Our son has moved in, which is really great, and something we thought might happen.

Now we've invited my best buddies 20 year old daughter to live with us for a while to help her get her life moving in the right direction without family stress. Adrian is a good girl, no major problems, but wants to get back in college and get on some path towards a planned future instead of just fumbling towards an unknown destination. I think it's mature of her to come to that type of conclusion and feel she can make progress in an unstructured but caring environment.

Now my niece is making noise about coming and staying for a while. She is also a fine girl, 20, but like adrian feels too pressured by her stepmother to grow up, without the freedom and means to do so.

My nephew, 26, ( from another brother) mentioned he would like to visit for a month after Christmas.

OK, when it rains it pours, but my privacy quotient is quite high, and we do get visitors from time to time, so No! No! No!

In other News, Amy and I are flying out to Des Moines to a wedding on the 21st. It's my half brother's daughter, Shawna. I met Her and Jessie, her fiance, a few years ago, and they are a real nice couple. That whole branch of the family was unknown to me until I "found" my Aunt a few years ago. Then Rich and Ron, half brothers, found me thru Harriet in 2000. Suddenly, a whole new branch of family.

Finally, Last year I found my older brother Paul after 25 years of searching, only to lose his whereabouts prior to meeting.

Life is strange sometimes. Of course "relatives are like dead fish, they stink after two days," So goes the old saying.

Waiting to see if the house stinks up, Curiouoso*