Tippy's Mom

from his insurance company for less than what it will cost for my brother to replace it. He had special equipment on it (he had a stroke and needed certain equipment in order to be able to drive by himself) and also had a special 5th wheel hitch (cost about $2000) in order to pull his large trailer for camping. I know there must be some way for him to get what he is entitled to and not just some off the cuff lowball. The truck was totaled and he can't even get around now until this gets settled. I think they are taking advantage of him and hoping he will just accept what is offered. He lives in NJ. Anyone know of any ideas or adjusters that can help? Thanks!

from their warehouses and making money on the mark up-I think it was called SMS or SMA.....can anyone tell me if they are still in business and what the name of that company was???

A guy is coming out this afternoon, and once again, it is up and running after 9 am. This is getting old fast! Any reason this would happen day after day? I've tried just leaving the computer in sleep mode, shutting it down completely, and then just leaving it on. The internet modem they supplied (used and dirty) stays on 24/7. I don't understand how every morning before work, I can't log into my email, check my online calendar or use my tablet or pc for internet. Any help would be deeply appreciated!

I am rehabbing my kitchen and bedroom and we are at the point of putting in the cabinets and I was going to do the floors when I got some more money and time and was a little further along in the project. Is there a reason I should do them? A friend said I should be doing the floors under the cabinets, I do not see the point of that. Am I missing something here? Thanks!

My employer is in the process of changing from VA to TN-our new facility is now ready-this week they announced they will be discontinuing holiday pay and will be cutting back on the amount of vacation time earned each month (currently 1 day per month) effective January 1. Most of us received no pay increase of any kind this past year and the moral has fallen-They continue to hire people to replace those that have found other work or quit in disgust. The stress is incredible-I cant afford to quit and have as yet, not been able to locate other employment (I am looking!). I know employers are struggling, but this company has been in expansion mode and gets a set price for each call taken at our call center which has not been reduced. Can anything be done? Is this legal? I took this job because of the compensation and pay and possibility to grow, i now feel trapped and concerned for my financial future........any help would be deeply appreciated.

recently started a new job in a jewelry department at a local store, and was asked to help out in their apparel section, answering the phones, opening up the fitting rooms and doing claims and folding, hanging and anything else I could squeeze in. My primary job is to answer and direct incoming calls to the store and to run the fitting room. If I have time, I sweep and mop the fitting room, take messages, fold some of the nearby tables, or hanging racks of returns and incoming freight, but only as I have time, otherwise, it falls to each departments assigned staff. I simply assist if there is time (which there is RARELY). One girl had me doing HER work for 3 days until I figured out what she was doing and then I stopped and just concentrated on my job. Also, my bosses asked me to do certain tasks, which took priority over the folding, hanging and so on. One day, this lady tells me how upset everyone is with what I am doing and that the lady who told me to do this is NOT my boss, and so on. She was introduced to me as my go to and boss, and this girl was a peon like me, in the department. So I told her, I was doing as directed BY MY BOSS and that if she was unhappy with it, to take it up with her. She then launched into a whole peach about "trying to help me" which I said "No you are getting me to do your work!". The fight was on. a Few days ago, she started in again about my complete waste of time work (again, instructed by my boss to do IT!) and that I needed to "learn my place and do my job, etc." She was yelling, and I told her if she couldn't talk to me calmly, she could come back later and speak with me, but until then, I was doing AS INSTRUCTED. She went and grabbed another manager and insisted this manager "straighten me out and tell me what MY JOB was". Instead, that boss ushered her off staying "Lets talk a walk, shall we?" and off they went. A few minutes later, this boss returned and I tried to explain what had happened, and she shushed me and told me not to worry about it. I know this other girl is gunning for me now and is trying to get me in trouble, but I don't know what to do other than what MY BOSSES tell me and not what she tells me to do! The boss she claimed was not my boss, is not only MY BOSS, but HERS TOO! She takes extra breaks, always needs help finishing her department, no matter which one she is working and she is always standing around chit chatting with others, keeping them from their work too. Since she doesn't do it in front of the bosses, I think they be unaware, or maybe they are but I don't know! HELP!

