Newest Member: ImperfectStranger

Special Ed Teaching nowdays

An aquaintence was looking for a job- got hired as a special ed teacher. The school is letting her teach wo a license so far (i think in my state you have several years to get it)

Anyone teach high school special ed? Isnt it tough? How were the parents and administrators and hours?

I havent seen this acquaintance much recently so I think its TOUGH!!!

0 comment posted: Saturday, March 18th, 2023

Leaky roof

Question- if your roof leaks and you notice damage on the inside of your house (stains on the ceiling) should the roofer go inside the home and check to make sure there is no mold in the attic?

Asking because i think roofer needs to go inside the home and check it out. Tennant thinks roof can be fixed from outide and doesnt want roofer inside in "their space"

6 comments posted: Thursday, March 2nd, 2023

Lying about a person’s health?

Ugh, sorry I am posting questions twice. I know someone who inflates their loved one’s illness. They say it is worse than it is. They also claim to be their caregiver, when in fact they are not, and when they are with the person they arent very nice to them!

Is this munchausen by proxy? They are not making their loved one sick, they are just gaslighting and saying aw.. They are sooooo sick. When they really are not as bad off as the gaslighter says.

5 comments posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023

Hyperlexia?

Anyone have this? My 3 year old just starts reading labels on cans the other day. WTH? I quizzed him and he knows a bunch of colors, some numbers, words like tomato, bunny, car, cat, dog, his name, ice cream, etc etc. About 20 words maybe? I have never taught him this. He does not watch that much tv. No idea how he can do this but its kind of cool hahha

9 comments posted: Tuesday, February 21st, 2023

Deep, deep sadness

I am so very sad about the losses due to cutting out toxic family. I guess the holidays highlight the smallness of my family now.

The in laws are obviously gone. Sil #2 actually contacted me on Instagram asking for me and kids and WH to call MIL on her birthday in October. I ignored. They have not done anything for my kids, dont text DD (17 yrs old), etc... That relationship is done. Dont see it reconciling to any great extent.

My sisters- have a legal suit court. They have sent NINE cops / investigators/ adult protective service workers to my home in less than 5 mos. One tweets about me and my bad husband and how he is stealing our moms money (not true) and he is about to leave me. She says she will not be there for me when wh leaves me, and my other sister tells our mom i have broken laws and that she will never see her grandkids again (im the only one who had kids of my siblings) because i will be in prison and my kids in foster care.

Covid made it ok to stay in and now my covid baby is 3, and I am trying to find playgroups and baby friends and it seems that everyone has extended families or long time friends already. I am planning on searching out churches to find some local friends. I do have a good group of about 5-7 girlfriends But they are all 1-2 or more hrs away

I have three great kids, WH has stepped up BIG TIME in the mess w my sisters, my mom has been living w us and happy to be here rather than sad living with my sister. Wh 's business took off this year and hes making 6 figures for the first time.

I had a migraine for three days last week. I cant go wo crying for a day . I am on edge. And i have reason to be.

Im just sad. I have a reason to be sad. It will pass. I guess cutting out shitty ppl in my life isnt as great and easy as id thought.

9 comments posted: Sunday, January 1st, 2023

Niece wants to be FB friends

Hubby's family and our family have had a falling out. Long story but i didnt think they (sister s in law and MIL) treated my kids (or me) well.

Havent seen them in 4 years and havent spoken in 1.5 years.

One of mean jellybean sister in law's kids just tried to friend me on Facebook. She is 22 and nice and a college student. I will admit to being a door mat to these people for so long bc i liked the younger generation, ie, the nieces and nephews.

Should i be her fb friend. I know she will show her mom my page, however i am a carefully cultivated facebooker and only put good stuff on, that my boss or whoever can see. Never get too personal. Its mostly pics of my kids and me flying.

5 comments posted: Saturday, December 24th, 2022

Manager of a Gentleman's Club?

My sisters and I have stopped speaking. They are doing some very, very bad things to me legally to get an inheritance out of an elderly relative.

They have lied to police and adult protective services, not to mention family and family friends.

I was talking to someone about this the other day and mentioned sister's husband was a strip club manager in the 1990s. They were FLABBERGASTED. She is a student of women's studies and well read and told me strip club managers especially several decades ago were not nice people and there was a lot of bad stuff that went on.

She was surprised I would have my kids around him. (He was a manager for 4 yrs and had always told me he took that job because he couldn't find anything else. He had a high school diploma and had recently been discharged after about 4 years in the Amy in Intelligence. )

Is my friend correct? Were managers bad guys/ engaged in some troublesome stuff? Especially in the 1990s?

Im wondering if he IS a bad dude (and this is circumstantial proof) and perhaps he is involved in my sisters lying to police and other law enforcement regarding me?

8 comments posted: Saturday, November 19th, 2022

Testing?

Thought i deleted my account. Just testing

4 comments posted: Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

Hurtful fb meme from mil

I havent talked to mil in a year. We had a fight, (we were supposed to visit after 3 years of not seeing her due to having a baby and then covid). She decided 2 days before she was going to go to her daughters house in montauk and have a vacation with her two daughters and their families. When i asked if we could come she said no room.

She had and has never met her grandson (my 3rd chilld). And she decided To ditch us, for a week at her daughters beach house. They had all just gotten back from a rental house on the lake three weeks before.

Ok. I told her she was immoral and weak. She let ow come to the montauk house, etc, but not me? Wife of 20 years?

So. Wh and i have not spoken to
Her in a year. He was also hurt that she blew him and our kids off for his sisters.

I looked at her fb page. She has a meme that says

A man will never cheat on you
If you give him love, attention, care
And time.

I so wish we were fb friends. Id rip into this meme. It's unbelievable and hurtful.

18 comments posted: Wednesday, July 20th, 2022

Sisters saying i lie?!

Sister is super jealous of me. Our mom is old and has memory issues. She knows what she likes and wants, but she might not recall a recent conversation or if she has bread at home, even though she has 5 loaves.

Sis started in on me in march saying we shouldnt go on moms dream trip to Germany that she had planned for years. Mom had asked all of her kids and in law kids and grand kids to go.

My sis was being a jerk over email to me when I received notice from the tour group that final
Payment was due in 8 weeks. I fwd the email to everyone going and said nothing else. Just fwd.

Sis emailed the family and said she suggested we not go because my son (who was born after mom paid the downpayment for the tour... Covid pushed this trip back two years and we didnt know he was going to be born until after initial plans were made and down payments placed) was too young to go and we would "All get stranded in Germany"

I had previously emailed everyone last year that I would stay in Munich (the start point) with the baby and let them go on the bus tour. Its literally three days. Then we could all meet up again in Munich and continue our trip. (Mom wanted to drive to Vienna)

I figured sis forgot so I just emailed not a problem. Baby and I will stay in Munich while everyone else is on the tour. And when the tour bus comes back to Munich we will all meet up and continue on. Sis emails again I don't think you understand. You can't partake in any part of the tour, not meals not the sites not the bus tour. Because of the baby we will all get stranded.

Um. What did i say? BABY AND I ARE NOT ON TOUR. We will fly to munich, do our own thing, then meet up with everyone after the tour is over.

It goes back and forth. You dont get it! You can't participate in ANYTHING! (Um. Yeah. I dont care. Ive been to Neuschwanstein before lol. I dont want to go!)

