What to do when you're the 'grown-up'

So here I go, throwing a pity party for myself. I know it, and I'm sure I'll be told by certain friends what I 'NEED' to do. But you know, with financial issues, and feelings of obligations doing 'what needs to be done' and 'knowing what should be done' are two different things. Many times in the past I have griped about family stuff, and mainly my problems with my mom. And although we have our ups and downs mom and me, I have to say we're becoming one another's support system and allies due to the living situation we're in.

You see, I live with mom and her sister. We're pretty much like the 'Golden Girls' with my mother probably being 'Sophia', me being 'Blanch' and my aunt....well although I'd love to say she's the 'Dorothy' of the trio, I think she's more of the 'Rose'. And not in a good way. My aunt is retired, forced to retire earlier than expected because her company went out of business. And continued to be in retirement because she has difficulty moving around. Doctors have proclaimed her to be a 'medical mystery' on more than one occasion. So that means that it is my mother and me supporting the house and my aunt. To put it bluntly, we live paycheck to paycheck...and struggle to keep a house that we really can't afford. It is VERY EXHAUSTING.

But that's the least of our worries. Because over the past couple of years, as my aunt's disability becomes more pronounced, she has become more and more argumentative. She does not focus on conversations. She has become to not identify or notice things she is looking for (and again becomes argumentative) when she can't 'find them.' For example: if she goes in the fridge to get milk, she does not see the milk. Mind you the milk is right in front of her, not hidden behind anything else. And then she gets annoyed because 'we do not have any milk'. So I will get up and show her the milk, and she will insist that it wasn't there two minutes ago.

My aunt refuses to go to the doctor. And it is very upsetting to see her in this state. She has her good moments and her 'not-so-good' moments. This past Saturday she went to a seminar with me, and had a blast. The time we were together was like times from the past. It's not fair....on any levels. Last week my mom had gone away...and it was just Ida and myself and I never wanted my mom home more than then. I fear that my aunt has the beginnings of dementia.

Fun Facts: Gemini

Time to learn as much as you can about: Gemini

Versatility is a great keyword for this dual sign. Expressive and quick-witted, the Gemini presents two distinctive sides to his or her personality, and you can never be sure with which one you're going to come face-to-face. On one hand, the Gemini can be outgoing, flirtatious, communicative, and ready for fun, fun, fun. Yet when the other twin is present, you can find this air sign contemplative, serious, restless, and even indecisive. Both twins are able to adapt to life's circumstances well, making them wonderful people to know. Things are never boring when a Gemini is on the scene. Friends and FamilyGeminians are social and love spending time with friends and family. There will be times when this outgoing sign would want to go bungee jumping, and there will be times when sitting at home playing cards will suit them. Either way, friends are plentiful.

Those who can match the Geminian intellect and love of variety will go the distance. One quality they seek out in others is communication. The Gemini loves to talk and gain insight from others. Without a clear flow of talk, the Gemini will lose interest pretty quick. Family is important, especially those of like mind. Friendship with siblings is quite common for the Geminian, and time spent together is cherished. Meeting responsibilities with family can pose a challenge at times, but almost always, the Geminian comes through. Career and MoneyThe best-suited careers for a Gemini are those that stimulate the intellect. "I think" is the key phrase for this sign. Geminians are inventive and often literary. It's important that the work they commit themselves to doing is dynamic and challenging so boredom doesn't set in. Careers as a teacher, debater, reporter, writer, preacher, or lawyer are all well-suited to this sign. Any platform that gives the Geminian room to talk is best! A sales profession is another excellent choice. You can expect to see many tools for communication around this sign, such as PDAs, laptops, and cell phones. Generating new ideas and problem solving are other areas where the Geminian will shine.

Deciding between practicality and pleasure can be a tough thing for a Gemini. While money is a necessary evil, most don't spend a lot of time worrying about where their next dollar is coming from. They don't put much thought into balancing their checkbooks, yet they manage to get by just fine. This is largely due to the flexibility Geminians have. Love and SexFun-loving and always up for an intellectual challenge, the Gemini is a spirited lover. The talk that precedes the interlude is just as important as the actual contact for this sign, and when it comes to wit, this sign holds nothing back. Flirtatious and curious, the Geminian will spend time with a lot of different lovers until they find one that can match their intellect and energy level. The Gemini needs to experience excitement, versatility, and stimulation to feel fully satisfied. Once the perfect match is found, though, the Geminian can settle into a lifestyle for two for the long haul.