What can I do to get it running right again? The power seems to be low also, doesn't want to drive up the hill, stalls easily. I think the fuel is used up now from last year, but maybe its already been damaged? IDK. It was left outside under a tarp during the winter. I now have a shed and a nice place to store it, can I save this machine? My grass is getting high and the thing won't stay on long enough to mow or the neighbors call the fire station thinking my house is on fire when I start it up. Thanks for any help you can be! I know I did everything wrong, but I had no place indoors to store it last season!

when he called to say he was coming over, I said I was sick and really didn't want to get him sick, he insisted on coming over, saying he had already been exposed anyways. After a number of hours, I was ready to climbed into bed and even though I gave him many hints ("gee, I am so sick, all I want to do is go to bed" "I am SO TIRED" and then finally "Enough! Its time to call it a night"). The night ended badly with him leaving pouting. He claimed to have been embarrassed and unwanted (DUH!) and said he saw a side of me he wished he had never seen (never explained what he meant). I ended up finding out I had congestive heart failure in addition to having had a cold/flu. Since he pouted like that, and I was not feeling well, I did not bother calling him for some time. When we finally did talk, he was very sorry he didn't know how sick I was (I don't think that should have had anything to do with his apology). We seem to be having more problems lately, he gets his feelings hurt, instead of talking about it, he pouts and says I should know how badly I have hurt his feelings and so on, even though he does not communicate this directly. Frankly, I find his pouting more disturbing than his lack of understanding of what the situation really is (ie I told him not to come over, I was sick, he insisted and pushed his way here anyways). He has always been helpful around the house, fixing things, hanging lights, doing light plumbing and so on, until about 3 weeks ago. At which time, he has taken to sitting at my dining room table reading my paper, books and magazines while I make dinner, do laundry and so on. No big deal, but I have come down with another cold and when I mentioned that an upstairs sink was leaking (one he had fixed previously) he told me to call a plumber. I was dumbfounded! He has never talked to me like that and I felt very uncomfortable with him after that. When he finally left that evening, even after telling him I was sick, tired and wanted to go to bed, I simply said it was time to call it a night and he left strained and pouting. I emailed a short time later asking why he talked to me like that and if he had something he wanted to get off his chest, surely it was better for us to get that out into the open and discuss it, rather than ruin a good friendship/relationship. He claimed he was simply being flip and that it must be me who had the issues and something to get off my chest. Since being sick, I figured I would leave this alone till I felt better, at which point he emailed me saying he hadn't heard back from me within 24 hours and questioning why I waited till he left to say something. I did say something, and just so you all know, I fixed the sink myself in 20 minutes. When I came downstairs (he was still sitting at the dining room table) he asked what I did, I said I called myself a plumber and fixed it myself. He sat there another 4 hours while I did laundry and blew my nose and coughed. I fixed NO LUNCH and NO DINNER as I was not hungry and was at a loss for words as what to say, if anything to him. Now I want to end this relationship and be done with this emotional blackmailer and layabout and am weighing the pros and cons. I think this is a fatal flaw he has and it won't get better. My Mom thinks I should tell him what I don't like about what he is doing. I am disturbed that when I was sick originally, he knew it and chose to come over anyways, despite me having asked him not to, and then when I had to just tell him it was time to go, he pouted and refused to talk to me, at which time I let him be until I was feeling better. We are not kids, I am 52 and he is 56, hardly children, although you might not know it by how we are acting. The reason I was originally attracted to him to begin with was he was terribly sweet, helpful and made himself useful around the house. I reciprocated by feeding him nightly, sewing his clothes and doing things for him also. Now he just sits around waiting for the dinner bell, talking this way to me and pouting when he thinks he has been slighted in some way. I have not been able to have a decent conversation with him over these things because of how he reacts, even though I try and speak from the heart, he accuses me of being mean, spiteful, humiliating him and embarrassing him. I say I can't think of a nice way to tell someone who has wore out their welcome, doesn't seem to be able to pick up on normal social cues and can't take a hint without a sledgehammer attached, to go home, stay home and to not talk to me like that. I emailed him back saying I would get in touch with him when I feel better. I don't feel like this relationship is going in a good place, and his handyman ways, while helpful, have taken a back seat. I do not need someone to feed who doesn't help out around the house and wants me to act like a wife, while acting like a baby himself. It is like having a sullen teenager in the house. Sulking, pouting an

