This weekend was a big one for my Mom - she retired after 35 years of teaching.  To celebrate the momentous occasion, the idea of a party was hatched and so began 3 months of arguing and bickering with my brother.  The weekend is chauked full of too many tidbits to do in one post and I'm still processing some of the conversations and events.  Still the good news is that the family survived intact.  The big blow out was avoided, the party was a success, and my SIL has solidified herself as being truly selfish.  The good news for me is she has dragged him down with her so I have now reassumed, after 20 long years, the numero uno position of best child.  I hated losing it to him so many years ago - mommas boy that he was, and lord knows I fought it for years, but now this weekend,  the doting, loving daughter that I have become has pushed be back into the top spot.  Bottom line, Mom had a great party, she is none the wiser for the arguments that raged behind the scenes and we all left tired but fulfilled at doing such a cool thing for a great teacher.