Reply #17: Good luck to you!

[Debi]

I was the bad seed and my brother was the good kid in our family. He wasn't very happy when Mom and Dad had to keep bailing me out of messes and his good deeds basically got ignored w/all my drama. Jump ahead 20 years. I'm straightened out but have major personal responsibilities. Mom and Dad and my brother and his wife go on vacation together and visit each other and go out to fancy dinners and stuff all the time (they can, they've worked hard and can afford it). I can't and sometimes get bummed. Then I realize that they enjoy their visits to our home and our visits to their home just as much - but differently. And it's all fine. Just gotta swallow some pride (bitter and not fun, but easier in the long run).

You'll do fine - this is a good lesson for other disputes further down the line.

d.