l neglect who has had a severe lying and stealing problem in addition to discipline problems. She goes through periods of good behavior, and then starts on a run of trouble, usually involving other kids. She recently began claiming a certain girl pushed her into walls and down stairs, and while receiving consequences for that, upped the ante and claimed an inappropriate contact from an authority figure in one of her classrooms. It was proven with video, that NONE of the accusations were true. I am at the end of my rope to come up with an appropriate set of consequences. She was already on one day of ISS and two weeks of restriction and additional chores when the incident with the teacher occurred. She was given 3 days of OSS and is now back in school. What do you think I should do for consequences at home for her 2nd offense? What can I do to be effective in getting across how serious this is? I feel she is only sorry she got caught lying and that there is no regret for what she has done or what could have happened. She turns 16 next month and is in the 9th grade. She has an 80 IQ and has severe emotional trauma, has been diagnosed with bi-polar, PTSD, depression and a host of other mental health issues. Am I wrong to be concerned that this one cannot be helped? There is also a potential for adoption which I am now beginning to think I do not want to do. She appears to be a sweet little angel on the surface, but underneath a very angry unstable child. She receives counseling from 2 separate counselors and a psychiatrist, in addition to medication. Any thoughts anyone? She has tested on the Cannes lately at a level 4, although the decision was to keep her in my home, I am unsure that is going to work much longer and now have had to resort to arming my doors, pantries, the dogs kennel and my room with alarms and locks after she almost killed one of the dogs and also began making statements about wanting to hurt herself and me. She has since claimed she would NEVER do that again. But my vet bill to save one of the dogs was well over $900 and I am still sleeping with my doors bolted. She is presently not mainstreamed back into classes without video cameras and there is a distinct possibility that teachers will not want to be alone with her (totally understood by me) and we are now working with her in a behavior modification setting until she can be returned to normal classes, IF she can behave, not tell stories or get into trouble. She says she did it for the attention. Now that she has it, she doesn't want it. Thanks for ANY help you can offer, I am at a loss as to how to get through to her how serious this is!

materials to make a musical mobile for the baby? I want the mobile to move and to play a lullaby. He is 3 1/2 weeks old and seems to love the color red, and his parents like to dress him in blue outfits, so I was going to buy one with trucks and things on it, but couldn't find one I liked that was also musical that didn't cost an arm and a leg. So I thought "I'll make one", but have no clue where to get a musical one that I can decorate myself. Anyone have any ideas? Thank you!

My kitchen is a mere 10' X 8' and has two large windows side by side over the sink area. My plan is to paint the walls and cabinets to unify the space, replace a beat counter top, put an undercounter dishwasher (I presently have a portable one that takes up 1/4 of the space). I love to cook, but there is little cup board space, so I have gone with a large pot rack over the sink, taken some leftover cabinets from my Mom's place and made a pantry in another room of the house near the kitchen. Any ideas for help here would be greatly appreciated! I am leaning towards timeless colors (liking the Mineral Blue, Ultra White and Moonshine yellow for a color combo). So far, have paint a wall with the yellow (very pretty!) the trim in outlined in the Mineral Blue and the door trim is the Ultra White. Looks good so far. Still priming and painting and don't have full gallons of paint yet, but will by next week! Ideas anyone?

her bf and his Father and is 5 months preggers. The Father recently was laid off for one day a week, handy and needing to make up that lost income. He started working on that day off for me, doing little things around the house. I found him to be very sweet, kind and clever. On my birthday, he took me out for an ice cream and we talked until 2:30 am. His wife left him 5 years ago to live in gov housing and has since been arrested for stealing like 3x. She just got out of jail yesterday and all kinds of drama has broke out, since we have started spending time together, nothing has happened other than some handholding, and a few friendly kisses. He asked for a divorce in November 2008 and they had agreed to wait till Oct. 2009 to file. So what is the problem? Should I get any more involved? Send him packing? The niece and bf have been here many times in the past and even recently, eating, playing in the pool and having me drive them here and there (pre-natal visits, shopping, etc) The bf even dropped off a collection of buttonless pants to be mended. All the sudden, since Mom is now out of jail, they are acting as if I stole her man and she is the wounded party, even though its not true. Since I have done nothing so far, other than a little kissing and hugging, should I walk away? The wife called 5x this morning, sent a nasty comment through myspace to me and even had her 22 yo son (ny niece's bf) write a gut wrenching letter, saying how sick we made him (he didn't think so when he had me drive him and pregger girl to the hospital for the finding out the baby's sex on Monday). What should I do?

