In the early 70's I spent a summer in Gloucester, MA - made some money by collecting snails for a guy who supplied university research centers. I got 10 cents a snail - on a Saturday morning after a rain I could make a few hundred dollars. One of the most satisfying "jobs" I've had. (Also had to go down to the docks to the fishing boats and collect dogfish heads.) It was ten years later before I first had escargot, in Hawaii, in a completely different life. Thanks for provoking the memory of those times!

He found a woman who'd f**k him. Stop doing that, he'll fix his teeth.

If he doesn't, he thinks he'll find someone ELSE to f**k him. And why shouldn't he? Why should he conclude otherwise? The sun rises in the east; women sleep with toothless men ... (and I of course mean the men they meet are already toothless - I certainly hope people don't stop finding their existing mates attractive because of new medical issues! I mean, I find it appalling some men find their breast-cancer-survivor mates less attractive because their mates had mastectomies TO SAVE THEIR VERY LIVES!!!)

"Fear of dentists"??? Okay. How about "fear of living in osctracism (sp?) the rest of one's life?"

I can't tell you how many guys I've met who have have green, crooked, and/or missing teeth. They've claimed it costs too much to get dental care. Sorry - it's not a question of expense if they're driving a late model sports car, or own a condo or a boats, etc.

You accepted him "as is" and now you've changed your mind. (Forget the "street fight" excuse. Even if that were true, wouldn't you want to be with someone who'd take care of his teeth IMMEDIATELY???)

... by driving your father's car, is essentially "stealing" it.

The longer she has access to the car, house and its contents, the more opportunity she has to help herself to whatever she wants, and it sounds like as she's getting more and more resentful that you're not immediately signing over items to which she feels entitled.

How convenient she's found a home where she can live rent-free and drive a car on which she doesn't have to make payments or buy insurance (or pay for repairs). Where can I sign up for such an arrangement?

Sure, she helped out your father - and you - but that was her choice. No one owes her anything in return. It's kind of you to extend an offer of something from your father's estate, but you are not legally obligated to do so, but it sounds (admirably) as if you WANT to give her something.

Next time he asks for feedback, tell him it appears the years of feedback from you and your siblings appear to have been wrong, as it's resulted in no bites from publishers, and tell him you'll be happy to pass along his questions and his manuscript to an editor of a major publishing house. That way you've satisfied his request for input without having to agonize over your own creative writing (coming up with new ways to critique his work in a positive manner). Yes, he may balk - you did write that he won't join writers' groups or take writing classes because the instructors and other writers aren't expert enough ... so why would he think you NON-writers are?

Of course, that's exactly why he asks you family members, and not outside, impartial readers. The man is clearly afraid of rejection, and at age 65 is in desperate need of talk therapy. Perhaps you could convince him he could write out his issues and make double use of his creative outlet needs?

First point: it involves surgery, which involves anesthesia, both of which involve life-endangering risk. Save that for when/if it's absolutely necessary.

I am 55 years old. I didn't need a bra until I was 40. (Actually, I still don't - my girls are still 'way up firm and high' and still point straight ahead.) No, no implants; one day at 40 I rolled over in bed and unconsciously moved my breast from under my arm and then sat up straight: what? never had to do THAT before. My gyn told me it was not uncommon for breast size to change in later years. I buy bras because I can. A lacy underwire in 36A looks a lot more appealing, don't you think, then a 38DD??? All that fabric and rigging????

When I was 16 and watching the Miss America or some other claptrap pageant with my mother, she turned to me and said "too bad you never developed more - men only like women with large breasts". That comment caused me more damage than all the magazines and billboards in the world.

Yet here I am, still able to wear spaghetti-strap camisoles without support and still not flabbing about.

Enjoy your beautiful body!