Then her husband gets in on it. Gotta, you need to know that baby cant go on any of the tour. We could try to sneak him in, but we could get in trouble. You need to have everything planned out for him since hes a toddler and relys on you to do these things for him. (VERY jerky, like I dont have three kids)

Ok all- if u have read this far. You know...

I DONT WANT TO GO ON THE TOUR, RIGHT?

Ive seen the sights they are seeing. A bus with a 2 yr old is Hell in my mind. Im cool to stay with me and the baby in Munich alone for a few days.

This goes on for months. Gotta is going to strand ALL OF US. (Dont know why ALL would be stranded?) then they said my attitude is bad and I dont make them feel wanted. I emailed That my mom has paid $1000 downpayment for them to go. If that doesn't make them feel wanted, I don't know what will. I dont say anything much else because i cant fathom they wont go, as it was my moms wish we all go. (Oldest sis opted out years ago) I dont want to be mean and have the trip be awkward.

They keep it up- ask if i have a passport for baby. Its 5 mos before the trip. But yep, i already have it . I take a pic of it and say yes i have it. He says, you are lying. That is photoshopped. This is why we dont feel welcomed! Yoir attitude! Now actually WORK on getting baby a passport. You owe it to your mother, she bought your house!

Um, what does that have tomdo with anything? Except your jealousy?

So.

Sis and BIl are not going. They are with my older sister who never wanted to go, making this trip hard. Older sis who was power of attorney said she was going to cut moms credit cards three weeks before the trip. So mom made me POA because we were like Crap! We are not going if we dont have a credit card! (I used my last $5000 on my debit card to help mom pay for trip. I dont have credit cards) so i have no money. If i had money id gladly use it to get mom to Germany.

Both sisters are calling cops and Adult Services saying mom is unable to make decisions for herself and inscammed her into the poa. They are saying i use her credit cards. I did use them a few weeks ago- when she went to the dr, and when she got medicine.

One time they called a welfare check on mom i had her at the hair salon. Hubby called me and told me cops were at our house. Just so happened that there are also some cops in the parking lot of the hair salon. So I went over to them said hey two cops are at my house right now for a welfare check and we are not there but if you want to come to my car my mom just got and you can talk to her see that she's OK. And that's what they did.

Sis texted mom today that I am a liar, and she knows that my mom never got her haircut. And that my daughter does not have Covid. ( my daughter is in europe now studying. She did get covid. I asked oldest sis if she could help me get to England to get to my daughter. Because I had use the last five grand I had for mom's trip. And she never responded. This was over a week ago though. When I still didn't realize how evil my sisters were.)

Now, my mom obviously knows that she got a haircut. And that something I could prove in court because I have the receipt. And obviously my daughter has Covid, I have texts from her I have pictures of her looking very sad and sick.

But lovely people of SI, please explain to me why my sisters would continually say that I'm lying about things that I'm not lying about? Like my sons passport, like getting my mom a haircut, like my daughter having Covid, and there are other things too. I just don't understand why they would say i am
Lying. Is this gaslighting? It feels very similar to when WH and I were getting divorced. And he would talk about what a horrible mother I am and just say really nasty things about me. Because he knew that he was in the wrong and that what he was doing was shady, and that he was not a good parent and he was jealous because I not only am a good parent but I enjoy being a parent.

18 comments posted: Saturday, July 16th, 2022

Adult protection services

Anyone delt with these people?

My sister and her husband are harassing me saying I am after my moms money. 🙄 they called the cops yesterday and i think adult services will be at my door tomorrow.

Mom is 85 and has beginning/ moderate dementia. As in, she remembers everything from 80- 20 years ago, but day to day is hard to keep straigt.

She has been visiting me a lot since my two sisters took away her car keys and said she cant drive anymore. One just went into he purse and took the keys and hid them. When mom tried to find them, sis said, i took them. You cant drive anymore .

That crushed my mom. She was just driving in a small midwestern town on Sunday to see my dad at the cemetery and get coffee. She was not driving i Manhattan at 5 pm.

My sister who is calling cops on me lives in a different state, 1800 miles away, and is jealous because I have the only grandkids.

Truth is. I bust my ass taking care of our mom. Accupuncture, coffee out (that I pay for after sisters said i was draining moms accounts) dinners out, i drove her to see the Gateway Arch last summer bc she said shed never been. That is several states away. I took her on a hot air balloon. I have done other fun things... keep her young.

I WISH i had help from them. But now I have people actively against me? What will they do w mu mom if there is an issue? These people will come pick her up where i am?? Lol? Not these lazy asses.

I am
So sad

14 comments posted: Monday, July 11th, 2022

Hotels or areas in munich

Have a hotel for first days in munich, Germany. Then we travel east for a few days and come back to munich.

Dont have the hotel for the last 2 days of the trip

What is a great place/ good hotel in munich. It could be an "experience" hotel, as some of us will be resting lots and might spend a lot of time in the hotel

3 comments posted: Wednesday, July 6th, 2022

OW 2 ‘s kid is on the swim team

Ugh. Ow 2 and her husband sold their house 20 min away and moved to our county shortly after the crap hit the fan in 2020.

I knew they lived fairly close, and think i saw her husband grocery shopping one morning a year or two ago (we were
Both wearing masks so im not sure)

Anyway. Im divorcing wh … one day…. Financially its too good to leave now. I have a 2 year old, too… but i cant see myself growing old with him. I dont want to. Its mainly bc of this EA, as it was the last straw.

My kids have been on swim team
Since 2013. This is the first year none are on it. I still scan the results on facebook to see names i know, etc.

Ow’s kid name freaking showed up.

Thats MY space. How dare she freaking do something in the community. She should be too ashamed to show her stupid pinched weak face in public.

2 comments posted: Friday, June 24th, 2022

After covid- wanting to stay inside

As covid regulations relax and the threat (i think??) is pretty much over (as much as it will be?). I am not happy and jumping to go places.

Im tired. I want to stay home. Im a little to ticked off i have to interact w people again

My DD wants to go to a restaurant. Covid days? I could say no way! Covid! But now that excuse doesnt work.

So i will drag my tired butt to tge place she wants to go to, have a good time, and be happiest when i walk thru tge door!

Is this everyone? I thought id be so happy to go out again and im not!

17 comments posted: Tuesday, June 14th, 2022

Money

Wh had an affair in 2009, left us for ow and it was messy.

Took him back in 2012, (affair ended Jan 2011 but we were still separated for 20 mos after that)

He had an EA with a coworker 2019-2020, which ended in him resigning/ getting fired whatever.

I have put him thru law school, dealt with his crap, and that affair 2 was the final straw. I dont want to grow old with this d-bag!

So. He starts his own law firm after he is fired/resigns whatever…. Two years on, and he is STARTING to make money.

For years we never had enough. He just finished a case that earned him what he made in a year at his old job.

One case. A years salary.

I knew this could happen. Defense lawyers make a ton of money.

The question is- donI stay? After all the lean years. I want to collect!

He doesnt want a divorce. (Of course not. Im great and he is crap. He knows im too good for him!)

6 comments posted: Saturday, June 11th, 2022

Dog question- when you leave him

Left our 4 year old maltese mix friday afternoon and returned Saturday night. Left lots of water and food and three small dog stick treats.

The treats were gone when we came home but everything else looked pretty full.

I anticipated cleaning up pee and poop. We have laminate and wood floors except in the bedrooms (which were closed off) so no big deal.

There is no pee or poop!

I took him out and he peed when we got home. Then he peed in tge bathroom not long after, and pooped in the laundry room. (He usually poops in the laundry room. He doesnt poop around humans )

Is that normal for a dog to not eat or drink or go potty when their humans are gone? And then go when they are back?

