Home Sweet Home

The Little House was built in 1923.  I’ve lived here since 1990.  From the minute the realtor showed it to me all those years ago, I knew it was my dream house.

I’ve lived here over 20 years now . . . some of them were happy years . . . some of them were not.  But through it all . . . it was my house!

And now that Prince Charming is here with me . . . it’s finally Home Sweet Home.

November Already?

Wow . . . it’s been four months since I posted anything here?!

Sorry, ya’ll . . . it’s been a busy summer . . . filled with trips here, there, and everywhere . . .

A Big Birthday for Prince Charming . . .

Time for Old Lady Testing for me . . .

Facing monsters and slaying them . . .

Yea, I know . . . you want details!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Prince Charming took me on a trip.  It was my birthday gift.  He did the planning.  He did the research.  He made the reservations.

All I had to do was pack!

He took me to Cleveland!  Cleveland?  Yes, Cleveland!

 

We visited the “A Christmas Story House”.

Anyone who knows and loves Ralphie knows this house!

 

We went to the beach . . .

okay, it wasn’t Florida or Myrtle Beach but it had waves, it had sun, it had sand . . . it was perfect!

 

We went to the Lighthouse in Fairport Harbor.

Yes, I walked at 69 steps to the top . . .

This is the view from the top!

See that red car?  That’s the Dogmobile.  I almost didn’t recognize it.

And you can’t go to Cleveland without going to the Rock Hall of Fame.

The Rock Hall was too cool for words . . .

 

We ate at fun places!

“The Dude Abides” at Melt Bar and Grilled.

 

Chicken Paprikash at Sterle’s Country House

It was three days away from work, away from the daily stress that was threatening to choke me . . . just me and Prince Charming (the doggies went to Puppy Camp for three days) . . . and it was heaven.

It was the best birthday present ever!

He Said, She Said

I’ve always said there are three sides to any story . . . or divorce.

There’s his side.

There’s her side.

And somewhere in the middle is what really happened.

In the beginning, I only heard Prince Charming’s side of the story.  How unhappy he was.  How lonely he was even with another person living in the house with him.  How any attempt at “fixing” the problems were met with either denial or resistance.  One person dominating the relationship and the other person doing everything they could to “keep peace.”  It seemed like Prince Charming’s marriage to The Queen is very similar to my marriage to XH.  Because I had been in that boat myself, I understood why it fell apart, what he went through during the marriage, and what he’s going through now in the divorce process.  But, like I said, there is more than one side to the story and I wondered could it really be that bad.

I believed Prince Charming but I still wanted to give The Queen the benefit of the doubt.

Then I had a chance to meet some of Prince Charming’s friends.  Some of his long-time friends.  Friends from high school.  Friends from the little town in Southern Ohio where he lived for 10 years before he moved to Virginia.  They told me that over the years, he had gotten more quiet and subdued.  They told me he seems much happier these days.  They’ve told me a little about some of the things they saw between Prince Charming and The Queen that made them wonder about the stability of the relationship.  The stories they told me were very similar to the stories that Prince Charming told me.  Their stories made me sad.

But, still, I wanted to give The Queen the benefit of the doubt.

Then when Prince Charming’s Dad passed away, I got to spend time with a lot of his extended family – cousins, aunts, uncles.  During the time they were here, I heard bits and pieces of the background story of Prince Charming’s marriage to The Queen.  More pieces to the puzzle started to fall into place.  It wasn’t a very pretty picture.  It was shaping up to be a very sad story.  My heart was starting to ache for him.

I was beginning to doubt that The Queen deserved the benefit of the doubt I had been giving her.

Then I had an opportunity to hear a conversation between Prince Charming and The Queen and the picture became crystal clear.  It was as bad as he told me.  It was probably worse!  The stories and the bits and pieces of information finally made sense.  She wants what she wants when she wants it and doesn’t care what how it inconveniences anyone.  It’s her way or no way . . . and any compromise is completely out of the question.  There was no warmth, no caring, no desire to understand anything but her point of view.

The cold authoritarian tone of her voice chilled me to the bone.  Her condescending attitude toward Prince Charming made me sad.  Her complete disregard for his feelings (or anyone’s feelings) made me angry.

It was sad to think that these two people had at one time loved each other enough to be married . . . and now they are complete strangers to each other.

I Should Write A Book

The on-again, off-again relationship with Princess and the GrandGirls is in the off-again stage.

(While I’m sad to be missing the GrandGirls’ graduation, I’m doing a happy dance to not have to deal with their drama for the time being.)

There was an argument and some mean and hurtful things were said to me.

I would have probably said mean and hurtful things, too, if I had been able to get a word in edgewise.

Apparently, XH is also upset about what’s happened.  After 30 years (yes, you read that correctly) of this nonsense, XH has decided it’s finally time to stand up to Princess and wants Princess and GrandGirl apologize for the disrespect that has been shown to me.  (Uh, who is this man and what has he done with my ex-husband?)

