Just Another Day At The Park

I took a vacation day from work today. I haven't used many of them this year. A few around the time of the wedding has been it, really. We can't afford to take the kids on a "real" vacation this year. And that's okay. We took them to Florida last fall and to New York in July the year before. This year, we're doing a "local" vacation. Hitting a few of the things that River City has to offer.

Today, we spent some time at our local theme park. I lucked into half-priced tix and we vowed not to get souvenirs, food, or play games. We held pretty well to that. The park also has a pretty nice water park (full of slides, etc.), but we weren't sure the weather was going to cooperate.

But, hooray, it did!!

Here, because I need to get off of here and throw together a late dinner, are the highlights and lowlights.

* The water park was LOADS of fun, with a wave pool and a feature that I overheard another kid call "Lazy River" (which was totally not the name, but describes it so much better than the actual name) that had all of us floating around a little "river" in inner tubes. I didn't chance the water slides, but there were plenty of those, as well.

* The big lowlight was my cellphone got lost. We retraced our steps pretty well, but weren't able to find it. I've filed with the park's lost and found, but I'm not holding out much hope.

* After a pretty dark and gloomy start to the day, the weather broke and the day really was pretty nice.

* [Kid 3] and I riding the (kiddie) rollercoaster together was pretty nice. Coasters, btw, are really not my thing, but she wanted to go and I was happy to be there for her. The bumper cars were pretty fun, too.

All in all it was a fun experience and not terribly expensive little mini-vaca. We've got a few more of these little excursions planned over the next few weeks. With school starting in a couple weeks...that's right, I said a COUPLE...it's fleeting before us and I want to hold onto a little more time, if I can.

Hope you guys are enjoying what's left of your summer! Don't let it slip away!!

Hmmm, Hmmm, Hmmm...Hmmm, Hmmm, Hmmm

Too many movie trailers.

Too many commercials.

Weakening.

Unable to break free of it's grip.

I CAN NOT get this song out of my head. It's been there for days. And now, consequently, everyone at my house is infected.




Worse, apparently, it's not just at my house, either...







Please alert the CDC.

Quickly.

Lord, I Was Born a Ramblin' (Wo)Man...

Okay, see, I was soooo out of practice that you'll have to excuse the errors on yesterday's post. Have to. In the meantime, I've got a little something else on my mind. And, well, you guys know how that stuff goes. I come here. I vent. I pay the consequences. I move on.

It mostly works for me. So let's roll with it. 'K?

I mentioned, a couple weeks ago,about my kids needing some repair work. My ex simply wasn't doing a thing to either get his kids' teeth fixed, or repay me the money he owed me (which would allow me to get this stuff done). It's been more than a little stressful for me and, because he's the man I love for a reason, Bunnyman opted to do what he could to help the children he so loves (and simultaneously reduce my stress). This while he's been struggling with some issues of his own.

He's a gem, I tell you!

My children watched as their stepfather sold off various of his own treasures and quickly pulled together the money we need to begin this process. Knowing, all the while, that he was doing something so selfless FOR THEM. Knowing that it was something their own father wasn't stepping up to do. Knowing that they were that important to Bunnyman. That loved. It's been hard for me to watch this process. Hard for me to allow him to do it.

I know he's limited in what he can do to help, and that he deeply, deeply wants (maybe needs) to. So I've tried (and it hasn't always been terribly successful) to hold my tongue as he's pulled prized possessions from his collections to convert to funds for the orthodontist. I get angry that their own father is only too happy to let this man, for whom he has such contempt, continue to step up and do his job for him. This man who has been such a positive factor in his childrens' lives and for whom he fervently refuses to show any appreciation whatsoever.

The emotions are pretty overwhelming. I'm so happy that my daughter (one of two anyway...I'll elaborate more later) will be able to get the help she needs. I feel so very grateful to Bunnyman, and so incredibly lucky to have chosen a man to share my life who clearly loves these children so much. Sorrow and disappointment that my children have to look at their father and know that he had ways to help with this and chose not to...putting them second to his own personal agenda. Of course, I know EXACTLY how they feel. I've been where they are many, many times before.