He was so happy to see us!!

11 comments posted: Sunday, May 22nd, 2022

Can you guys be happy for me

Um. I stepped on a piece of glass over a week ago. Got most of it out but one shard was left. It was deep enough that I couldnt feel it with my fingers on the outside. I could feel it when i walked, though. An annoying dull pain

It got a smidge infected and today it POPPED OUT! Ive been picking at it all week, and that infection got it to puss up and pop like a pimple.

Omg. Feels so good. Soooooo gooooood.

No one in my real world life is as happy about this as I am!!!

10 comments posted: Saturday, April 23rd, 2022

Mind movies 10+ years out

Talked to my therapist today. She suggested i focus on a good thing (like a course im taking) than this when the mind movies hit.

I wasnt really bothered by wh’s affair (2010) after he left her, since he was undiagnosed bipolar and abusing pills. I thought, hey! Thats not my husband! Lets get him help and he will be the guy i know he is.

Well, 10 years later, i know hes that guy. He had an EA with a coworker in 2019 and also admitted to cheating on his Ow1 in 2010.

Yesterday he was really great during easter. The man I thought i married.

After easter festivities were over i just couldnt get the mind movies out of my head. Made me feel ugly, stupid, unworthy…

4 comments posted: Monday, April 18th, 2022

Is Marriage stupid?

I am reading about some celeb getting married. Gushing over their spouse. My first thought is, "Marriage is stupid! You wont stay together. Love is fake."

I sort of surprised myself with that knee jerk thought!

Is this a stage in divorce? Thinking NO ONE is actually happily married?

61 comments posted: Wednesday, April 13th, 2022

Cheap first class flights?

Hey! Is there a way to get cheap first class tickets from USA to Europe (specifically Germany?)

I have changed my dates and gotten cheaper tickets going a day or two earlier or later. So thats good. But I wonder if i leave from a certain city or fly in to a certain city if its even cheaper? Like, is Frankfurt cheaper than Munich?

Ive tried a few options on cities (again, I’m flexible as we are renting a car to travel around) but it does not seem
To matter, even if it cuts out a smaller connecting flight

8 comments posted: Sunday, April 3rd, 2022

Germany Trip

Done with giving jerks headspace! I need to usw my time to
PLAN THIS TRIP!

We will be going to Germany in a few months. We will also be renting a car to drive to Vienna.

We have leeway in going other places, too. As in, I noticed Bratislava is about an hour from Vienna, and I have never been to Slovakia, so maybe a day trip.

I have also seen Budapest is about 2.5 hrs and Czech Republic is not horribly far either.

Give me some suggestions! The first 5 days we will be in Munich and then about an hour east doing some tourist stuff. After that we have several days to explore what we want.

Some on the trip want to rent a Porche and drive on tge autobahn one day.

Im hoping to do some day trips maybe to Budapest, Bratislavia, MAYBE somewhere in Czech Rep. (Prague seems far but I hear it’s beautiful )

My family is from a small German town 20 minutes north of Basel, Switzerland. Thought about trying to go there.

Munich has a kids museum, and of course tge Hofbrauhaus. We are going to Neuschwanstein castle.

More more more! I need ideas!

12 comments posted: Thursday, March 24th, 2022

Colon cancer question

BIL was diagnosed with stage 2 b colon cancer last year. He had some bleeding before he got checked out and knew about it for maybe 3 mos before diagnosis, then 2 mos passed between diagnosis and surgery.

They removed about a foot of his colon.

His doctor recommended chemo. Bil declined. Bil said that chemo only makes the cancer hide and then it comes back with a vengeance several years later. He wanted to heal himself with "dense nutrition "

He is a heavy whisky drinker and loves red meat. Rare. He was about 5’7", 250lbs at surgery in Feb 2021, and when we saw him at Thanksgiving 2021 he was about 275 lbs. (so hes gained a little)

His mom died of pancreatic cancer in May 2021. I sent a gift basket to him and sis. I asked what he would want as I knew they were doing dense nutrition. She said a wine basket. (It had 2 red and 1 white on my sister’s suggestion) with chocolate and crackers that sis said she would eat.

At thanksgiving sis said they have to get back on their dense nutrition diet because they had been eating lots of fast food. I guess work had been crazy .

My question: red meat, alcohol, and being overweight, and a previous history of cancer are all flags for colon cancer. Those of you who know about colon cancer- his actions are the absolute worst possible things to do, right?

Im wondering of his cancer has come back and thats why my sister (his wife) is being so nasty to me.

1 comment posted: Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022

Why do people not like me?

I KNOW! I sound so pathetic! But my sister has been being very nasty to me lately. She lives several states away so this is on email and text. She saying nasty things like I am draining my moms bank account (my mom is 85 and visiting for several months because its boring where she lives in the winter. She cant get out easily). My mom mentioned we went to dinner at a fancy restaurant and it was $400 and she paid.

She is also upset about a trip our family is taking to Germany this summer. She is saying we will be stranded because I havent made arrangements for my 2 year old yet and the tour we are on doesn’t allow kids under 10. I assured her we are ok, and we are just staying in Munich while the group take the two day tour and we will join them when they return to Munich and resume our personal trip.

Her husband emailed me and said i need to take responsibility and do adult things. That my son is a toddler and needs me to take care of him. What about his meals? We cant sneak him into this tour or that tour… so EVERYONE will be stranded In a foreign country. Its like he didnt read what i wrote at all. "We are staying in the city we fly into, you guys go on the pre paid tour, and when the tour comes back to Munich , we will all go on to our next destination. "

The deal is

1- sis and hubbs are not vaccinated against Covid. I told them i thought the bigger issue was that they might not be granted entry into Germany without the vax. BIL said he has been adulting a long time, and is capable of making good, informed decisions on the vaccine. That I need to take care of my children or we will all be stranded (including them?) he has said things like you need to know how to get from The airport to hotel and your son will need someone to be with him at meals… if you need help, i am here to help you make these arrangements. Your sister and I believe in you and know with a little effort , you can do this.

1- very misogynist. My husband is also copied in the emails and is going on the trip. Why doesnt he have the responsibility of making sure the baby can get places and food?

2- i asked the tour company. Right now, Germany requires the vaccine to enter. They literally can not enter the country. They will be stranded.

3- i briefly lived in Europe and have traveled a little. I have never planned things like meals. I usually find a grocery store and have picnics at famous places. I also know major airports have cabs at the door so getting to the hotel is no problem.

4- the patronizing tone further ticks me off bc he says hes a responsible adult- however he has a fairly recent DUI that he doesnt know I know about (his mug shot is online) and he also had to ask my mom for money to cover an ER visit in 2018. He does not have insurance/ has very bad insurance and my sis had to ask our mom to pay the er bill. Two years later… he has colon cancer . They are $250,000 in medical debt because in the 2.5 years after that ER visit where he realized, “Oh crap! I need better insurance because I cant afford NOT to have it” HE NEVER GOT INSURANCE. Doesn’t seem very adult to me! He KNEW what would happen if he didnt have insurance, and he still never got it.

