I suspect that this process is going to be at times excrutiatingly slow and may not even end up with a R - it is very iffy at this point. W is continuing to make plans to move back in with me, however she will be occupying a separate bedroom.
Think of this as if you are holding a tiny ember, this ember is barely burning but you are carrying it over to your fire pit to start your fire. You will need to be very careful with it. You will need to gently blow on it and help the ember burst into a small flame. You do not want to throw water on it or blow too hard to exstinquish it. It is a very delicate process.
So to is what your are trying to rebuild. You are correct that it will be a slow process, and just like the rest of life it will have its ups and downs. Just be careful in what you are doing, keep your expectations low and start trying to change that small ember into a roaring fire.