Add onto all of that some anonymous commenter who felt it was more important to point out my husband's shortcomings (in response to my previous post), than it was to applaud him for doing everything within his power to help the children of a man who would not. Talk about not getting it.

I try to keep focused on the positive. Not easy by a long shot. And CERTAINLY I'm human...with all the faults that go with that. But [Kid 2] will be getting braces before school starts and the damage will begin to be reversed. And that is a MOST precious gift.

I've advised her father, who was (initially) very pleased that the money had been collected and his daughter was getting the help she needs. (I'd opted not to flaunt in his face where it had come from.) When I reminded him that he would need to reimburse his portion of this medical expense at the end of the next quarter (something I did out of consideration for him), he began blustering. I was trying to be up front with him and give him more than two months to make whatever arrangements he needed to make.

But, what I got was the standard. There was no way he could do that. As usual, it was okay for me to figure out how to make it work for the kids. As long as it was in a manner that did not impact his lifestyle.

For a couple weeks now, he's been avoiding the conversation of whether I can count on him paying what will amount to about $850 back to me on time. With school starting (and the accompanying fees, clothing, supplies, etc.), it would be helpful for me...budgetwise...to know whether I can count on this money. But his latest advises that I "shouldn't take anything to the bank".

Mostly, this latest is because he's mad at me. Once again, for something I did not do. In an effort to significantly reduce legal costs (something that has been an unfortunately big part of our finances over the last couple years), I filed directly with the Child Support Division and they provide legal counsel at no cost.

As opposed to $200/hr., it's a figure I could live with. I went in and discussed the specifics of my situation and gave them copies of my income information, my ex's, and a spreadsheet I'd prepared some time ago that outlines the arrearages and payments towards same. My ex has been making some effort to repay these (though he'd led me to believe they'd be paid off this past spring and then reneged), which I pointed out to them while I was there. However, his current balance is right at $1,900. Money my kids could certainly use.

In any event, he left last Friday for a week's vacation in Florida with one of his casual female friends and her children. He twice mentioned to me that he was only able to go on this vacation because said friend was covering 100% of the expenses. It doesn't matter to me. It's not like he'd be paying me the money he owes me instead of taking a vacation anyway. Ironically, he took unpaid leave a few weeks ago, to spend some time here locally with our girls. And then notified me that my child support payment would be short because of it.

My brain didn't quite process that, but here's the skinny. Rather than use his paid vacation time to spend with his children, he's spending that time elsewhere with others and then working less and reducing the support they receive, so that he can spend time with them. Better, he thinks that's good for them. Frustrating, to say the least.

Apparently, the day before he left, he got a letter from the Child Support Division advising him that they plan to intercept any potential tax refunds (state or federal), lottery winnings, etc. to pay off arrearages to his children. To say he is furious is putting it mildly. He came to my house before he left, has sent me numerous derogatory emails and has ranted to me on the phone several times.

Here's the thing. I had no idea that the CSD was going to do this. I never asked them to do it on my (or the kids' behalf). They never told me they planned to. After catching so much flack from my ex, I called them...not necessarily to stop it (like I have any control over the government anyway)...but to try to find out what was going on. They advised me it was their standard procedure and that it was their job to keep focused on the "best interest of the children involved".

See, those words are key.

Best. Interest. Of. The. Children. Involved.

It is often difficult in divorces to remember those words. You have so many of life's stressors beating you up and you forget that children need things 24/7/52. Not just when they're with you.

The CSD doesn't have the same emotional or financial distractions. They do not know (or care about) you on a personal level. They are working at trying to take the best care possible of the children in the middle. And if that means that the grown-ups have to make some lifestyle changes to accommodate the children...well...so be it.

