As many of you know, I have two step-children although I always see them and refer to them as my son and daughter. I came into their lives when they were quite young, 5 and 3. Two nights ago, their father died of complications from Covid in a nursing home where he had been for the past three years after suffering brain bleeds.

The kids were able to say final words to him the night before his death through the window of the nursing home. And one nurse stayed with him over night until he died.

He was a good guy. He often thanked me for taking care of the kids. When the boy had football or baseball games, he'd bring me coffee. And we both gave away our daughter at her wedding.

I'm saddened for my children.

I am so sorry to hear of that. I do know what it is like to see people close to you suffering.

Leanne has had to put up with her brothers suicide, two miscarriages, her mother’s cancer, and me explaining how she ensnared my heart. She remains resolute.
I may come across as an insufferable egotistical fool, but I am kind hearted.

Sorry, John, that's rough.

found one schlitzy



Background

The record was named after the Telstar communications satellite, which was launched into orbit on 10 July 1962. Written and produced by Joe Meek, it featured either a clavioline or the similar Jennings Univox, both keyboard instruments with distinctive electronic sounds. It was recorded in Meek's studio in a small flat above a shop in Holloway Road, North London. "Telstar" won an Ivor Novello Award and is estimated to have sold at least five million copies worldwide.[3]

"This was one of the first sci-fi-influenced pop songs," observed Tim Wheeler of Ash. "For its time it was so futuristic and it still sounds pretty weird today. It features Matt Bellamy's dad George on guitar… You can hear traces of it in Muse. 'Knights of Cydonia' was definitely him tipping his hat to his dad."[4]

I watched it for a little while. I like to watch things on TV.

Sounds like something from a soundtrack to a Western. Just watched Clint Eastwood Inside the Actors Studio last night, did I.

I'll never forget Sharon Stone's Inside the Actors Studio... they take questions from the students at the end, and one gal broke down and cried during her brief chat with Sharon, owing to some kind words . Oh it's good

it was also the first british song to hit our charts. the real british invasion.

I think all this is really starting to affect people. Before I don’t think that I have had a phone conversation longer than 10 minutes with my brothers, even following our mothers death. Just spent an hour talking to one and then another hour speaking with the other.

Another paranoiac.

I have two brothers as well. And when we talk on the phone, it's usually for an hour or more. But it's been like this for years. They are talkative.

My relationship with my one full sibling, a brother, just sounded its death knell, literally 30 minutes ago. It was ugly as it gets lmao text exchange

oh well... we hadn't much of a relationship anyway

Very sorry to hear that. I feel uber fortunate that I have an excellent relationship with all of mine.

I hope you all are well and enjoying summer as best you can.

thx, brother. kind words.

Schlitz, I am pretty much estranged from my immediate family because of politics. We still talk and put on a brave face, but I have a very hard time respecting the people I love anymore.

It says something about my relationship with my brothers that we had to divide up a £200000 estate between us. We did this informally, without any of us thinking that any of the others would try to stitch the others up.

Schlitz,

Sorry to hear of your falling out. You seem like a good person, too bad you guys aren't able to work it out.

Strange how those things go sometimes. Sometimes you just don't click with those you're related to, and end up feeling much closer to people you meet along the path of life.

I'm sorry to hear it Schlitzy. Think of it as a hibernation rather than a death knell -- sometimes these family matters sleep for a few years or a few decades and come back to life.

We did almost the same. I tried to give my youngest brother, who took care of everything, an extra 10k from the estate, but he wouldn't take it. But people do stupid **** when it comes to inheritance. My kids are dealing with their biological father's estate now, and there's no problem. I'm grateful for that.

Family matters are strange. My dad's family, five brothers and two sisters, all got along (my dad and his four brothers played sports together and won a US Softball championship), but my mom and her three sisters, all Irish, would go for a couple years without speaking to each other over some stupid thing but then make up.

Funny, now, that I almost never see cousins from dad's side of the family but am close to all my cousins from mom's side.

Wise words, Phat. These things have a way of healing, but sometimes you need to reach out, too.

Similar here, my mom's accounts got out-of-balance toward the end of her life. I was beneficiary on a much larger amount than my brother was.

I gave his family some money each of the last couple years to make things closer to even. They were very appreciative, and made it clear they neither expected it, nor was I obligated to do so. But, it was the right thing to do, so I did.

Before that heartless bastard Dominic tries to shut me up again two more things about brothers.
I have not shaved for a while, when Bro no 2 came around I said “I think that it makes me look handsome “ “Who do you think you are kidding?”
I have neglected the house recently due to a slight mental collapse. He said “Nothing that a vacuum cleaner and some strong chemicals can’t sort out “

relatives are people just like anyone else. you can or cannot have to like them or even talk to them.
it is the old fashion thing that you have to cow down to them just because of some related blood ties.
if you dont like someone dont talk to them, simple as that. dont feel bad about it.

i see people stuck in some city they hate to live in because some relative is there and needs them. so they give up their whole life for someone else that isnt giving up theirs.