As I write this, the latest typhoon is making landfall. In this case, it is typhoon Saola. ZH and GZ self-defense forces are on alert, and for the population it is “all hands on deck” in readiness. It is a “Super Typhoon” of level 17. Could be brutal. (Of course, by the time you all read this, the event will be long over.) We are braced, and all of our activities are in postponement mode.

…

I found out why all the emails to laobangbh@163.com never reached me.

It seems that I was a victim of numerous “saturation attacks” where thousands of emails spam my inbox. The objective of these kinds of attacks is to render your email system inert and useless, as most email accounts have a limit on how many emails can exist.

I have been trying to erase the emails. The 163 software only allow batches of 10 to 20 emails at a time (page by page). I have 73,652 pages of attack emails interspersed with an occasional email of value.

I figure that it will take me half a year to clean out the mails if I devote about 20 minutes a day to erase the emails manually. I am thinking about contacting the 163 server for assistance, but my Chinese is shit in specialized situations such as this, and I am not VIP on this account. Ugh!

…

Back in the 1990s my wife and I had some friends that we used to “hang out” with. We would drink beer and play video games or watch a movie or two. They also had a cat.

It was one frigid Winter night in January while we were inside, and their cat was in heat. It was driving “Misty” our friend, bonkers. But outside was a howling blizzard, and the temperature was -20F, hardly healthy, and quite dangerous. But, I well remember, while the cat was standing at the door howling… she opened the door and let her out saying “go out and have fun, you slut”, and then slammed it shut.

I don’t know what happened to the kitty. Knowing cats, it probably found some kind of shelter. But, still…

For me, I greatly lament what happened. Why didn’t I stop her?

Well, it happened too quickly. It occurred and was over long before I could react.

And there, somewhere in the swirling snow, and darkness, the kitty went to follow her instincts. Right or wrong.

…

We all have to be more aware of the things going on around us. More mindful. More careful and more compassionate.

Todays…

The results of the BRICS summit are great, isolation as a weapon of the USA has been defeated forever — Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

“It is not BRICS that threatens the United States of America, it is the state of the USA, its liberal economy, the neoliberal model. I think that the expansion of BRICS will not be some kind of cold shower for the USA, Great Britain and the EU. I think it is too soft and too light a term. It will become a new reality for everyone, and it will be a demonstration of this new reality that they hide and do not show on American channels,” she said.

WOW!! OLIVER ANTHONY I WANT TO GO HOME (EMOTIONAL)

What exactly changes when a country joins BRICS? Other than being invited to the meetings does BRICS membership have any advantages for countries which join?

BRICS has very few advantages to countries that aren’t a direct threat to the WEST and are thus ignored by the WEST

It’s why Indonesia wasn’t very keen to join BRICS

It enjoys a relatively nice and non aligned foreign policy and isn’t a threat to any one and enjoys business with China and the West equally

Thus no advantages in joining BRICS and a lot of disadvantages including joining a group consisting two nations bitterly opposed to US Hegemony

Same reason why Nigeria is unlikely to join BRICS

Nigeria is already a member of the BRI and has very good trade relationships with China but also has a good relationship with the West who doesn’t really care much about Nigeria because today it’s irrelevant

So it’s joining BRICS is irrelevant

---

Today the only nations that can have huge advantages in joining BRICS are those nations which are :-

• Directly in the sight of the Western Nations and are at risk of being caught out by sudden cut off from access to the West and it’s financial systems like RUSSIA, SAUDI ARABIA, CHINA and IRAN
• Have Non Democratic Stable Rule that is deemed as Dictatorship by the West who will meddle for subservience – Saudi Arabia, Iran, China etc
• Have experienced the high handedness of the West and realize the safety in joining an Alliance that offers an alternate route to avoid chaos and disaster that could arise from a western retaliation – UAE, IRAN, SAUDI ARABIA, RUSSIA
• Want to have a foot in two camps to avoid being completely dependent on either side – BRAZIL, INDIA
• Have been so badly destroyed by the Western Financial System despite having lots of resources that they HAVE to join an alternate alliance for some stability and development – CUBA, VENEZUELA, ARGENTINA

---

BRICS is a protection from the West in case the West decides to pull a Russia again

Thus it’s not for 90% of the nations of the world

Algeria, Myanmar, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Libya, Turkey are other countries who would have tremendous advantages

---

This rises a question

Does India have any advantages?

