Date's not until after I return from the lands of the euro. WAW is in Upstate City this weekend with The Girl-Child for a girls and their girls' weekend. I go to Very Orderly European Country Tuesday afternoon. So both the session with Fabulous MC#2 (WAW's idea) and the date will be between my return from Transylvania, where I go after Very Orderly European Country and my departure for The Great White North in early September.
Last night WAW took S10 to the movies. She did her usual text-from-the-driveway thing, asking if it was okay to come in and use the little room before they left.
Here, kitty kitty.
So I went outside, waved, opened her car door, told her "Come on in!" Then inside I chatted happily, smiling.
WAW was intrigued. Intrigued, but confused.
She came into the back of the house to see D6, and she was not-too-subtly-but-thinking-she-was-subtly eyeballing changes in the house. Why, this does not compute! Changes? In the house? Why, yes -- this is Smiley's Person's house now, didn't you know?
So we continued chatting amicably until it was time to leave for the movie. When she came back, she sort of stuck half her head into the family room where I was fast-forwarding through some DVR'd stuff, and I said, "What're you doing out there? Come in!" Asked her how the movie was, etc., etc., and again she had that quizzical-but-somehow-pleased-but-not-sure-what-was-happening thing in her eyes.
But she had to leave -- it was late, after all. So I said Goodnight and so forth, but I made a conscious choice not to get up, pause my viewing, and walk her to the door. No, I'm sort of busy here. And she kind of didn't want to leave, but kind of did, and finally managed to pull herself away, but not before a "So, you're leaving Tuesday?" Yes.
"And I guess you're meeting your 'friend' in Very Orderly European Country." Why, yes, as a matter of fact I am.
"Oh." Pause. "We're still having a date when you get back, right?" Of course! Looking forward to it!
"And we're seeing Fabulous MC#2 when you get back, right?" Of course! Looking forward to it!
Man, it's unbelievable how the money question can poison one's attitudes towards WAH. Even when you're trying to be friendy, trying to stay "up," trying to be "as if," Old Man Reality has a way of kicking you right in the co-jonees.
I'm trying to keep that PMA, but I'm looking at my money picture right now and *&$#%)(!~! that *@*)+!@@#!'ing +>":!*#&!~##%~! On my own financially for 6 weeks now, and it looks like I'm going bust.
I'm clipping grocery store coupons, and driving hither and thither to find a couple bucks' savings on dog food, and buying the bottom-of-the-line coffee maker instead of the one I want (Mr. Coffee passed away yesterday, a tragic and senseless loss, especially given my copious consumption of his caffeinilicious munificence -- why do the good die young, o lord?).
I took advantage of the 40% off lowest-marked price sale at the The Gap today and the end-of-season clearance sale at running shoe store (need new go-fasters for the marathon training). I gave up the idea of proper hiking shoes, even though I'm going to hike for 2 days in Very Orderly European Country. I stopped buying organic milk for the kids because it's twice as expensive, even though I'd much prefer it for them. I basically eat nothing but omelets, since all the leftovers in the world can go into them, and cold cereal. I changed the showerheads to extremely low-flow units to increase my water-bill savings. I work at the computer at night with a Coleman lantern to save on electricity. When I get back from European Business Trip I'm going to start recycling myself -- hunting bottles and cans in the public trash bins -- to pull in some extra buckis.
I'm reminded daily, more and more, of those sad days in the '70s when Mom, struggling to make post-divorce ends meet, became an adherent of The Generics -- Milk and Macaroni and Meat, neatly packed in neatly labeled cans.
I'm trying to do the Right Thing financially, in other words.
And the bills keep coming. Fabulous MC#2 seems to think -- who told her that? -- that bills should come to me. My lawyer sent me a whopper. Summer camp comes out of my pocket, too, since I "don't work" and therefore ought to be able to watch the kids. And all these things that we're supposed to "split" WAW's attorney has directed her to reimburse only after an end-of-month reconciliation (with receipts, naturally) has been provided to WAW, via her attorney, via my attorney, from me. Which means I get to do The Float.
But then I get this series of announcement e-mails today: I'm going to girls' weekend in X, and I'm going for a week in Y, and Friend and I are going to Z for 2 weeks, and I just bought Umpty-ump designer pants and This-'n'-that designer shoes and This-One-Too designer shoes for D6.
I was going to be reasonable about the final $$ settlement. Now I'm not. Screw her. She can live by the Rule of Thirds -- a third for her, a third for me, and a third for Uncle Sam.
She better be spectacular on this "date" when I get back. Because right now I'm disliking her and her WAWly ways enough that I'm tempted to walkaway.
I feel your pain and financial strain. Go take a look at my thread. I can relate. I am too furious to say more. Sorry your coffee maker died - that is a sad, sad thing.
I am having evil thoughts that are being directed to your WAS and mine. They are very bad.
