I am having a hard time here. Life in Pine Valley is not perfect. I haven't been this disillusioned since learning Leo cannot dance. And what has me disillusioned? The Living Donor Bank lists Maria Santos Grey who, as far as anyone in PV knows, has been dead for five years. Geesh.

And besides the idiocy of this plot point, it is superfluous. Brooke and Edmund's wedding will make Maria's return dramatic enough. And Enzo's illness is heartbreaking enough for viewers; this additional pathos is beyond manipulative. Are TPTB planning on tying Maria to every ongoing plot before she crosses the town line? What next, we discover that Maria is the only one who knows where the Proteus drug money is?

The location of that drug money is confounding the PVPD, the Feds, Trey and Leo, among others. In addition to being disillusioned, I, too, am confounded by many things in Pine Valley these days:

1. Why haven't Adam, Stuart and JR been tested as a match for Enzo? Why hasn't Adam at least stopped by the hospital to throw his weight around?
2. Two weeks ago, Adam was planning on having Liza committed to prevent SEC charges being filed. This week she is going back to work at Chandler Enterprises. Did I blink and miss something?
3. Mary is concerned about what people will say when her daughter marries the son of a drug dealer. Doesn't the fact that Greenlee's father worked for that drug dealer make Mary's concern moot?
4. And given the drug dealing connection, why would Revlon risk its corporate image by having anything to do with the wedding?
5. And speaking of Revlon, what happened to that storyline? Did Revlon pay ABC tons of money to have Greenlee say "Revlon" twice a week?
6. And what happened to Roger turning state's evidence? Shouldn't he have some concerns about living long enough to give Greenlee away?
7. I guess the PV International Airport does not have to follow the new security guidelines, how else could Greens surprise Leo at the gate? (OK, maybe that is being overly picky but am I to believe Greens flew the Concorde from PV to Paris?)
8. And why did Greens follow Leo to Paris, when her job was to keep the cover going that he had not left town?
9. The last time we saw the inside of PV High, Laura (shudder) was running from the halls in an X induced haze. We haven't even seen Philomena since Rosa left town. And now Bianca, who has been doing independent study, mostly at SOS, her entire senior year, is all invested in going to her senior prom? And we are supposed to be invested with her? That high school bitch crowd would have been more believable had it included at least one little bitch we had seen before.

Well, Kate, is there anything you like about AMC? Yes. I like the parallel stories of daughters longing for a mother's love they are never going to get. Each heart breaking in its own way. And each an excellent job in casting. I never would have picked Anna Stuart as Greens' mother, but I am so glad AMC did. Olivia Birkelund and Kelly Ripa have true mother/daughter chemistry. And that chemistry breaks my heart every time. Alicia Minshew and Susan Lucci not only look alike but have compatible acting styles (and that's all I am going to say about that.)

And I like Anna and David. Although I wish TPTB would find something for them to talk about besides whether or not to divorce. The "I have some experience with aliens" was a cute remark. And did serve to remind me that no matter how frustrating stories may get on AMC, they never approach the sheer horror and ennui of the Casey-the-Alien plot on GH.

And I like that Leo has found his sense of humor again. His frustration at being trapped in the apartment with Anna and David was priceless Leo.

And I love Roger. I love that he is blackmailing Trey. I love that he said, "Ms. Torres said to put it on her tab." I love that no matter how despicable he is being, he manages to make me smile.

And I love that Arlene is back, although it seems not for long. I wish she would stick around. Wouldn't she and Rog make a great pair?

All My Schmattes

What was that "dress" Erica wore for her romantic Little Italy dinner with Chris? It had sleeves, it had straps, it had something hanging off the front that looked like fresh pasta. She would have better off in "pleather" pants.

Will someone please take Mia and Kendall shopping? Does every blouse Mia owns have those ridiculous milk maid puffy sleeves? I am surprised her swimsuit didn't have them. She was better dressed when she first came to PV and was penniless.

Kendall. Kendall. That red blouse you wore for the lie detector test looked like it was applied with a pastry tube. Of course maybe you were hoping that Ryan would try to lick it off. There might be a method to the madness of your dressing after all!

AMC has that indefinable soap something that keeps me tuning in every day. I love going to Pine Valley, even if it is not as perfect as I once thought it was.

Thank to everyone who sent me good wishes in my HMO dealings. Your many kind thoughts and prayers are appreciated more than I can possibly say.

Kate