Princess told XH she doesn’t owe me anything and she’s done with me.  (And this time she means it!  Excuse me if I’m not completely convinced she’s gone for good this time!)

Her last words to me were to “have a nice life” and “good-bye”

Then to top it all off . . . Princess’ Mom told XH to tell me (are we still in jr high?) that if I don’t stop harassing Princess and the GrandGirls . . . they are going to put a restraining order out on me.

Wait . . . you call me, pick a fight with me, call me names, hang up on me and YOU are going to file a restraining order on ME?  And you have your mom tell your dad to deliver a message to me?

Seriously, folks, I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried!

 

Life is Good

(This one is for Beth!)

Cassano’s pizza for supper.

Prince Charming watching is favorite show.

I’m trying to figure out my iPod touch.  It didn’t come with an instruction manual so I had to buy one . . . and it reads just like (duh!) an instruction manual!

Rocky and Millie are outside playing with the puppies next door and chasing lightning bugs.

It’s been rough couple of weeks with Princess and GrandGirl Drama and Allergies From You-Know-Where . . . but I’ve survived . . . I always seem to survive . . . and that’s always a good thing!

But the weekend is here . . . and that’s always a good thing, too!

Summer

I’ve been whining all year about no snow, early allergies, too early to turn on AC.

But not today. Look at what I saw when I put my flag out today!

Does mean it’s finally summer?

Good News

I survived the liquid diet, the prep, the test, and the after-test.

They found a polyp.  The doc removed it and said he doesn’t think it’s anything serious.  I have a follow-up appointment in two weeks.  If I had waited another couple of years, the ending could be completely different. 

It was so much fun (NOT) that I’m going to do it all again in a year.  But only because the doc is making me!

Prince Charming was a trouper and came through his first “Boyfriend Test” with flying colors! 

 

Pity Party

I’m having a colonoscopy on Tuesday.

No, there aren’t any problems . . . it’s a “baseline” so that they can keep track of any changes that happen when I have this done again is, oh, 10 years!

No, I’m not 50 yet but I’ve been listening to Family Doc give me the spiel about the importance of having it done for the last 5 years and I’m tired of hearing it . . . so I’m getting it done and out of the way.

XH had three tests done the year he turned 50 so I know the routine.  Or at least I THOUGHT I knew the routine.  Apparently things have changed in the last 8 years or so.

I sure don’t remember it being this complicated when XH had his tests.

But the doc that is doing my test has his own set of rules.  I had to start watching my diet on Thursday.  No raw fruit or veggies.  No high fiber food.  Avoid red dye.  No aspirin, or advil, or aleve.

Well, poop!

I have allergies – and Sudafed has red dye in it.

My allergies are giving me a headache – and Advil is on the “NO” list.

My potassium is low so I eat strawberries, watermelon, and guacamole to bring it up.  All of these are on the “NO” list.

And that’s just the beginning . . . Monday starts the 24 hours of the liquid diet.  Ugh . . .

Please pray for Prince Charming . . . I think this test is going to be harder on him than it will be on me . . .

 

Wedding Bells

No, this isn’t the announcement where I tell you that Prince Charming and I are getting married.

This is the announcement where I tell you that XH and GF are getting married.  In June.  And Prince Charming and I were invited to the wedding.

Now let me start off by saying that I’m very happy for XH and GF.  He seems happy in his new life and I’m glad he’s found someone to spend the rest of his life with.

I’m surprised that he’s getting married again, though.  I guess he’s forgotten the “I’ve spent 40 years of my life being married and neither marriage worked out well for me, so I’m not doing it a third time.”

I’m surprised that he invited me and Prince Charming to the wedding.  I think it was a pity invite – he only invited me because I was standing in front of him and he thought it was the “right” thing to do.  While I’m cordial with XH and GF, we aren’t best buddies by any stretch of the imagination.  Prince Charming has met XH and GF and he’s cordial with them, too, but he has issues with the way XH treated me during the marriage and how XH has treated me since the divorce.

So the $64000 question is . . . Are we going?  No . . . we aren’t.  It’s too creepy to think of myself sitting in the chapel watching my XH getting married to someone else.  I cry at weddings . . . all weddings . . . and I think me crying at the wedding would send a very bad message.  I also think it’s too creepy for me and Prince Charming to be at the reception.  I can imagine the whispers of “What’s she doing here and why did she bring him?”  I feel that our being there would take the attention away from the bride . . . and it’s really her day.

It’s just entirely too awkward all the way around and we aren’t going.

But that isn’t the reason I gave XH for us not being there.  I took the cowards way out and told XH that it just so happens that Prince Charming’s divorce hearing is that weekend . . . so it wasn’t a complete fib . . .