Yes

A Foot in both camps

India is a member of QUAD and SCO

India is a member of BRICS and G20

It offers options and high leverage

However I don’t see a future for India in BRICS+ for very long

It’s basically becoming a “Anti Western Group” and India and Brazil and South Africa will find fewer common ground items than China, Russia, Saudi and Iran

Au Jus Beef and Noodles

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds stew beef meat
• 2 (7 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, undrained
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry au jus gravy mix
• Worcestershire sauce to taste
• Salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
• Hot cooked noodles

Instructions

1. Place stew meat in slow cooker.
2. Add beef broth and mushrooms.
3. Add seasonings to taste and sprinkle in au jus gravy mix to taste.
4. Cover; cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
5. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Notes

Store any leftover gravy mix in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

What was it like to live in pre-1949 Shanghai?

My mother lived and worked in Shanghai from 1945 – 1949. She kept a diary during the time she was there. You can read about it here: An interesting diary

My mother came from a privileged family in late Qing and Republican China; she grew up in a famous hutong home in Beijing, and her father was the controller of the Peking – Hankow Railway when it was built, owned and managed by the French following the Boxer Rebellion. She went to missionary schools and spoke English from an early age.

She lived and worked in Shanghai after the Allies, including the Republic of China (the People’s Republic did not yet exist) defeated Japan. She worked with the United Nations Refugee Relief Association (UNRRA) office in Shanghai.

The thing to remember about Shanghai is that it was, until 1942, a foreign treaty port, which was organized into something called the Shanghai International Settlement. After 1942, the Unequal Treaties which made the treaty port system possible was abolished, and it became part of the Republic of China.

The interesting thing about the Shanghai of that time is that a horse-racing track occupied the city center, which was called the 跑馬汀。If you go to Shanghai now, it is called People’s Square. The racetrack was abolished by the Communists after 1949.

The two best-known universities in Shanghai were St. John’s for men, and St. Mary’s for women. These were founded by the British, and were Anglican.

This may surprise you, but there actually were Chinese who had grown up and lived in Shanghai who were so westernized that they DID NOT SPEAK CHINESE, but only English. My mother had several cousins who were like this. They did not fare well under the Communists after 1949.

I have not had the time to go through all of my mother’s diaries, but I read one entry where she mentioned going dancing one evening at a nightclub called Argentina.

Sometimes I think about tracking down where that nightclub once stood.

Reacting to Oliver Anthony – “Rich Men North of Richmond” | Wilson Brothers

Why are Asians under the illusion that eating with chopsticks is difficult or even some kind of art form that’s hard to learn for foreigners?

It’s not difficult to use chopsticks at all.
And it certainly isn’t an art form.
Using chopsticks is just the most efficient, most practical way for many Asians (not all Asians, of course) to consume our meals.

My niece started using chopsticks when she was about 3 years old.
She might not have held them the “proper” way, but as long as she could eat with them, it was all good.
She was a 3-year-old kid – expectations were quite low.

How hard can using chopsticks be if a 3-year-old can do it?
Come on now.

What is the example of nature being so cruel?

There is a place called Jigokudani Hot Spring in Japan, where there is a kind of “Snow Monkey”. Every winter, snow and snow. It is very cold, and the temperature will drop to about 30 °C.

Fortunately, there are many hot springs in that place. Hot springs can reach about 40 degrees, so the monkeys there learned how to soak in hot springs. The view of a group of monkeys leisurely taking a leisurely dip in the hot springs is very good to many people. Therefore, this place has gained fame as a special tourist destination.

Some people may feel very warm looking at these photos, but they are like both sides of a coin. Tourists only see the warm side.

In fact, not all monkeys can take hot springs. There is a strict hierarchy among monkeys. Only high-grade monkeys can take hot springs, and low-grade monkeys cannot take hot springs no matter how cold they are. They cannot tolerate the cold, but once in the water, they will be bitten and expelled by high-level monkeys, so they can only shiver in the air and snow.

There is a temperature difference of about 70 degrees inside and outside the hot spring. Sometimes that’s the difference between life and death. Moreover, this system is “hereditary”. Low-grade monkey-producing monkeys are also not eligible to take hot springs. In other words, some monkeys naturally belong to the vulnerable group, which is unfair.