My sis has texted my mom asking if shes ok, she doesn’t think she is, etc. my mom texts back im ok

Sis says this breaks my heart. Is Gotta taking you anywhere or are you just sitting jn the car while she drives the kids to school. I take my mom to coffee, out to eat, she sees my kids sports, etc. im trying so hard, and getting criticized. In the past year I took my mom on a hot air balloon ride, drove her to St Louis to see the Arch (shed never been, I said Giddy Up! Lets go!" I have taken her up on a plane ride with me as the pilot, I have taken her to see my son ski, coffee, ice cream, park with her grandson, medical appointments, mall to go shop, tons of restaurants, museums, etc. i wrack my brain for activities she will enjoys

Sis also criticized me for taking flying lessons, said, "well, you have a shitty husband and if you die I guess I get your kids"

My in laws, my crazy neighbors and now my sister and her husband realky dont like me. I think im likable. I have great friends. Heck, one just sent me a silver bracelet last month that said "youre the sister I chose"

My kids like me.

My mom likes me. She says my sister is jealous because she wanted kids and for whatever reason never had them, and my mom is visiting me because I have the only grandkids.

I literally do nothing to these people and they hate me

29 comments posted: Saturday, March 19th, 2022

Austin Real Estate?

Hey? Weird question. Im a nosey nancy and have a friend in austin who is a real estate agent. She is complaining theres no business.

From what i hear, real estate especially in austin is hot hot hot!!!

Any realtors here who can confirm or deny? I thought realtors were making a ton of money these days??? My friends who are realtors in my area are flourishing.

9 comments posted: Saturday, March 12th, 2022

Writers- do you ever write disturbing stuff?

Stumbled onto some writing of an acquaintance.

One was a two sentence "scary story"… his was about his daughter being dead.

Another was a 1 sentence scary story… his was The baby is dead.

Um. This freaks the hell out of me. He has a daughter, who is very much alive and well. WHY would you write anything like that?!?

His kids have significant emotional and behavioral problems, and the youngest tells this daughter that he will kill her.

Am I being over reactive in being absolutely scared shitless of this dude? Or do writers write disturbing stuff sometimes? And i shouldnt think anything of it?

5 comments posted: Wednesday, March 9th, 2022

Posting here to not yell at WH. Trying to be as neutral as possible w him

I know we will divorce. I have a retained attorney, etc .

Im in therapy to get over this stuck not filing crap.

We have finances together. Actually he has them money i am a sahm

I took the one debit card today because i needed to withdraw $$$ for an oil change.

I told him i needed it, told him i was taking it.

Had asked him to change the oil last week

I took it and drove my kid to school (30 min away). Then i made a detour to get cash out for the oil cahange

He didnt have gas in his car and freaked out, called from gas station. I told him i was at atm. Freaks more

I get money, drive to him. Text which gas station (there are two across from each other. He said he has already gone back home. WHAT? Thats in the opposite direction of work! STUPID!!! I yell on text why did u do that??? I wait at gas station 15 min. Nasty texts back and forth.

Finally i say where are u! It doesn’t taake 15 min to drive here from home!

Fund out he borrowed $20 from my mom, and was already on his way.

I was waiting 15 min at the gas station with the 2 year old in the car, and the 16 year old at home recovering from ankle surgery.

I have been going hard all week (dog ate a mouse so had to go to vet an hour away, next day kid has surgery 2 hr drive away, then yesterday i "just" drive middle kid to school and take care of 16 yr old and 2 year old.. etc…

Today its an oil change, and normal stuff but F THAT ASSHOLE. He needed to teach me a lesson, i guess?

Yeah. I learned that lesson. Got the message LOUD AND CLEAR

3 comments posted: Thursday, February 24th, 2022

Real estate people?

Family bought a house in cash 7 years ago that we live in. Prices have gone thru the roof so I think we could try to sell for 50,000-100,000 more than what was paid.

Is selling now stupid though, because we have to live SOMEWHERE! It looks like ALL houses are crazy expensive. So selling might shoot myself in the foot so to speak.

Any generic advice? What are realtors doing now in this market?

8 comments posted: Sunday, February 20th, 2022

I want some praise :-)

Way to go, Gotta! You're doing awesome!

8 comments posted: Friday, February 18th, 2022

Dumpster Diving?

I have always wanted to dumpster dive, but never had the guts. I see people going to the mall and getting boxes of stuff like candles because some have broken in shipment, so they throw the whole Box out, unopened food from gourmet grocery stores, etc etc.

(All on tv!)

Does this actually exist? Has anyone here done it? Tge closest Ive gotten is finding things next to the dumpster at an old apartment complex. I got a nice bike for my kid when I had no money and she had outgrown her old one, and a shoe rack that I still use.

15 comments posted: Friday, February 18th, 2022

Feeling bad about cutting inlaws out

Im biding time before the big D, and to be honest, WH (or STBX) has been really a lot better the last few months. Im not sure why, and think it might be due to no contact with his narc family for 6 months.

My oldest is graduating this year.

I had to get old pics for her highschool yearbook page. I was looking at summers and Christmas we spent with the inlaws. It made me so sad. I remember my kids having such fun! I feel sorry that

1- my youngest wont have those memories. He has no cousins his age (well, there is one second cousin on the inlaws side).

And 2- even if he did, we dont see them

3- i am panicking about what family stuff he will have. Holidays will look different, no cousins or summer trips to granma, etc

I am also telling myself… Gotta… you havent gone for THREE YEARS and you have other activities- summers with other grandma, Christmas at home with that excitement, etc.

But it still makes me sad and wish I had tried harder to stay in the in laws family for the kids.

I am so conflicted. I love not dealing w the inlaws. But i miss the fake big happy family.

They were jerks to me and starting to be to the kids… i did the right thing. So why dont i feel like i did?

15 comments posted: Tuesday, February 8th, 2022

Psychology Question? Human Behavior?

You all know my inlaws. For decades we tried to get along with them. In July I finally told my MIL that I do not think she is a good person after she decided to go out of town with her daughters the week we had planned a trip (about 7-8 hours away) to visit. We had been planning the trip for several weeks, and as WH runs a business, taking time off is a huge deal. He cant just "pick another day" and MIL had not seen our kids in 3 years (one is 2 and she had never met him)

Ok. Wh has not talked to them in 6 mos. Obviously I havent either. Its been so nice.

His sister who stopped talking to us in 2019 and texted him , "you should be ashamed of what you did!" After we had our son baptized in our home church rather than MIL’s church… just called his work phone number. Told the receptionist that she knows he got a text she sent him that day and she would like a reply within 24 hours

What in the actual hell?

What is this personality disorder? Its got to be something!

I know, not my circus not my monkeys, but wow! To demand a response to a text when you cut off all communication with your brother over 2 years ago.

Why the heck do they keep trying to contact him?!? He blocked their numbers. (she texted him from her husbands phone) so they went online and got his office phone number.

THIS after going on vacation together (all 11 of them… we were told there wasnt wnough room for us… then after i told mil i didnt think she was a good person another sister called and said wh and the kids could come , there was enough room for them, but inwas not invited)

His mom blows him off, goes on vacation with his sisters, THEN decides to call him and try to talk.

So, dont ruin my fun! But after she gets back tried to talk .

Its like they dont like us, but want to make sure we still want to be part of their family?

(And yes, Im still headed to divorce WH. But we are living together and Im in therapy to do that.. so really, not my problem… but WOW! The audacity! "My message is Please tell Mr Gotta that Id like a reply to my text within 24 hours"

2 comments posted: Thursday, January 27th, 2022

Reselling clothes as the designer?

I have a friend who wants to be a fashion designer. They have enough money to start the business with a fancy website, social media plat forms, and travel to various large cities around the US for pop up shops.

