Sledding

I'm currently being bombarded with holiday stuff, family stuff, snow stuff, and back-to-work stuff. Which means I don't have time for blog stuff. The world is so unfair!

I did get to go sledding a few days ago, though, and managed to kill my back thoroughly. But dangit-- I caught AIR off that jump! Lots of air! I took a can of Whoop-Ass to my brothers and FLEW!!! (Of course, there was that one run when my brother and I doubled... we rocked down that slope until we crashed spectacularly into the powder...)

And I have learned a New Truth... if you invite your step-daughter to go sledding with you and your family on a day that is Not Officially Your Holiday Time, you are apparently participating in ruining the Other Mother's life.

I just so don't get girl politics.

Be Careful Of What You Ask For

You just may get it.

When I decided to date/get married again, I wanted to marry someone who was divorced from a crazy ex-wife, so he'd know exactly what I went through in my marriage to Pierre.

Well, I got her.

I just finished up a 16-page packet for Ron's ex-wife. She is nutso-crazy, and I'm just going to deluge her with facts and figures so she'll shut up. :)

In doing all the research for this packet, I had to do all Ron's girls' medical for the past two years. I uncovered that his ex was using my health insurance illegally (long story, but she doesn't get any benefit from my insurance as per legal papers). Now I have to go through my insurance, who will bill us for the full amount they covered, and then we have to try to get reimbursement from Ron's insurance.

I am not happy about having to deal with insurance fraud when it's MY neck on the line.

Blast From the Past

I spent the weekend cleaning more crap out of the garage. I'm getting ready to have one more HUGE yard sale and get rid of what's left.

I've now hit the boxes that contain 'memorabilia' of times with E.C. and Pierre.

Just when you think you've buried old hurts, healed old wounds, etc...

Let's just say that it's a good thing Ron came home and gave me a big hug that first day. You have to remember that there are things right in the world. Not everything is heartbreak.

It did feel good to trash some more of the old divorce papers, though. And I'm selling a bunch of little presents E.C. gave to me. There's something freeing about choosing actions like this. It's at least a step in a positive direction when there's so many negative thoughts swirling around you.

Yellowstone, Day 7

I guess that technically, this was more of a "Grand Teton" day, as we packed up camp and drove out of the park this morning. We stopped for lunch at String Lake in the Tetons, which is a beautiful little lake to kayak in. We made passing hikers jealous of our lunch of grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.

I love the Grand Tetons-- it is so amazingly beautiful there. I camped there a few years ago, and am just itching to get back. It's so peaceful, and the backdrop of these stunning mountains just adds to the experience all the more.

On the drive back home from the Tetons, we amused ourselves by playing a song game-- I whistled tunes from Disney movies, and they had to try to guess the movie and the name of the song. I had a terribly dry mouth after a hour of this! :)

Jak called her mother when we got closer to home, to see if she could come home with us that night so I could take her to the dentist tomorrow. Her mother was awful to her, as usual. She insisted that Jak had to stay the night at her house that night, and that we could drive all the way back up to pick her up in the early morning (45 minute drive, usually), and then take her over an hour back down to the dentist office, and then drive her all the way back home. Jak was crying after she got off the phone, saying, "She's such a bitch when it comes to you guys. I don't know why, but she just hates you." I responded with, "But this isn't about us-- it's about you." She looked sad and said, "I know. But she doesn't care." I told her I was sorry.

Divorce sucks even worse for kids when one of the parents is an asshole.

But, even with the little spoiler at the end of the trip, we had a GREAT time. :)