NATO CROSSES RUSSIA’S RED LINE | SCOTT RITTER ON CHINA’S WARNING TO BIDEN | PUTIN VISITS XI + MORE!

Russia is not stupid, neither they will not forget. They will retaliate.

What are the best examples of a good luck and a bad luck occurring simultaneously?

Sotria Kritsornis was standing waiting for the bus to take her to school. The snow was coming down hard, and she was stood in the cold for an hour. As she stood waiting, a car pulled up beside her and rolled down his window. “I’ve come down Rainer Avenue, and that’s a long way, and there’s no bus in sight. Would you like a Ride?”

22-year-old Sotria didn’t feel anything off with the man. He was polite and charming, and they were the same age. Everything seemed relaxed as the guy driving began talking about school. When she suddenly realised he was going in the wrong direction, the man’s demeanour changed.

He suddenly began shouting at her, “Why did you take this ride? Why did you even think about getting in this car? You’re never going to make it to school.”

Sotria knew there and then that her life was in extreme danger. She thought about jumping from the moving car, but when she went for the door handle, it was gone. She sat in the car terrified as he continued to scream at her. There was no doubt in her mind that she was in the presence of evil, and it was only a matter of when.

Suddenly the man’s demeanour changed again, he almost seemed disappointed. Sotria had just gotten a haircut and was wearing a hat since it was snowing out. The man driving seemed distracted by her hat and suddenly asked her to take it off.

She was reluctant and when she did take it off the man was surprised. She suddenly realised the man must have been watching her before she got the haircut. He continued to drive for about an hour, before stopping outside her school.

He shoved her out of the car and onto the ground with some force before turning to Sotria and telling her she was lucky.

About a year later, Sotria was at home watching telly. A news report flashed across the screen and her blood ran cold. A picture of a man and his “Volkswagen Bug” appeared on the telly. A man who went by the name Ted Bundy was being charged with multiple murders and it was to her shock she realised she almost became one of his victims.

Why do Chinese people take photos before eating?

Because unlike normal porn, you can share food porn with anyone, even your aunt.

Food photos are among the most popular posts on Chinese social media.

We can tell others about this or that dish – where you can find it, what it tastes like, whether it comes with an interesting backstory, we can recommend this or that food establishment to others, share recipes with others, be inspired so that we can try out some cool new tricks with our own cooking, etc.

In my experience, few people dislike food porn.
Those who do tend to view food more as “fuel” rather than something to enjoy and delight the senses.

I’m more than happy to share food porn with others.

Here is a picture of some 喜洲粑粑 (Xǐzhōu bābā).

Xizhou is the name of a lakeside village just outside Dali’s old town in China’s Yunnan province.
Baba is the local slang for bread.

Baba is a type of thick, round, heavy bread that comes plain or with various fillings – and the fillings can be either sweet or savory.

A savory filling could be pork mince + spring onion + spiced salt.
A sweet filling could be brown sugar + rose petal jam + red bean.

It is a popular street food and makes for great breakfast nosh.

So, when people say stuff like “Oh, Chinese don’t eat bread you know!”, take that claim well salted.

THIS IS OLIVER ANTHONY’S BEST SONG YET! “I Want To Go Home” REACTION

What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?

I get a LOT of mileage out of this story.

It happened in 2002.

My friend Lisa was in her early 40s, and had congestive heart failure. She was a trooper despite her physical struggles. She grew up in a ‘tough’ city environment, and had the attitude to boot. She was typically a bit high strung, but on this afternoon she was the most mellow I had ever seen her.

Her daughter was at my house playing with my daughter. Lisa came to pick her up after she had stopped at the drugstore to pick up her monthly supply of heart and related medications. Her meds filled a small paper bag. Mellow Lisa proceeded to tell me what went down at the drugstore 10 minutes earlier.

Lisa legally parked her car in the handicapped spot just outside the store’s door. She joked with the pharmacists inside, telling them that if it weren’t for her they’d be out of a job (LOL). She left the store and proceeded, medicine bag in hand, to her car in the handicapped parking space.

A woman was loitering in and out of the store most of the day. When Lisa left, she was hanging around not far from Lisa’s car. As Lisa went to unlock her car door, the woman jumped Lisa and attempted to steal her purse and medications.

Lisa went ape-shit on her ass and flattened her. Lisa ended up sitting on top of the woman and smacking her in the face, much like little Ralphie did to Scut Farcus on ‘A Christmas Story’. She screamed at the woman while giving her the smackdown, “You think you can come here from the city and mug people? Well I’m from the city, too! You picked the WRONG BITCH to fuck with!”.

