Beneath the Wraps

          When Roland's ex was a part of our lives, I remember her sending a "friend" of hers with the girls so that she could keep an "eye on us".   I don't believe she and Karen were good friends.   In fact, I now believe that Karen didn't actually know Roland's ex all that well and was not aware that she was mentally disturbed and has a history of using people.   Karen was with us for only two visitations before she told Roland's ex that she wasn't happy about spying on us.   I don't know the conversation except that she had realized that she must have liked us better than Maleficent.             Karen had a daughter named Alexis.   I believe she went to the same school as Pamprin and Francis, and that is how they knew one another.   Alexis took a shine to Roland.   She loved him.   She played with him along with his girls and he treated her j...

       Roland and I decided that we needed to replace our disappearing salt and pepper shakers for something that would be easier to fill and easier to spot.   I think the ones we ended up with will get lost in the shuffle as the ones we have currently, but they will be easier to fill.        I was reminded of how many sets of salt and pepper shakers my brother and I had given to my mom over the years.   So many times her birthday would fall during our family vacation - or shortly thereafter.   Patrick and I would pick out gifts from the souvenir shop of wherever we happened to be.   I don't recall all the sets we gave her except for ones that were shaped like feet.   I don't recall ever having used them.   Mom said she did not need the constant reminder of how out of shape she felt.