Alkaline, it's been a long time! Thank you for stopping by. I didn't know you were a writer too. I wish I could meet you and everyone else on this board who have played such an important role in my life.

GTO, thank you for the suggestions. I hope you had fun with your friend :-)

Update:
Have been busy writing and taking care of my mom, who's having serious health issues. I have faith that things will turn out well with her health.

Also, there have been so many details to take care of after the D was completed. I guess it takes a while for it to really be "done." Paperwork and emails back and forth to now-XH. I still have a hard time calling him my XH. I would call him by his name but then I would be going against privacy policies. Maybe I'll call him Joe or something (no, his name isn't Joe.)

On the 24th he emailed and added a note that he would always think of me on that date (it was our 15th anniversary of "being together,") though we're not together anymore, so does it really mean anything. I didn't acknowledge the comment.

Today he emailed more housekeeping stuff and then asked about possible credit for the two weeks of health insurance that he paid after the date of dissolution. I am working on not letting these things get to me, but this really made me angry. So I replied and said I was upset about his mentioning this. I wasn't attacking, just honest. He replied, "I didn’t intend to upset you about Medical insurance, I’m only asking you to decide what’s fair based on our agreement. If I had all my belts in the right loops and could do it again, I wouldn’t have mentioned it at all."

So I said I wouldn't be giving him a credit bc that's what I thought we were doing. He then replied w an update about his family visit to CA (he's there now.) So overall, his demeanor toward me has switched from rude and distant to more polite, and slightly nice. He even said he'd be praying for my mom.

Maybe my book's advice is working :-)

I am still in the process of detachment, though. I saw that he put a picture of himself and the woman as his profile picture on Gmail and my stomach turned. My heart rate was out of control. I didn't even have time to stop the negative thoughts before they translated into emotions. It was like a reflex reaction. It took me a while to "recover" and regain calm. This will take time.

I've had my bouts of sadness and tears. The anger is still there. But every time I read my own advice, it helps. It's funny how it works.

Anyway, my b-day is on Sunday. I'll be thinking about you all, my friends.