Just then, a police officer showed up. He happened to be an acquaintance of Lisa’s. He kept saying, “Lisa get off her…I got this!!”. He finally pulled Lisa off the mugger and sent her on her way as he arrested the mugger.

It was ten minutes later that Lisa showed up at my house, mellow as could be. I told her she should buy herself a punching bag for daily use since she felt so much better! She said, “Wow, I haven’t felt this relaxed in a LONG time!”.

I was pretty impressed. A heart patient requiring a handicapped parking space takes out her would-be mugger! Gotta love it!

Sadly, Lisa passed away in 2008 when her big old heart finally gave out. I never knew a more hilarious woman in my life.

I miss you girl!

BEATBOXER REACTS! I Oliver Anthony-Rich Men North of Richmond

Nuclear submarine with intercontinental ballistic missiles, new aircraft carrier, destroyers and frigates – China to invest $1.4 trillion in military modernization with a focus on the navy

Here’s What We Know

The situation around Taiwan and the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea are forcing the PRC to invest in defence capabilities. From 2024 to 2028, the authorities intend to spend a crazy $1.4 trillion to modernise the People’s Liberation Army. The average annual growth rate will be 6.6 per cent.

The defence strategy emphasises the formation of a dominant navy. To achieve this, China plans to implement several forward-looking programmes. In particular, to acquire a fourth aircraft carrier, as well as destroyers of the Type 055 class and frigates of the Type 054A class.

China also wants to commission a Type 096-class nuclear-powered submarine armed with ballistic missiles. The submarine will receive JL-3 intercontinental ballistic missiles with a launch range of up to 9,000 kilometres, capable of carrying three nuclear warheads.

US policy slowing down China’s economy w/ Jeffrey Sachs

A very, very good discussion.

What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?

About 8 years ago, my dad, aged about 70 at the time, is driving my son aged about 4, and myself into a nearby town. We are driving through the outskirts, in a 40 zone and slowing down as we are about to enter a 30 zone. A hundred yards up ahead are about 6 ‘youths’…aged late teens, possibly up to 20 yrs, all messing about on mountain bikes…doing wheelies and doing skids into the middle of the road. Dad slows down and they move a little to one side, still farting about. One loses control and the bike shoots over and skids in front of my dad’s car, the rider coming off and sliding over the bonnet (hood) of the car, and up the windscreen before sliding off the other side.

Dad hurtles out of the car, closely followed by me, expecting to see some mangled mess of a teen on the floor. Luckily he was fine, getting up, dusting himself off. We’d barely let out a breath of relief when he turns onto my dad – yelling abuse at him, calling him a ****ed up retard…old ****er etc etc. Then his mates drop their bikes to the floor and start advancing on my dad…’come on old man, ready to be ****ed up?’…

Now my dad, back in his day was pretty good at karate….something he did weekly for about 15 years. He is also a very fit man – from that generation of wily, hands-on men who just get on and do things…..breaking up concrete with a pickaxe or sledgehammer – knocking down walls, building walls and so on. So these 6 or so youths start to circle in on dad, I step back a bit to lock the car doors…the first lad, the one who’d slid over dad’s bonnet makes a lunge for my dad, fist punching out towards his face. Dad grabs his wrist, yanks it down and before I could say a single word, has got this kid on his knees, on the road, arm bent back, hand folded back in a somewhat unnatural position. The kid is screaming…’let me go!! Get off!! You’re breaking my hand!!! Get off!!!’

Still holding him by one hand, dad makes a small step towards the other boys….drops the kid’s hand and takes up a karate pose. The kids just turn tail and run…the other boy gets up and legs it after them. Dad just giggles in delight and with an almighty yell….hurtles down the road after them, yelling like a maniac. If the boys were running 5 seconds ago, now they are really running like Usain Bolt with an axe is chasing them, and I am doubled up laughing. Eventually, I pick up the boy’s bikes and lean them against a garden hedge and wait for dad to saunter back having run a hundred yards or so after them.

