Another one joins the flock (Part II)

[Mike85]

new_attitude: I was raised to be a Giants and Jets fan (my family is from downstate), but once I came to college in WNY in '83 and wound up with roommates and fraternity brothers from Orchard Park, Varysburg, Fredonia, Tonawanda, etc., I dropped the Jets for the Bills.

At least my Giants did OK this past year ;-)

Wife came by this morning to pick up the kids. She reeked of cigarette smoke. In the 20 years I've known her, there are only two reasons why she smokes EVER: she was at a party and drinking with smokers ... or she was tremendously stressed out. Since it was 10 AM on a Monday, we can rule out the former. She's lost more weight. I've had several mutual friends tell me that there's trouble in paradise (because of reality settling in), but I had just attributed their statements to being nice to me. Now my only worries are for my kids and what will happen to them and her if she does crack up.

She wanted some of my retirement portfolio info for the mediator when we sit down to formalize our verbal financial and custody agreement. As per DB strategy, I gave her copies of everything she asked for with a smile. She was pleasantly surprised. We made pleasant chit-chat, discussed the fun of the summer festival (she loved the tie-dyes I bought them), and kept things light.

Kids cried a lot when they left. Wife kept pointing out that they were coming back to me after dinner, but oldest kid kept crying and holding me. When wife gave me the usual hug and kiss goodbye, I noticed that she was skin and bones. Damn.

After wife & kids left, ran errands. At post office, friend who is a postal worker invited me to his annual summer blowout (pig roast, kegs, live music, hot tub, pool). Wife and I stopped going years ago b/c she didn't dig the "townie" scene. The party this year happens to be when wife has the kids, so HELL YEAH, I'M GOING!

Made a point of making the mortgage and home equity payments for the next two months. After hearing from my friend Dave about how wife and bf are blowing through cash, I'm paying all the major bills out of the joint account until September and then I'm having my new job's salary put into my individual account. Gotta make sure wife's MLC doesn't jeopardize my house, car, etc.

Spent four hours at my new workplace with a fellow new bio teacher hire. We did reconnaissance on our classroom, compared notes on how to teach lecture and lab, and checked out the supplies. This job is gonna be GREAT.

An old friend of mine from 20+ years ago called b/c she heard about my home life. It was great to have the support, but she was into the "kick her ass to the curb" mindset and didn't quite get the DB framework. She's Sicilian. Vengeance is big with her people. I'm Abbruzzese. We're more mellow and forgiving. It drove her nuts. I assured her that I'm NOT a doormat, explained the DB philosophy and assured her that I was watching out for my kids' welfare (esp. with alkie bf).

It's been a full, weird day.