They buy a sweatshirt, use a curicuit (spelled right?) machine and iron on a patch thats a design of theirs. Sometimes its just a heart. But others its a more intricate design.

I had never seen the maker if the sweatshirt until i looked on social media last night. They have a Polo sweatshirt that they ironed a designed patch on to and sold it as "Suzi’s sweatshirt"

This rubbed me the wrong way. Is there an implied understanding that Polo is making these sweatshirts if she uses their shirt with the tag still on it (the sweatshirt i saw looks like Polo is in white ink directly on it, and wouldn’t be able to be taken off easily.)

I was surprised that she would do this, as it looks like shes trying to capitalize on the Polo brand without actually working for them. Is this legal?

3 comments posted: Tuesday, January 18th, 2022

Blame myself for in law estrangement

In laws were passive aggressively mean for years. Finally when they decided to take a trip together during our proposed visit (we told them our plans months before.. they spring this a few days before we were to travel..)

Wh owns his business so taking time off is hard. There was a lot of planning on our end. We also had not seen them in 3 years, and they had never met our 2 year old

Mil and Sils have NEVER met their grandson / nephew

I spoke up told Mil off… Sils and mil freak out say im crazy , "attacked" mil, etc. they would call the cops if we showed up at Mils house.

(I never cursed or said anything false. I called her weak, amoral, said the fam didn’t treat my kids well)

Intellectually i know i stood up for my family. It was mils choice to flip out and call me crazy, it was sil choice to threaten to call the cops on us if we tried to visit. They could have just as easily said woah, we had no idea you felt this way! How can we work this out? The fact that they didnt is very telling.

They are using me as a scapegoat. They never wanted us there. Me "attacking mil" is the perfect excuse to cut us out

But i cant help wishing my kids got that big family for the holidays. It sounds stupid typing it out. But i feel like i shoukd have tried harder, taken more, troed to hid the in laws favoritism from my kids more.

I just feel guilty

Im mourning the fact the kids wont get the big family i want…. Which is ok…

But i need to realize not everyone CARES about a big family. Solid loving relationships are what matter to kids and i took some shitty people out of their life.

I think I accidentally journaled my feelings and came to a healthy realization on off topic 😂

13 comments posted: Tuesday, December 21st, 2021

Skiing tips

In my quest to do more for me, i am taking flying lessons (YAY!) and have an itch to try skiing.

I tried to ski a few years ago. Was AWFUL

Would like to try again.

Any tips?? I will be getting a private lesson

25 comments posted: Friday, December 17th, 2021

Reconnecting w family after falling out

Let me preface this with I dont hope for a reconciliation with the family. I think its great we havent spoken or seen them in a long time

Wh hasnt seen his family in 3 years (Thanksgiving 2018) and hasnt spoken to any of them in going on 5 mos now.

He didnt call his mom on her birthday or anyone at Thanksgiving. He told our oldest kid (who has a phone) to text grandma happy birthday but that is it

I am LOVING not having to chose where to go at then holidays. The fact we dont talk to ils is awesome.

For those of you who have seen stuff like this (family falling out) how likely is it that they pick back up?

His sister #2 has not spoken to us in 2 years (she was mad we got our newborn baptized at home rather than drive up to the inlaws state and do it there for MIL)

Can i do a happy dance that they are out of my life forever yet?

9 comments posted: Friday, December 10th, 2021

Medical peoples- torn ligament in ankle question

Kido 1 hurt her ankle in September. (At the end of the month) So we are going on 2.5 months of pain.

Been to the er, (the day of injury), orthopedist a few days after, orthopedist a few weeks after when it still hurt badly, mri nov 29, and ortho called last week with news that, "you need to come in, surgery is on the table and We need to talk.

Guy we have been seeing is a nurse practitioner. He is good but doesnt do the surgery. We dont know the surgeon. We live in a small town with a small hospital.

I take kid to the big hospital 1.5 hrs away. I know they are the best. Teaching hospital, top med school , etc.

The doc there is ivy league educated. I am thinking hes the best.

Saw him and he suggested three mos of PT and to see him after that. I said Dd is in a lot of pain, does she need crutches, he says if she needs crutches she needs surgery. To take advil… um, yeah, shes doubling advil and tylenol…

Keeps talking about PT… but my kid needs some sort of immediate relief.

The diagnosis is 1 completely torn ligament, 2 partially torn ligaments and an inflamed tendon.

Kiddo is 16 and very smart and is away at school. Her dorm is on the 3rd floor. So i am not with her every day to make sure she is elevating and rice and all that stuff.

Are we right to think ivy league dr is not doing enough? We want surgery for this to be over, but maybe we are just non docs who don’t understand how hard surgery will be?

I just cant see her suffering for another 3 mos.

7 comments posted: Tuesday, December 7th, 2021

Walking up walls as a kid (or adult!)

When I was a kid I used to climb up the walls. You put one foot on a wall and then Sort of push yourself up and then walk up the walls from there.

My son with ADHD does this (and actually way better than me, and in more places… hes done it in a strip mall where they had a decorative brick arch on the walkway…)

My oldest never did this. She does not have adhd

Wondering if you all did this?

Have a dr friend who was talking about adhd. Said, "I saw a kid with adhd who was literally climbing the walls once!" I said, "wait, doesnt everyone climb the walls as a kid?

3 comments posted: Thursday, December 2nd, 2021

12 yr old boy

I know NOTHING about boys. Have all sisters.

Is 12 1/2 normal to stop going outside to play? My DD was about 11.

There are younger kids on our street (10-11) but they have been for the most part in doors this fall.

I get anxiety about my kid playing outside bc of our neighbors who have been crappy to him (daughter said he was bullying her, parents said they didnt see it but she wouldnt lie, i started staying outside and watching and she did lie. Parents are neglectful and like to blame others for their kids issues)

I just dont want to NOT encourage play outside bc of the neighbors. My son says he wants to play video games. Hes in 7th grade. He also goes to a different school than the rest of the neighbors (private school).

I jusy have such immense anxiety and guilt over every parenting decision. I feel like a failure at every turn.

DD is 16 and was in every club at that age, tons of friends etc. DS doesnt want to do scouts, sports, etc. His teachers say he is very well liked at school. They email pictures home (its a day and boarding school and some of his friends are boarders). He’s always with the group and they have a club house etc etc…

But his school is 30 min away. Some friends board. Some live close to an hour from us (30 min the other way). So he doesnt usually get together with his friends outside of school.

He is at school 7:30 am- 5 pm most days.

Is telling him go out and play like telling ME, hey, you just came home from 9-10 hours at work, but go ride your bike now?

14 comments posted: Friday, November 12th, 2021

Revenge? =O

So sorry to post. It had some stuff that was a little too identifying in it so I am rewriting and being much more vague.

If you know a person who is not a good person, shitty morals, and you find out they are a Catholic school teacher.

Is it bad to call the diocese and tell them what you know about them?

I do not like this person and at first thought, oh, youre just vengeful, dont call.

The more i think about this, i would want to know that the person teaching at the school is like this, so that i can keep an eye out and if she is unfair to a kid, i will catch it early.

6 comments posted: Saturday, November 6th, 2021

When you’re too old to have more kiddos…

Im going to be 43 in a few weeks. My last pregnancy (at 40, had baby a few weeks before i turned 41) was tough in that i got diabetes and i was soooo scared about what could happen. I have had 5 miscarriages- 4 alone were from 2015-2018

I also had a uterine window (thin spot in my uterus from repeat c sections). I have horrible diastasis recti.

