It never rains but it pours around here it would seem. My step-grandmother called me this morning. My grandfather had a stroke a few months ago. He's okay for now. But I would like to visit him. I owe him much. Trouble is, my step-grandmother is an utterly untrustworthy old cow. She's always been jealous of us; I'm quietly convinced she sees us as competition for her husband's affection. Anyway, she called me to try and convince me not to come. She says "it's really an end-of-life situation"- I refuse to believe that - and that he's not mentally well enough for a phone call or a letter. That, and my aunt doesn't want me staying with her. It's none of my business if that's true, but I would like to verify it with her first.

Every time I talk to him, I don't detect any significant difference for the worse. So I don't know who to believe.