Updates!

Thank you, everyone, for contributing to the story yesterday. I appreciated the creativity!

And now, here are some updates on the various sagas I continue to report that influence or affect my life on a regular basis:

Ozma is doing well. She has recently been offered a good job, and seems to be putting the past behind her. Her daughter has decided to join the Marines and is sticking to her guns. Ozma is terrified that she'll go immediately into the war, and I don't know what to tell her. The more she tries to dissuade her, the more gung-ho her daughter gets. Of course, Ozma realizes that someone has to be over there fighting, but she's not too thrilled with our presence over there to begin with, and doesn't feel like sacrificing her child either. The war has suddenly become intensely personal.

The possums are doing well, also. It's interesting to see how their personalities are so different. Peanut (our little boy) has grown slightly. I can't quite figure him out. I think he's a con artist, though. He will act very sweet and passive until he thinks your back is turned and then he'll bolt for it. Last night he tried that, and when I caught him, he began growling ferociously and tried to nip me repeatedly. It's pretty funny, until you start thinking that something the size of a teacup could become quite a threat when it's the size of a housecat. Hopefully we'll get him past this quickly.

Pie (our girl) is growing rapidly and is now the size of a large kitten. She has never growled or bit, but continues to sit there idiotically, with her mouth askew, drooling, when threatened. It's actually quite comical, and will be a conversation piece in the family Christmas cards if this continues. Pics of both possums are forthcoming in the next few days.

Julie, mother of Elvira Mistress of the Dark, decided to stop talking to me over a month ago. That's fine with me, except that she owes me lots of money. So, eventually we will have to talk. In the meantime, she has her space.

The problem that occurred: Elvira has 19 year old sister with the attitude of Lil Kim and the brains of Britney Spears (let's call her Lil Brim). We were all supposed to get together one evening and The Other Half told me outright that if he had to sit with Lil Brim, he would finally tell her exactly what he thought of her (he's not big on diplomacy). So, I cried off (claiming I wasn't feeling well - and I truly wasn't) and Julie hasn't forgiven me yet. I figured at the time that discretion was the better part of valour, but perhaps I was wrong. (I must admit that my friendship with Julie is not entirely unselfish on my part: she gives me good material and makes me feel that my life has never been that screwed up, which is a reward in itself.)

And, of course, I am staying busy with work, hobbies, and home life as always.