We still laugh about it – I’m not sure what those boys thought they were going to do to my father, but they really didn’t see that coming. They definitely picked on the wrong person :)))

Beef Burgundy

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 pounds sirloin tip or round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
• 1 cup Burgundy wine
• 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

Instructions

1. In large skillet, cook bacon several minutes. Remove bacon and set aside.
2. Coat beef with flour and brown on all sides in bacon mixture.
3. Combine steak, bacon drippings, cooked bacon, seasonings, bouillon, and Burgundy in slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.
5. Turn control to HIGH. Add mushrooms; cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
6. To thicken sauce, if desired, add cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water) with mushrooms.

I was fired by my employer today. They wouldn’t let me collect any personal belongings from my desk except my wallet, my keys and my own personal phone. Can they do this and if so how long are they allowed to keep my things?

I had an employer try that crap with me once (kind of)—only I was given a heads up from a dear friend that I was being RIFed, so I had already cleared out my entire office. I had even locked myself out of a system I administered prior to my RIF meeting. When they were going through the separation checklist and told me I could only take with me what I had with me at the time, I said, “Okay, no problem.” When they asked me about scheduling a time to retrieve the rest of my stuff (I’d worked there almost 20 years, so there WAS a lot of stuff), I told them I didn’t have anything else to retrieve. They were shocked. When they had someone quickly verify that my office was indeed cleaned out, they started insisting that I review with them what I had already taken, reveal to them who tipped me off, etc. I simply handed them my pre-prepared ziplock with my ID, proximity badge, building keys, and wiped work iPhone, and left. They insisted that I walk out a particular door. I walked out the door closest to where I was parked that day (with them threatening me the whole time). They were LIVID and could barely see straight. My confidante still works there! It’s hilarious and extremely satisfying.

Scott Ritter clip on what the Pentagon Generals told the White House.

Stop the provocations with China. In any conflict with China, the USA will lose, and lose badly.

Clip segment pre-set at the position in the long video.

Why did Russia provide asylum to Edward Snowden? Are they going to use him against the US of A?

Russia legally can’t extradite Snowden, because there is no bilateral extradition agreement between Russia and the USA. America doesn’t extradite our criminals either. Also, Snowden is not a criminal from the Russian legal point of view.

Because his American passport was annulled, Russia was unable to send Snowden to any other country without some kind of special arrangement. So, the choice was between forcing Snowden to stay in the international airport in Moscow indefinitely, or providing him with asylum. After some deliberation, Putin chose the latter.

Snowden actually wanted asylum in Hong Kong (China) or South America, but nobody was really willing to take him in. It made sense for Russia to show its ability to challenge America without getting bombed, but it was not an easy decision for Putin. Because Snowden wasn’t a Russian agent or asset, and Russia had no obligation to protect him. Also, Putin’s opinion about Snowden is rather low. He doesn’t condone his actions. And Snowden doesn’t like Putin either. He openly says that in his interviews.

Russia can’t use Snowden because his access to secrets is long gone. We have IT experts of his caliber of our own, and nobody will trust him with access to our secrets and security networks. Really, he is a burden. But a relatively light one.

Snowden doesn’t work with Russian security services because he wants to return to America at some point. This is technically possible, as long as he stays just a whistleblower and not a traitor. Because the CIA and its ilk have some access to Russian state secrets, they would know when and if he would start cooperating with the FSB and its ilk.

What was the worst thing your parents ever did to you?

This one is easy, sadly. My “mother” called CPS on me last year. Just because I wasn’t talking to her. My world was turned upside down with one phonecall.

One day a sheriff came to my house. I was surprised because I’m not one to get into trouble or piss anyone off. He said he was there to check on mine and my children’s welfare. I was confused. He said my mother had called and said I hadn’t talked to her in over a year, my husband was abusive and holding me captive, and I was doing heroin and meth. I looked at him and said, “you’ve got to be kidding me!” He assured me it was for real. I told him I spoke to her about 2 months ago, there’s no ball and chain behind me, and I damn sure ain’t doing heroin or meth. He actually laughed. I told him she’s got issues and I don’t want nothing to do with her. He said, “well you look healthy, you’re not locked in a cellar, and your kids are at school where they should be so I’ll be on my way.” I thanked him for his time and off he went. I was steaming pissed that day. I wondered what is wrong with that woman. Now I really won’t talk to her.

