Thanks Maggie, but I'm not sure I'm doing a great job. Some days I scream at her. Other days I ignore her. Most days I'm very pleasant to her. Each day is a new day for me to learn lessons I completely and totally fail at learning.

Right now, she's in bed, in the same clothes she's worn for the last 4 days. We've been having record heat, up in the 90's. Need I go into details?

I've had a pulled muscle in my right shoulder for 2+ weeks. Dave thinks it's from farm work. Little does he know farm work is what's keeping me sane. That and the breakneck pace I'm going at to get ready for our trips this summer.

The carrot in front of me is this: Dave's sister is taking their monther in November and sooner if these trips don't release some stress for me. I'm sorry Dave's sisters' husband died but her brother's wife is going to die if she doesn't get some relief. How's that for talking in third person?

Since I'm bitching and moaning, you know what really hurts me? She pays people to come in and do for her what she expects me to do for free. Would I take her money? Why, yes, I would. Does that make me a bad person? Don't know, don't care. It does hurt to do all of her laundry, cut her fingernails, do her banking, dress her, make sure she has gifts for her family, etc., etc., etc.; it hurts to see her thank other people for doing exactly what I do and then she writes them a check.

I'm throwing up my hands and crying. What I feel like doing is throwing in the towel.