Not to mention i dont really have anyone to have a baby with

I am very fortunate to have three beautiful kids. I would love to have (have had) more, but i am content with 3.

It feels sad though! Like, Im old? But Im not old! I have the emotional age of a 12 year old! (My 12 year old so says that!! Its usually after I burp in his face and laugh or giggle if someone tells a poop joke )

I know Im not the only one! Its sad but im content with my 3 sweet kids. I would not be able to care for another. But its still sad.

9 comments posted: Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021

Am i in the wrong? In law stuff

I have therapy today and i usually go over what i am going to try to get help on in my head a few days before i see her

Sooo. I took my wh’s phone and looked at texts his sister and he shared before july when i found out MIL hd planned to go with my SILs on vacation during our visit to their city. (We hadnt seen the in laws in 2.5 years)

First, i got dates wrong. I thought our trip was July 31-aug. 9. Wh told SIL it was aug 1- aug 8. Not huge but a mistake in my memory of events.

Mil decided to go with SILs on vacation August 5-11, so our visit would only be cut 4 days short instead of 5.

Sil seemed nice in the texts. She invited "you all" to visit her rental house in the Hamptons when she rented the house, and said it was an open invitation. Asked do u think u can come up soon?

But when we did make plans to visit MIL in her hometown (MIL lives a few hours from the Hamptons, while SIL is in NYC) and tell her and MIL, they decided to take a vacation halfway through our planned visit. The vacation was with SIL 2 and her family- SIL2 has not talked to WH in 2 years. I think she hot upset that we had a small baptism for our youngest and said we should be ashamed for what we did, which I think was not invite MIL. However I had told MIL we were having it in our town, and would bring baby to their town and have a big party to celebrate and meet extended family later. Before that, SIL 2 never contacted us during my pregnancy in 2019, and since 2015 has not really spoken to me. It was a joke between me and WH, wed visit the ILS and I would say Hi, SIL and she would walk away from me. She woukd talk to me to tell me, "Theres nothing here for you to eat" when we would go to her house for family dinners. (Im a life long vegetarian and she would put meat in everything, including the salad)

I used to call my MIL or email when wh was going off the rails. He would have an episode where he would scream and either kick a hole in a door or hide the phones and take our only car (we had 1 car at the beginning of our marriage). They would say what do you want us to do and tell him that We should divorce if we fought so much. But it wasnt a fight, it was a mentally ill person who could function sometimes having an episode. I didnt say it explicitly, but i needed help. I thought they would help him.

I just dont know. Im so confused. Yhey act like Im horrible (they say i attacked… yes, ATTACKED, MIL and pick on her. When i said just be nice to my kids because you arent always, and the i did say you are weak and have no morals for things she has done in the past. I gave very specific examples. I did not yell or curse.

I feel a little crazy, like i have done something wrong but Im not quite sure what it is (in years past… i do know they hate me for calling MIL out two mos ago)

This is narcissistic behavior, right? They arent nice even if they act nice sometimes. If we stay at a hotel and everyone is at the lake house, they invite my Dd to stay over but not my son. They planned a vacation during our planned visit to see them. The last Christmas we attended at their house, everyone exchanged gifts and I sat there and received nothing. We go for family dinner to SIL and I walk in the door and am told, I dont think there is anything you can eat here.

Im not the bad guy right? You all would tell me, right? The whole family is fucked up bc MIL is a narcissist and they cater to her, so they are in her good graces, but we moved away and dont offer her anything (SIL 1 offers money and SIL2 offers services , like her hubby mows MIl lawn and acts as handy man). WH was told by SIL 1 that he needs to send MIL money each month two months after we moved into a home my famiky member bought and let us live in rent free. She said "you were given a house and so you can help mom" MiL has declared bankruptcy 2x, and refuses to budget. After getting 40,000 when her dad died, she turned around and spent it ALL on SIL 2’s wedding the next year.

And when FIL was dying, MIL told hin he couldnt come home from the hospital, that he had to go to hospice, because she couldnt take him dying in her house. It would be too hard on her.

When he was dying SIL 1 was pregnant and had some high risk complications and her doc said dont travel too much- you can make the trip to see your dad one time, but dont go back and forth. MIL said, dont come now (when FIL was still alive) come when he dies, I will need you then. So she didnt see her dying father, she went to the funeral instead to support her mom.

I am not the asshole, right? I called a narcissist on their bad behavior and am getting slammed. But Im not the asshole right?

15 comments posted: Wednesday, October 13th, 2021

Ever feel so betrayed it takes your breath away

Sometimes i cant believe what my STBX did. Wow.

And twice.

It literally takes my breath away. I am dumbfounded.

I rug swept a lot after 2011 when he dumped ow1. I wanted to make it work so badly. I blamed his actions on bipolar.

Im just discovering true raw feelings now that im trying to move on. This is the why. This is the reason we are divorcing.

I have therapy next week

12 comments posted: Thursday, October 7th, 2021

Language learning online?

I want to learn a language- i was intermediate level in college but am now probably "rusty beginner"

I would ideally like to facetime with a native speaker and just talk and have them correct me as we go.

I found a program and i can do it for a month (2 45 min lessons a week) for something like 600$

I was about to sign up when i read online that there are better programs, and that the tutors are inly paid a fraction of your fee.

Should i care about that? Im guessing people might like to have the flexibility that a job like this would offer, and $15 an hour would be ok to them. plus the company has expenses, which my $600 would also have to go towards. I dont know if a disgruntled employee wrote that review?

Just dont want to pick the wrong place.

2 comments posted: Wednesday, September 29th, 2021

In laws who encouraged the affair?

Question about cutting kids off from in laws that encouraged the affair

My inlaws suck. They were friends w OW, talked shit about me to her (like, "Gotta isnt worth getting upset over, OW. You have been such a help to our son, I really cant thank you enough"

OW is a nurse. She got WH hooked on benzos, while with her he got fired from two jobs (they would do pills and sleep from Thursday - Tuesday AM and he’d call in "sick" every Monday and Friday.

SHE WAS NOT A GOOD INFLUENCE OR PERSON

Ils are a huge, fun family so even though i was pissed at them for supporting wh’s relationship with OW, i wanted my kids to have a relationship with the many cousins, great aunts and uncles, great grandma, etc, who had nothing to do with this and are good people.

We had not seen the in laws for 3 years. (Nov 2018). We were supposed to go in August, but when talking to MIL i found out she and my SILs and their families were all going on a family vacation 1/2 way through our planned trip up there. They had just been on a family vacation together to SIL’s lakehouse July 4, and were now going on another week long vacation together. One month later. Our week and a half long visit would now be 3 days.

I asked if they could push their vaca back a few days, if we could join them, etc. Nope.

We would have had 3 days to visit. After a 3 year absence, new baby no one has met, and an 8ish hour drive.

Long story short, i ended up telling mil that the family treats my kids differently than the other grands, and that she is weak and amoral as she invited OW on vacation and to her home.

SIL 2 immediately texted WH that if he showed up at MILs house she would call the cops. (Wh had no idea i had spoken to Mil). Wh sent that text to his mom and other sister and said whats this? Fine, if you all feel like that my family wont bother you again.

MIL texted back "good, did you see what your wife told your mother? She is a nut"

MIL said “Good.” When her son said he would not bother her again. I cant imagine how hurtful that was to WH. Good.

I didnt yell curse or say profanity. I am not a nut. The truth has upset MIL.

