Had a mostly good day yesterday. Needed to pick up W and D4 from work/school and drive them back. However, I had a critical work issue that I needed to resolve and I was getting a little worked up about it. Before DBing, I would have gotten irritable with W's suggestions and told her that it's fine. This time around, I listened to her advice on dealing with the issue and I took her advice. Took about 20 minutes to resolve. W and D4 were in my car waiting. I fixed the issue (issue was halting business so problem needed to be fixed) and went back to car with D4 and W. Told them that I was needed to fix the issue at hand but it was resolved. I was happy and getting more relaxed about it as we talked (another change). We chatted a little going back home. She brought up the fact that her uncle's girlfriend invited both of us to his surprise party. GF said to W that she didn't know if it was weird or awkward to invite us this way. She said that we get along and work fine (hurt to hear, but again...likely temp checking me to see what I would say). I then told her this:
"I'm going to start distancing a little from your uncle. I thought about what you said about feeding off his anger in how he dealt with his sitch and based off that and the reaction I had with you (W) it was not going to anything but cause more hurt feelings, which we both don't need right now. It was a difficult enough day as it was with the two conversations we had and him telling me stuff was a trigger to an avalanche of negative feelings and anxiety that caused the day to end like this."
She acknowledged my convo and we continued to chat. We got home, I got ready to GAL. D4 went into her bedroom and we sat at the kitchen table and talked for over an hour. Nothing serious about our sitch. Just about bills, D4, upcoming trips, our friend and her abusive R, and some other lighthearted conversations. Totally lost track of time. Left the house and she texted me the issue with her vehicle and why it needed to be fixed (vehicle got stuck in the sand at beach). I texted her back and joked with her that things never change. She didn't know what I was talking about. I told her about the same issue she went through 10 years ago with her other vehicle. She got embarassed and said she had to go (playful) and hung up.
GAL until late. W called me at 2AM to make sure I was ok and where I was. Told her I was at home. Hung up and went back to sleep.
