Life with Chris

Last night the X was supposed to pickup the kids between 9 and 9:30 as she has an appointment about an hour away from here. We were going to eat around 7 since we had a late lunch. I had taken the kids to Noodles and Company since they have several dishes I can eat calorie/carb-wise.

So, I'm making the Pasta with Hearty Meat Sauce recipe I posted this morning with a projected dinner time of 7PM and the phone rings, it's the X and she'll be there in 10 minutes.....

To make a long story short I invited her to eat with us and she, Danielle, and I had the aforementioned pasta while Scott had pasta with jarred meatless sauce (he does not like meat, veggies, etc. in his sauce).

They left around 8:30 and the usual what to do now that the kids are gone blues set in. Tails and I ended up watching TV until bedtime.

So, how am I doing these days? OK. Kind of blue though. I'm really missing my dad. I know Danielle is sad about that too I had to put away some of the mementos of him I brought back from New Jersey as they were affecting her. Work is no longer what I want to be doing but I feel locked in because at least I have a job that pays me what I need to have to support myself and the kids and pay support. My plan right now is to make it through the four years until Danielle turns 18 and comes off of support, and then evaluate where I want to be in life and what I want to do. Until then, it's focus on getting the kids out of the house and off to school, life, whatever, while making them as happy as I can.

Snow, work, kids, and such.

Thursday night it was snowing again and by yesterday morning we had another inch on the ground. I am hoping that's the last of it. After 107 inches of snow for the year, I have had enough.

At work, we are finally getting ready to be transferred into our new division at GE next week which is basically an IT support group. It will be a big change for us all; for example none of us will be doing any hands on technical work going forward once the Grand Rapids site is fully transitioned; we are not looking forward to that at all, but, on the other hand it is good to have a job. It will be strange, we will now be 'guests' or even tenants of the Grand Rapids location but not part of that business, which means we'll all be moved into an area together (goodbye my window seat that I love!) and have different benefits, vacation and holiday policies. Goodbye week off at Christmas!!!! Aarrggggg!

Danielle is over her strep which is good, though it made her lose 3 days of school and fall a little behind. Scott is doing well. Thursday night I took them both to Hobby Lobby to get Scott a sketch pad, I ended up spending over $50 getting the each a set of sketch books and pads, plus an artists carrying case for Scott and a set of artists pens for Danielle; when it comes to creative things like this I can't say no!

Chris came home from Kettering University yesterday; this is his second B session of his freshman year where he is supposed to be working with a partner company but he still does not have one. Of the eight 3 month B sessions to graduate he needs five with a partner company. He had an interview in the area a week or so ago is hoping to hear from by Wednesday so he does not have to go to Detroit for an interview. Then too he would have to live in that area instead of being able to stay at his Mom's house. He had exams this week and I was IM'ing with hm the other day and he feels he did good in them. He is the typical student, staying out until all hours, catching a bit of sleep, and then running off to class.

I thought my takes were all taken care of but the accountant told me they were rejected by the IRS. Turns out the X did Chris' on-line for him and somehow set it to claim him as a deduction for himself which as a full time student being claimed on my taxes he can't do, so, now amended tax forms for him and me had to be done to fix it for of course additional money, but, considering I get a very good refund using the accountant I have no issues with paying the extra $50 to take care of this.

Last night the X stopped in bringing dinner which I ordered from First Wok, Scott had his friend Ben over so he joined us for dinner. Afterwards the X, Danielle, and I watched "The Mist" which turned out to be pretty good. A bit after they left she called because Danielle had forgotten her antibiotics. Since I knew the X had to journey out sometime between 11 and midnight to pickup Scott and that Danielle would be in bed already I ran them over the her house.

I often marvel over the way my divorce works out with the X; last week we ended up having sinner together four times for example, I like to call this a 'dysfunctional' divorce....and I really wish I could stop carrying the torch for her..but the heart has a mind of its own... I do hope her business issues resolve this year, she works so hard for so little return, it just does not same fair.

Yesterday after work I also began the chore of setting up my new Home Theater PC, I worked that on and off until 2AM this morning. I'll probably do a separate post on that later.

For the cat fanciers out there Tails is doing fine; she enjoyed being up late with me last night, often sitting in the chair next to me at the kitchen table where the new HTPC is being set up, or curled up on the couch with me when I was sitting there.

The sun is shining, the temperature, which had dropped into the low teens overnight is predicted to hit upper 40's today, so perhaps we are finally going to see some spring like weather. I guess that's all for now!

Scott and Life's Lessons

Scott's really getting hit by the sucks side of life; first the problem with his voice, which, thankfully is largely passed, and now this;

Last week a friend of his was in a car crash and went into a coma; he was very distraught. The friend passed away a couple of days later. He was so upset; sure, he knows about death, but, this was the first case where it affected him so closely with someone that he knew and really liked. The past couple of days have been rough for us worrying about him, and even rougher for himself.

Yesterday he was at my house and I with him during the day after his Mom left for work. Tails did her part too, providing affection and amusement and even coaxing a smile or two from him.

We always want the best for our children, wanting to spare them the harsher realities of life, and extend the joy and innocence of childhood for as long as possible. Sadly, I think Scott now is past some of that. He's weathered divorce, death, personal issues, and I hope he comes through OK, perhaps just a bit wiser as to what life can have to ofter on the negative side, while we strive provide as much positive experience as we can for him.