SIL 1 also called ne and left a voice mail taht said,"You are not invited to my moms or my house. We love WH and the kids and they can come, but not you" WH is not going to drive 500 miles with the kids, alone.

I never want to have contact with them again. They do not treat my kids equal to the other grandkids.

Wh blocked them from his phone, they do call in to his office. There have been about 7 calls in 2 months to his office. From both his mom and SIL1.

My question. I will not talk to them again. WH, its his decision to talk to them. I dont think he will right now, if just because he is slammed with work and . Eventually we will divorce (i have some unrelated stuff going on where i need him right now so we live in the same house but in separate rooms) so this is not an issue we have to discuss because we will not be married.

My kids- the younger two dont care about mil. But my oldest (almost 16 yrs), remembers pre-affair when we all got along.

She also has a phone (younger kids dont) so MIL and her aunts and cousins can text her. MIL texts about once a month. Oldest cousin has texted a few times, and the cousin her age told her in 2018 when she tried to text her “why are you texting me? Its not like we are friends. We were close when we were little but not anymore". DD was shocked and doesnt text her anymore.

Do I tell dd to stop all contact? Or… Do i keep it at this; I told her a few weeks ago that she is an amazing person and should never be #2 In anyones book. That enough people will think shes great and she wont have to beg to be included in things, and focus on those people, dont waste time on people like the in laws (dont play the "pick me!" Game). I also said i know shes very respectful and family is important to her, and if she chooses to stay in contact with ILS, thats her choice and I support her.

DD has said that I am in the right for what I said to MIL, and that she would have said it earlier.

30 comments posted: Sunday, September 26th, 2021

“Shes crazy”- discounting viewpoints by saying shes crazy

I know there are people who know about mental health and why people do what the do.

Why do people discount others by flippantly saying "youre crazy" when they dont have an actual come back in a heated discussion?

3 comments posted: Friday, September 24th, 2021

Why was Ex nice to others and not spouse

I bet a lot of us have had this happen. Ex was super supportive of OW and even others in their lives, but constantly put you, the spouse, down.

I was VERY supportive of WH. My family helped us financially. I am a generally nice person. I am relatively attractive.

Friends have asked WH, "How did you land her?" Our daughter has even asked this.

So why did WH tell his family to be nice and accept his OW? Make her come on vacation with them? Why didnt he tell them i was important? To Be nice to me?

Why did he stick up for OW2 and tearfully tell me, shes like a sister since my family has rejected me. But I will give up a friend relationship with her if thats what u want.

As a former adulterer, he should have dropped contact with his "friend" immediately when I asked. Instead he went to bat for her.

Ow 1, he paraded around his family. So much so MIL told me, "its a shame about ow1, she had such a great career" when she heard that she was on mental health leave. She told WH she was answering Ow1’s calls after he dumped her bc "that poor girl needs someone to talk to"

Its like i was living in Bizarro World! WH and his family treated ME like I was the unreasonable and unstable OW and treated OW like family.

And honestly, the teal question i should be asking is Why did you stay so long, Gotta? There are a lot of reasons for that. Family, finances, the thrill when he did treat me nicely.

I just cant imagine WH having a great wife like me, loyal to a fault! and not cherishing us our marriage our family and our kids?

7 comments posted: Tuesday, September 21st, 2021

Any academics?

Life sucks. Instead of doing nothing i am looking into phd programs. I worked in museum education pre-kids. I have also taught English, and volunteered at a school for at risk youth, creating games for teachers to use in the classroom.

I would like to work in museum ed again. Or generally in museums. I have an MA in history and an additional graduate degree in museum studies.

I am wondering if a PhD/ EdD in education or history would be my best route.

Hubby makes fun if me because he says, "you just want the piece of paper". And to a certain extent he is right. It’s something Ive always wanted to complete, and I was doing this when i got pregnant with #1.

Another reason I want to do this is i fucking love museums . I get goosebumps when I walk into one. If i get to work in one ALL DAY LONG i will freaking flip ill be so happy. Especially a large one where i can visit the exhibits on lunch breaks. The Louvre is my favorite.

Anyone in this field? Im a bit lost since its been 16 years since I worked in the field. I have read that keeping updated is good, as in attending conferences… which is something i can do

7 comments posted: Saturday, September 18th, 2021

My mom might have Alzheimers

I say might because I cant say she does.

My sister talked to the doctor a few days ago and said she was worried about her driving and the doc said yes, she should stop.

So my sister, instead of having a respectful conversation with her, rifled through her purse, took her keys and hid them. When my mom woke up to go get coffee and visit my dad at the cemetery early Sunday morning, she found them gone. She was crushed. My sister who took the keys had also told our middle sister who agreed. My mom was doubly crushed.

That was sunday. Monday i got in my car and drove 500 miles to her house and brought her to my house Tuesday. With a toddler. I told my sister who she lives with (sister has always lived at home. She has mental health issues… probably long term depression… and just never launched out of the house.)

Yesterday I got texts that said she needed to be back in a week to settle in for her doctors appointments. (I had been told be back by Sept. 16, now it was Sept 9.)

My mom told me with how they treated me, i might not be home until Christmas! Intexted my oldest sister that.

My middle sister texts me that i have kiddnapped mom, this is not what she wants, she made these appointments with our oldest sister. She called my a spoiled brat and said stop being a Disney dad and bring her home so she can go to the doctor.

My oldest sister who lives with her only leaves the house once a week to get groceries. She is obsessed with covid but is also very anti social. She will take our mother to get coffee through a drive thru and see the ducks at the park, but will not take her anywhere to go inside.

I have taken my mom, in the past two days, two breakfast at a restaurant, coffee at the coffee shop, the park where she slid down the slide with my toddler, we have driven my son to and from school, we have eaten good food that i made (my sister is a horrible eater and eats pre packaged meals, and thats what she buys. She will get apples and bananas and peanut butter and soups and bread… thats basically what my mom eats with her.

I dont want advice about this situation. It is too raw qnd i cant stabd to talk about it. What i am saying is that the universe hates me. I have tried so hard to have a family and It keeps sending crap sandwiches my way. Crazy neighbors who stress me out. (But who have backed off since i yelled at the husband early this year). Husband who is bipolar and not a partner at all. Inlaws that never were nice to me, and i told MIL off last month, and now they REALLY hate me. My husbands manic episode last year that ended in him resigning and being escorted from work. The stress of him starting a new business because of that. Lost friendships over that. Now this.

I feel like the world will never be a happy place for me. I try so hard and have no one. I have 3 wonderful children but no adults i can count on. No family to help me. 10 years ago, even 5, my sister and mom were huge helps. Now my sister hates me.

I literally feel like the universe hates me and is trying to be mean to me.

Oh! And i have diastasis recti from 3 big babies. So i am fat and look 6 months pregnant. And i am pre diabetic.

So yeah. I just dont know why my life sucks so much. It was not always this bad. 12 years ago, i had great neighbors, was sort of friends with the in Laws, and wh was not showing bipolar signs and he was helpful and a decent dad.

Im just so tired and weary from the constant gut punches life is throwing me. Can I ask everyone to throw out some prayers/ good vibes/ mojo to help me have some happiness in life? I need something good to happen. My mom is going to the doc on the 16th and he might pit her in a medical trial- if that helps, that would answer prayers.

15 comments posted: Thursday, September 2nd, 2021

Adhd in adults

Im trying to work on my mental health. My son has ADHD. His test scores and executive functioning scores were pretty low.