GEMINI TIDBITS:HealthEach sign has a part of the anatomy attached to it, making this the area of the body that is most sensitive to stimulation. The anatomical areas for Gemini are the lungs, collarbone, hands, arms, shoulders, and the nervous system.

Ruling PlanetThe ruling planet for Gemini is Mercury. Representing intellectual urge and the avenue of expression, this planet rules reason, rationalization, words, awareness, and communication. Its action is quick, and it deals with travel, speaking, writing, trade, and emotional capacity and technique.

ColorThe color of choice for Gemini is green.
GemstoneGemini's star stone is the Moss Agate.
Lucky NumbersGemini's lucky numbers are 3 and 7.
Compatibility Geminis are most compatible with Libra and Aquarius.
Opposite SignThe opposite sign of Gemini is Sagittarius.
The Perfect GiftA surprise party, gift certificate to a bookstore, any activity with friends, Scrabble or other intellectual game
LikesMusic, magazines, books, music, blogs, chats with nearly anyone, short trips around town DislikesRepetition and routine, being alone, being confined
HouseNatural sign of the Third House. This house focuses on short trips, communication, conscious mind, brothers and sisters, and early education.

Famous GeminiansHugh Laurie, Johnny Depp, Rudy Giuliani, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Helena Bonham Carter
Best travel destinationSwitzerland, Wales, London, San Francisco, Melbourne
StrengthCuriosity, ability to share ideas, adaptable, affectionate, kind
WeaknessScattering energy in too many places at once, fickle in love, nervous, short attention span
Charismatic marksExpressive eyes, quick, bright, often small-boned, refined features
Best environmentAny busy neighborhood, places where people gather to gossip, bookstores, museums

Freak cooking accident

They say that accidents often happen in close proximity of your home. And sometimes you also hear about freak accidents taking place. Well, over this past weekend I experienced a freak cooking accident while in my home. I swear, my new nickname should be 'Lucy' as in 'I Love Lucy' or even 'Shep' as in 'The Three Stooges.'

Saturday I had a housewarming party to go to, and I volunteered to bake cupcakes. Yummy, scrummy cupcakes actually. And of course I had my little buddy Lola in the kitchen, under foot hoping to maybe get a lick of cake batter or ware me down with her cute puppyness. I wouldn't let her though. (A) Because one batch of cupcakes had rum in the recipe, and (B) the second batch were chocolate. Both no-no's for a dog, let alone puppy of her size. I also ran out of cupcake wrappers in the jumbo size, so needed to run out to the store...plus was running out of time to get everything done.

Well! Just as I turned from the sink to put something (I forget what it was) on the kitchen table, I bumped in to Lola. Not wanting to step on her foot, I was shifting me balance in all different directions, because I just knew I was going down (you know, like how you just sometimes know something...I knew I was hitting the ground.) And I did. But I didn't just fall on my ass. No, because if I'd have just fallen on my ass, it would have just been my ego bruised, and wouldn't make for such a freak accident.

No, as I was shifting my balance, I pitched forward, and smashed my face in to the spindle on top of the kitchen chair. Thankfully, yet it was still mad painful the spot I smashed was the part between my lower lip, and chin. (What would that be called?) Then I whacked my forearm against the chair as I went down and landed on my ass. Ida came running as I had yelled owe when I hit my face, Lola went running, thinking I'd beat her for making me fall, and Pooka came running to see what happened to his mom now. At this point I was laughing, as I couldn't believe what happened, was trying to reassure Lola it was OK, and not to be scared. Also I was thankful I hit the lower part of my face as opposed to my eye.

Am I sore? You bet. Is my face bruised, no...but my arm slightly is. And what about the cupcakes? How did they come out? DELICIOUS OF COURSE!!!