Meanwhile, my ex has vowed (and then changed it back and forth a couple times over various email and phone conversations...so who knows what he plans to do) not to give me any more money towards arrearages (or the medical) until "this gets straightened out". Consequently, it's really, really hard to budget. But I feel confident that if we don't get the money now, we'll get it at some point in the foreseeable future. It's just...you know...that it gets a little tricky to feed them until then...

In one of the last emails I got from him (before I finally got to the "discussing it with him was getting us nowhere" point), he mentioned that he had been trying to get the funds together to address the medical reimbursement by ebaying some of his collectible items. I was surprised. But I guess he simply didn't have any other options, and realized that he's legally obligated to repay this money that's being used for the welfare of his children.

Again, though, the main thing is that [Kid 2] is going to get the treatment she needs. The rest will work itself out somehow. [Kid 3]'s periodontal work, which I'd hoped to get done before school starts will have to wait. It's another $500-$600 and there's simply not another drop of blood to be rendered from this here turnip. Especially, with the handicap of not being able to budget at all. While I'd rather she could get this beyond her more quickly, I suppose she'll have to wait until her father decides whether or not he's going to support them. I just hope problems there don't escalate while we're dealing with the rest of life's little realities. It could turn into a much more expensive, much more difficult surgery for her if we're not careful.

Lastly, I just wanted to note that D and I have been working on locating apartments and jobs for dear friend, Nate, as he will be arriving here in River City (to STAY!) in a few short weeks. We'll be having some kind of Welcome Celebration (likely the weekend of August 18th, but I need to check with Nate and formalize a few things here locally), so please keep your calendars open-ish.

Taking What They're Giving, 'Cause I'm Working For a Living

Miss me? Quit lying. You know you did.

I've got about a million blog posts in my noggin right now, but no time to get them all out. At least not in any kind of entertaining textual kinda way. (If you're interested in the volatile blathering of a b-i-t-c-h, call me.)

Today, though, to try to ease the old gal back into the swing, here...I'm gonna roll like this.

One of the guys in my office sent me an email forward this morning. It was called "Demotivational Posters" and had many, many humorous photographs. My intention was to include one here as I had planned to ramble a bit about work and I thought it would be a nice fit. Unfortunately, like Lay's Potato Chips, one was not enough. And I spent FAR too much time trying to decide which one to include. Until I said, "Feh" and decided to send six. You people will just have to deal.

Worth More Dead Than Alive

How many old movies have you seen (It's a Wonderful Life, included), where a character is reminded that, due to life insurance, etc., they are worth more dead than alive?

Yeah, that has nothing to do with this post, but I'm reminded of it nonetheless. Ah, the randomness that is "me"...

Ran across this little link and (because I've been known to have a bit of a morbid side) decided to take the quiz.

$5125.00The Cadaver Calculator - Find out how much your body is worth. From Mingle2 - Free Online Dating

If you decide to do so, as well, let me know how it turns out. Or, if you are still gape-mouthed at the thought of it, well, you can let me know that, too. Or not.

Is it getting warm in here?

Is anybody else a little hot for Keith Olbermann? Come on. You can tell me. And, guys, it doesn't necessarily mean you're gay.



My contempt for this administration's complete disregard for the people they serve is bottomless. It's been a nearly daily thing for years now.

Currently, though, I recall George W. Bush stating that there was no way that his staff was involved in outing Valerie Plame and, that when those responsible were found, they would be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Uh, huh, I am ill. The deceit of his staff (and we all know just how high that shit is piled), then laid out for all to see, is not met with the punishment promised...the punishment outlined by the laws of this country...it is, with one signature, done. Game over.

No, I realize that Scooter Libby was not pardoned for his crimes. Merely, that his sentence was commuted. It is no less sickening to me.

Keith Olbermann says those things, so eloquently, that we all shout inside our heads (sometimes until our ears and noses bleed). And he says them to millions of people, including the man who most needs to hear us. Yeah, sure, it may do no more good in righting the wrongs than the mental cacophany does, but it sure feels great when he does it. Almost guiltily so...