a prescription for Lisinopril and told me to watch out for salt substitutes that could react with the medicine I am on (I also got one for Pravastatin-a cholesterol lowering drug, since my triglycerides also came back high!). I thought, NO PROBLEM, since I do not add salt to my food, this would be easy! Well, once I started reading the labels on the foods I eat, I found a HUGE problem, my canned veggies are LOADED with sodium, and my canned soups actually are FULL of salt. I have a pantry full of salt soaked foods! No wonder I never felt the need to add salt to stuff, I was eating plenty! Even found it loaded in some Entemanns donuts (who would thought a donut would be LOADED with hidden salt?). Anyways, now that I have become hyper vigilant about reading labels and avoiding added salts in my foods, I find I am now craving it. But I cannot afford the spikes in blood pressure, and am struggling to stay within my numbers and be healthy. I cannot find good substitutes that satisfy like salt, my old friend, for like roasts, potato soup (even homemade needs something in it!) and baking. I have lost 10 lbs just avoiding salt and the foods it came on, but now I am getting sad, thinking I have lost the ability to eat salt, even in small amounts. Some have said sea salt is a good alternative, I have it, it still will send my blood pressure up, but not as bad as table salt or added salt in foods will. Any tricks to spicing food into making my taste buds forget salt was once my friend, although I didn't know how much I liked it until now! HELP!

are sooner than others. I am curious whom was invited the quickest and whom was left till the last minute. Anyone having knowledge of or websites that give that information will be greatly appreciated. If I were betting, I might think Barack Obama was the fastest invite on record......any ideas? Thanks!

prepared myself in recent years for financial freedom. I kept feeling as if God was leading me this way as I paid off my bills, my home, bought a van and a truck, used, that are in good shape and serve my needs. I have 2 nice bikes to ride if gas gets out of hand. I set up a pantry in my home and have stored food stuffs so that if something happens, I can manage for a while. I filled it with things I bought at rock bottom prices, while others rolled their eyes at me for using coupons and sales circulars, I kept going. I have energy efficient appliances to help save on electricity and water. And I have a wood stove I am hooking up in the walkout basement to supplement my heating and have been gathering free wood to use in it as needed. I have a safe and have put cash in it and removed all but what I need to pay bills with. I am practicing good financial biblical practices, spending money for necessities and passing on foolish things like big screen LCD, HD tvs instead of food, heating, and practical things. My one extravagance is the craft room, which has all the art things, crafts, projects and so on to keep me and the foster kids busy for a very long time. Tell me what you have done to prepare for hard financial times and what you think you still may need to do, if anything. Has anyone else felt this way, whether a believer or not?

where) how do you have your pantry organized, what you would change if you could, what works best for you? Any advice, wisdom, things I should do from the get go would be DEEPLY appreciated from anyone who has experience setting up a pantry.

finding a new one? My Samsung refrigerator door bin/condiment holder just fell out and broke, with all the condiments. WHAT A MESS! Downside is, I don't have a part number, cannot seem to locate anyone who carries this part. I did find one site, that listed it as #9 in the diagram on the door parts, but they want $60 + s& h. OUCH! I need to replace this, as it held a lot of stuff and fits inside the door opening. One of the kids closed the door while putting stuff away and had broke it by letting it close and it pushed the bin in and ever since, it has held, but now its completely broke. I really don't want to spend $60+ for a piece of plastic, but I may have to unless someone out there can help me please? All help appreciated! Thanks!

help me get this done? I allowed someone to be on my Friends list and then found out they were letting other people view it that I did not want on Myspace, so I put them on the Blocked list until I could figure out what to do. Now I can only Unblock them, but cannot figure out how to Delete them completely. The do not come up on my Friends list, even if I unblock them, so I put them back on the Blocked list. HELP! They are making lots of trouble for me and I just want them OUT and OFF my personal Myspace and I DO NOT want them sharing Myspace with others I don't have on my list. Can you help me figure out what to do to get this done? All help is appreciated! Thank you!

Have 2 floors + basement.Closed off the 2 ducts in the basement (its not Living Space).The upstairs does not cool enough for me to sleep upstairs, but the kids manage, except when it gets REALLY hot.Downstairs USED to practically freeze when I first bought the house and was working on it, but now that we moved in, just doesn't seem to get cool enough. I had the unit checked a number of times, 1 says to install another unit for the upstairs, 1 says REPLACEMENT of present unit (no reason, just replace it) and 1 that said pipes going into the house were smaller than the ones on the outside or was vice versa, and it would have to be undone and fixed right (to the tune of $600). All struggled to get readings on the freon, and all stated the freon was in there, and the 1 saying pipes were wrong said that was causing the bad readings, as the pressure wasn't equal and that was why pipes needed replacing. I think a bigger unit is needed, but 1 said that would blow ducts and ruin the unit. HELP

fire, gas, electric, wood fire, ice blocks and a fan? What works for you, how green is it and why it works for you? Anyone have any additional costs associated with installing or using these options? Any installation professional, or self? What would you say are pros and cons to alternative power sources? What do you think is the cheapest, easiest way to power a home? Would like to hear from folks who have added alternative power sources to their homes and hear your experiences.