The journey begins

[ClingingToHope]

Internet problems at work and having the girls a couple of times this week has kept me off the boards. I'm hold with the IRS now so I'll catch up.

STBXW asked me to take the girls Monday so she could catch up at work. That was a good night.

Tuesday I got a letter from STBXW's lawyer. I'm not sure if he's lazy or intentionally mistating financial stuff.

STBXW came down more on the child support. She's already asking for less than she'd probably get on insurance. So I signed off on that.

Her lawyer, though, apparently forgot to realize we'd make some concessions on debt for a lawyer payment because he didn't include it. It's not my job to point it out though.

He did pull something. STBXW is tossing in all of her debts -- including the $10,000 or so she's run up since I moved out. I'd only tossed in the debts we compiled together.

Doing it that way cuts into her assets heavily and means she'd have to give me less. So I refigured things with all of my debts including post breakup and my calculations show she'd owe me $7k more.

I need that to pay off a couple of things.

I was a little down after getting the letter. At least things are still moving -- which is both good and bad.

Then D11 gets off the bus and she's having major problems with this one kid on the bus. He told her a couple of weeks ago that he's been stalking her. Then last week he said something really crude to her. She told her teacher and she told the ast. principal and the police were called.

Now the kid is saying he didn't say any of that stuff and his friends are intimidating D11 and other kids on the bus.

I had hoped after Monday's teacher conference I wouldn't have to see STBXW for a long while. Now I'm going to be driving D11 to and from school for the final four weeks. That means having to pick her up from the house. I've told D11 to call me every morning when she is ready to go and then I'll come get her. I don't want to be hanging around the house.

I'm picking her up today. The getting her from the house starts tomorrow. STBXW said on the phone that she can help occasionally. I said "I won't need it," but that's not entirely true. I was planning on playing golf on Friday mornings. So reluctantly I may allow her to help.

Wednesday I went on a field trip with D7. It was a lot of fun. STBXW had D7 all dolled up in period costume -- we went to an outdoors village set up like the 1860s -- and packed me a lunch.

I almost never miss field trips. That's part of the advantage of my job. My boss is a little frustrated with me, but I feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things here.

After school I went back to work and D7 had a major meltdown. The neighbor pounded on the door -- I absolutely hate that woman, it was 3:30 in the afternoon, give me a break.

By the time I got home it was smoothed over and we had a great night. D11 got her homework done. She had an OK day ignoring the thug and his friends.

Oops, the IRS is on the phone.

Overall things are good.