Dave, Great job. I was exactly going to recommend that you focus on validating when she starts to spew venom. It is really hard to keep up the anger/venom for very long when someone is empathizing with you!
In the mean time, I think you need to re-detach and let W have no one to blame for her sitch but the (wo)man in the mirror! SD
Me 41 W 41 Kids: S9 S7 Married 16 years Bomb dropped 2/2/07 Still living together! current thread