Banner day today - W brought the form for me to sign to stop the D proceedings.
Separation is fun. Twice the expense as M, but half the benefits. Or less than half. Mileage may vary.
But seriously, I have some good DB observations, or notes from the field, today.
We had a pretty good day. She brought the poor joint-custody kitty over, got some laundry done, we went to lunch, book store and thrift store. We decided to skip a movie today, but watched one on DVD when we got back here. I thinks it's interesting that she always refers to it as this house and that house, never yours and mine. She also says stuff like "we can keep that here," instead of "you can keep that." I also notice it's much easier to keep up chatter in the car. And even when it's quit, it seems more like two people who know each other well enough that we don't have to maintain small talk, instead of two people who are nervous and edgy when it's quiet.
But, there were a few chances for mishaps along the way. I think I handled them very well, compared to how the old me would have. Let's go through them, and you can decide. To be fair, I should point out that W was very tired and had a headache (like me, she gets migraines or tension headaches).
First mishap was when I forgot she'd asked me to swing by the McD's for a Diet Coke on the way. I was quite a ways past it when she asked if we'd passed it (she's gets turned around quite a bit out in the sticks here - it's quite confusing if you don't drive a lot). Anyway, I just had to to a tad bit out of my way to the next one, then catch the next roundabout (more on those later) a block up the road and be back to the freeway. Well, McDs was busy, the employees were surly, W was crabby... I though I heard her mutter something about why we went that way...
Old Me: definitely would have grilled her about it and made a choice comment. New me: pretended I hadn't heard a thing - something we Hs are really quite good at. Sometimes it's a valuable skill!
So, I manage to get to roundabout without any comment about going the right way. Then through the next one and onto the freeway ramp. DOH! The freeway ramp is one more roundabout up. W throws up her hands in a frustrated motion like she's perplexed.
Old Me: would have vigorously and sarcastically defended my right to make a mistake while driving. New me: Just said "Oops. The freeway is at the next one..." in a friendly, joking manner (it was pretty funny, after all).
Before I get to the last one, I have to mention, with me being out of practice with driving so infrequently, the incidents of me screwing up on the road are increasing. Every time we go out, there's one or two. Or three. Or... it doesn't help that we're 30 minutes from anything. Last week I was going to mention an incident where I started off down the wrong road. She caught that one, but I took a guess on an unfamiliar road and it turned out ok so I played it cool... That story was interrupted by the news of the desire to stop D but stay separated. So.... back to this weekend's adventure.
The biggest test was when I left the mall thinking I could turn left, but couldn't I said I could catch the new roundabout (they're sprouting like weeds) up the road a ways. W remembered the street and said I could get to where I needed by going right. I said "aren't we going to..." and she said <getting frustrated> "yes, and ... you have to to right to get to ..." Anyway, we were not in agreement.
Old me: not only would have continued to argue, have been petty and snarky, I would probably have gloated about being correct. New me: very nicely explained that X St. was on the other side of the mall and Y St (the one we needed) was on this side and I always had to think hard about it myself to keep them straight in my mind.
Changing the way I react must be working - on my next screw-up, she just calmly said I should have waited for the other person. She was right about that one.
About those roundabouts (Or traffic circles if you prefer. Or rotaries if you're from Massachusetts ) Here in the USA they have recently been adopted as the new great thing. So much so, they're going a bit crazy with them. While it is nice not to have to stop (don't get me started on 4-way stops!!!!) my uncle joked "they don't reduce the number of collisions, they just lessen the angle of impact!"
That same uncle, when he first visited London, asked of the man at the car rental counter "What can you tell me about the roundabouts." The rental agent barely looked up, and said "You're going to want to go left."
Now, let's remember that scene in the movie European Vacation when the Griswalds get stuck in the roundabout and can't get out.
That story was interrupted by the news of the desire to stop D but stay separated. So.... back to this weekend's adventure.
) Here in the USA they have recently been adopted as the new great thing. So much so, they're going a bit crazy with them. While it is nice not to have to stop (don't get me started on 4-way stops!!!!) my uncle joked "they don't reduce the number of collisions, they just lessen the angle of impact!" 
