of money to board them. Actually, it'll probably be better that way since we'll be used to the heat by the time we get there, plus I want our friends to meet Sarah and Emma. There will be loads of kids around (especially since Michele's coming with six little girls in tow, LOL!), plus other folks are bringing their dogs, so I think our girls will stay occupied. We can't wait to meet our friends from DG!

I hate hearing people say that online friends aren't real friends. Frankly, I communicate with my online friends far more than I do with my parents or even local friends. I participate in the DG forums every day, and chat with many of my online buddies every day as well. We post prayer requests, stories from our days, and share our triumphs and tragedies; when we finally meet in real life, then, it's like we've known each other for years and we have a great time.

Sure, we don't share everything with people, and the internet does afford a measure of anonymity and the ability to create whatever personae we want, but don't we do this in our "real" lives with "real" people, too? Most of us have certain confidantes with whom we share our nitty-gritty secrets and dreams, but most of us also have casual friends and acquaintances with whom we just hang out and have fun. I don't think there's anything wrong with that; I don't think anyone can (or should) have nothing but deep, intense relationships with a great many people. And sometimes the friends in the two camps merge and switch spots, as the situation dictates. Hey, it's a big enough world for both.