Bridget - A Bob tattoo? I would be honored... Maybe I should get a "Bridget" or a "Zest" tattoo - that would really send W into a tailspin!

Sue - if you wanted to make the journey from IL out to Virginia, I'm sure that there are some spaces still available at the beach house. Just check out MAL's thread in the Just for Fun area. Also, I think that several people up in Chicagoland occasionally get together for dinner or something - I'll pass along anything that I see.

Another surprisingly good C session yesterday. C and I talked at length about some of W's controlling tendencies as of late (limiting Internet access from home, trying to change to a new C because our current one is not on W's insurance's preferred list, W planning on taking the kids away for a long weekend without at least checking with me first). We're not sure if W is doing all of this to intentionally provoke a reaction and confrontation from me or that she is working to isolate and minimize me from her life. It would be a definite 180 for me to really raise a lather about all of this - but with W making so many missteps (her Internet plan not working and not doing anything about it, W not getting a list of preferred therapists for insurance reasons, W having second thoughts about going away with the kids in a couple of weeks), I feel that doing nothing more than I have is the way to go.

Last night I did get to dance practice even though W showed up home late from her appointment with the muscle activation therapist. I did engage W in a bit of chit chat before I left. Practice felt good. Being around so many of our friends was even better. They know nothing of our marital problems but they do know that I'm still looking for work. A wonderfully supportive group of people - just like you all here on the BB. I am definitely lucky.

Got home last night - W was decidedly cool. She did not really want to hear about how our friends were doing or passing on well wishes from them. I really feel sorry that W is working so hard to shut out this part of her life. It is so very sad and so very unnecessary.

This morning I got a phone call from our vet concerning our dog's problems. The good news is that in her opinion, the antianxiety medication is doing its job. The bad news is that our puppy is acting more puppy like with all of her chewing. The vet gave me a three pronged approach to deal with this so I have some work to do on this.

After I got back in from mowing the yard, there was a message from W on the answering machine. MIL was being taken to the hospital to get some X-rays on her ankle which she twisted in the shower a couple of days ago. W was very upset at this since today is MIL's birthday and she was planning on going over this evening to celebrate. W came by to drop off a couple of things - I gave her a lot of support and told her that I would come up to the nursing home with the stuff and the kids if MIL gets back there at a decent hour this evening. W thanked me for pitching in like this and she'll keep me posted. I'm keeping SIL posted by e-mail - which SIL appreciates.

Bob