The next day, during the afternoon before the kids got home from school, there was a knock on the door. I open the door and there is a sheriff and social worker. Dumbfounded, I ask if I can help them. They tell me someone has made a report to CPS and they’re there to investigate. I was floored to say the least. So we sit down and the social worker begins to interrogate me. She then begins to list the allegations. She tells me I’m supposedly mentally ill, doing heroin and meth, being manipulated and abused by my husband, my children run around unsupervised, the kids aren’t adequately cared for, etc. I broke down and sobbed in disbelief. I asked who made this report and was told it was “anonymous”. I knew by the heroin and meth and husband abusing me bit exactly who it was. The show had just begun.

Another sheriff arrives shortly after. They ask if they can search my home. I said “for what”, and was told if I didn’t consent they would take my kids away. Reluctantly, I said “fine I have nothing to hide.” As the sheriff’s are upstairs searching I’m still being interrogated downstairs by the social worker. My husband arrived and was very upset about the situation, naturally. He’s even more angry seeing me a mess in tears having to be asked appalling questions. Next thing you know, there’s a knock at the door. Lo and behold it’s another sheriff. He waltzes in and I ask what the hell he’s here for. The sheriff’s come downstairs with an empty box that my husband had under our bed from a gun he purchased. They asked where the gun was and he replied it was in the car. They asked to see it and he refused. He’s not a felon and it’s registered and completely legal. That seemed to piss them off but they had no grounds to take it or see it.

So here we are. Sitting in the living room with the social worker and sheriff while another one is in the kitchen and one in the dining room. Why, I couldn’t even tell you. The sheriff had a brown paper bag and said there was some “evidence” in it. He pulled out some pill bottles. He asked me what they were for. I told him I suffer from depression and anxiety. I also take something for an opiate addiction. I’m in recovery and take a preventable medicine. Well, they thought they got me there. Mentally unstable and a drug addict. Perfect ammunition to use against me. They looked at me as though I was despicable. Scum. I could feel the judgement through my bones. The social worker asked my husband and I to accompany her to the kitchen.

That’s when she pulls out the drug tests. She asked if we were willing to take a voluntary drug test. We said absolutely. He went first, then I went. There we were in our home with 3 sheriff’s and a CPS worker peeing in a cup to prove ourselves not to be drug addicts. I felt completely violated. The tests took a few minutes to come out but they were negative. Almost disappointed, she let us see them and told us they were clean. I felt validated, but still so angry. My kids come home from school and ask what’s going on. I didn’t even know what to say. I just told them to get a snack and go to their room and I’d be with them shortly. The social worker said we could wrap up for now, but she’d be in touch. I kindly led them out. My husband and I just looked at each other and didn’t even say a word. We were both too upset to even talk. Every aspect of our privacy and humanity had been stripped of us. Then we had to explain to the kids what was going on. After that we had to clean our home because when the sheriff’s went through our belongings they had just thrown things about and had no respect for our things.

The next day the kids informed me after school that a social worker had come to visit them to ask them questions about mom and dad. They were scared and upset. I told them it would be okay. As long as they told the truth everything would be fine. We’ve got nothing to hide. The social worker paid me a few more visits. Each time I was cooperative and willing to do whatever was needed. Anything to get them to go away and stay away. Turns out my mother had called the principal at school asking him questions about my kids. “Were they stinky, dirty, did they look well fed”, things like that. Then someone who claimed to be an uncle called and did the same. The principal got so uncomfortable he called the social worker and told her he was being harassed and didn’t want to deal with it. She finally said without saying in certain words it was my mother who filed the report. She admitted that the situation was very unusual. She paid me a last visit to let me know that not one claim could be substantiated. She apologized for the intrusion. She told me the case was closed and she would report back to my mother that all is well.

Only after having our house ripped apart, taking drug tests, having my children interrogated at school, calling my psychiatrist, pharmacy, family and friends were we deemed fit enough parents. I can’t begin to tell you what this situation has done to me. You’re probably wondering if I confronted my mother. I sent her a text message after all was said and done and asked her if she had any idea what she had done. I asked what she was thinking. I know what she did. To not only me, but her grandkids. Well, she had nothing to say about it. So I left it there. If she ever comes to her senses and wants to explain herself and apologize profusely I will give her a chance. But never will I go out of my way to have any kind of relations with her. As far as the kids, they want nothing to do with her. That is their choice. I told them they are free to talk to her and see her if they wish they should not suffer anymore. They said they would rather not. So be it.

That is the cruelest thing a parent has done to me. I could give more stories believe me, but I think I’ve said enough for now.