I love getting back in touch

About a month ago, I wrote an email to the Van Der Heyden family of Napa. These people were a second family to me back in those days, and I think of them occasionally with a warm fondness. Unfortunately, La Vada's horrible persona rather destroyed our familial bond, and I lost touch with them all. The last time I talked to Andrea (pr. ann-DRAY-uh), we were in our teens and I'd just been sent to live with my aunt Karla.

Anyway, Andrea wrote me back with a mix of good and sad news. Her mother, Sandy, died last year after fighting cancer for five years. On the other hand, her uncle Leo (pr. LAY-oh) is still doing well, though he is mostly home-bound these days.

She's been married for twelve years, and has two kids (cute as hell, too), and her younger sister has one son. The family winery has taken off in a big way, and they're quite happy. I'm glad of that.

The best part, though, came when she mentioned my mother and the troubles she caused: ... she was always a mean and desperately unhappy woman who couldn't stand the thought of anyone else being happy and we all knew that. That others saw that makes me so relieved; I'd always thought she had everyone fooled.

Holy Ugly Smelly Boxes, Batman!

Thanks to all those who chimed in with advice re: my lease.

Sadly, we won't be applying for the place I was talking about; it not only isn't the place I thought it was, it's a nasty, ugly place. Elli would kill me for even suggesting we move into it. The ONLY nice thing about it was a huge walk-in closet in the room considered the "master" bedroom, which was smaller than our current bedroom.

Ugh. And the FUMES! I was nearly sick, and I was only in there for ten minutes. I know, those would go away in a few weeks ... but the ugliness would not.