When hos teachers brought up adhd in 3 or 4th grade, i kept saying, noooo, hes just like me at that age! I had the same issues. He will be fine. Finally got him tested in 5th grade, and the psychologist said he was significantly impacted by adhd. As in, “How the *%#! did you not know your kid has this, lady?”

The more i learned the more i realized shit, i think i might have this too.

Have any adults here been tested and gotten on meds? My son went from almost being held back one year to getting on Meds and then deans list the next year. So i see how amazing proper treatment can be and what a difference it can make in your life.

I am a sahm now, but will need to re enter work force soon, so im thinking i shoukd get tested and a care plan in place to improve my functioning. I currently have symptoms like always late, forgetful (i pay bills several months in advance) rejection sensitive dysphoria (i cant take criticism) and if youve ever read a post of mine i go off on a lot of tangents

7 comments posted: Sunday, August 29th, 2021

Covid lonliness

Im feeling so darn lonley these days. I used to have lots of acquaintances pre covid that i no longer have. I still have my close friends who are far away, one is close by and another is sort of close and i see her some…

But those moms at sports that my kids aremt doing, or school, or friends of WH’s that he lost, and even friends who have passed away (i had two older family friends pass, not due to covid, in the past 2 years)

Add in that we arent seeing WH’s family, 6 is good but if was social interaction, even if it was toxic…

I just feel like a hole i. My life with the people Ive lost- either bu death, change of circumstances, or cutting out toxic people.

Just kinda bummed.

5 comments posted: Thursday, August 26th, 2021

Feel like i overshared with my kid

DD is 15, will be 16 later this year. Very mature for her age. Is more into current events and politics than crushes and instagram.

Sometimes she is so damn smart and mature that I forget shes a kid and I overshare. Last night, we were discussing the in laws. She is upset about that situation, and is the one who pointed out that her aunt and grandma did something. I jumped in and said yeah, "aunt sucks. When you skipped 8th grade, dad was bragging about you to her. Her response was, "well, i know shes smart, but you live in a rural area, could she do that where I live? (Manhatten)"

I immediately regretted telling her that. Dd said when did she say this and what did dad say? (Dad said something along the lines of her National test scores are 99% so shes being tested right against the NYC .. ie, YOUR… kids"

I apologized and said I should not have said that, and said you know you’re smart right? She said no, but then again my English teacher said i have imposter syndrome (when a smart person thinks they are not smart, but just have everyone fooled into thinking they are)

I added that aunt is mean to everyone, and made fun of her brother’s football picture. (I sent it to wh who sent it to his sisters and mom)

My son was about 9 and i swear looked like t actor Dominic West. Put the two pics (my son and West) side by side.

Wh sent that to his family and said wow, isnt Bobby handsome! Looks like Dominic West! his sister said, no, doesnt look like him at all. His face looks like hes constipated.

My youngest had a facial birthmark and i texted MIL a pic of him the day he was born. MIL Texted back and said, does ge have the same thing on gis face that your DD had? First text about my new baby and she is Talking about his birthmark! (Which was a "storkmark" and yes has gone away)

I said see, they are just mean to everyone in our family. Its not just you. Dont give it a second thought. I am sorry i shouldnt have told you.

Damnit!!! I feel awful. Why did I tell her that?!? She is processing the situation with her grandma and says if she doesnt get an apology from them for past behavior she is cutting them out at 18. So we have been talking about this a lot. I just flipping overshared that story about the aunt.

8 comments posted: Wednesday, August 18th, 2021

Delicate question

Ok. So my marriage is not salvageable. Sad but true. Im thinking to a new relationship.

Ive been embarrassed about this but want opinions.

A year or so ago, wh said that (omg this is WAY TMI.) wh said that during sex, i was "tight" when it started, very tight when i was about to orgasm, and after i orgasm relaxed and was not as tight. He said that after orgasm, he could not finish because i lost that tightness that I had before the big O.

So, i would not orgasm and let him finish. After he finished he would be flacid and go to sleep.

This has also made me self conscious about a new partner.

Im wondering if
1- this is a thing with all women? And men just deal with it?
2- he told me this to make me feel bad to keep me from wanting to pursue a new relationship

Just to add- wh is very well endowed, both length and girth. His meds and poor lifestyle (45, all junk food, no exercise) make him have trouble sustaining an erection though.

17 comments posted: Sunday, August 15th, 2021

In laws

Trying to keep this in OT.

After years of MIL and SILs being asshats, i told her what I thought of her about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I was respectful, no cursing, but i did say she was week and amoral. I also told her that she doesnt treat my kids as equally as she treats the other grandkids (she has 3 kids and each one has three kids, so 9 grandkids total.)

I wrote her off. After I told ger this (i told her because we were planning a visit and she was cutting it short because she and her other two kids and 6 grandkids were going on vacation for the second time this summer to a second rental property SIL 1 owns, and we were told they had to go by BIL2’s work schedule.

My WH owns his own business and its VERY hard to get away, and we have not seen them for three YEARS. They have never met our youngest child.

We threw out other options- can we tag along (beach house is in the Hamptons and is a 2.5 million dollar home. It has 5 bedrooms and multiple baths. It was "too small" ). Ok. Can you go a few days later to the Hamptons? No. SIL 1 asked me to join them. Can the whole party go a few days later? (SIL 1 has rented this house for a year.) No. We have to work around BIL2’s work schedule.

(SIL2 has not talked to WH in 2 years and SIL1 was not going to drive up to MILs while we were visiting… so we were only planning on seeing MIL and extended family cousins)

Ok. So we are going to drive 7 hours with a baby, kennel our dog, and then be expected to turn around and leave. This has happened so many times. My kids have said, "why cant we ever go with the other cousins? Why are we always left out"

I have offered to pay 1/3 for the rental, food etc.

So i told her, ok, just be nice to my kids. She was defensive and said we are always nice… etc. then i said thank goodness my kids have my sisters, you guys are a lot different than my family. She responded in a nasty tone, "well, your family is a lot different than ours"

I snapped and very calmly said, "you are right. My family has morals"

She immediately became defensive, i laughed a bit and said, "you are not a moral person. Please tell me one instance where you have shown announce of morality"

She said "I dont have to prove anything to you, Goodbye"

I felt a little badly after this… but as the weeks go on, I think, "i will never apologize for sticking up for my kids "
"This should have been said years ago"
"Her defensiveness and actions after show I am right"

She cried to SIL 1 and 2. SIL2 sent a text to
Wh saying I was a nut job, which I think is a classic psychological defense when you are angry and in the wrong. Accuse someone of being crazy. She texted that if we came on our trip she would call the sheriff if we stepped on MIL’s property.

Um. Ok? A bit excessive. But henceforth I will use this as reason not to go to my MIL’s .

My SIL 1 called me and left voicemail. (This is all within 30 min of my call to MIL) she said there is room for WH and the kids, wed love to see them. But you, I dont need to see you. You are not invited to my home or MIL’s home. You and your husband can work out if you want to have your kids here with us"

Ahhh…. So the reason my kids have been on the outs for years is because… you dont like me! Knew it. But its nice for this voice mail confirmation.

No, sweetheart. My husband and I will not discuss the kids. I have sole custody of our kids, have had it for a while, due to his severe mental health issues (which sometimes are fine but others he is not a safe parent). I dont discuss jack shit with him regarding the kids. Legally, I dont have to!

My oldest is a senior in high school. There are a lot of amazing schools within 3 hours of MIL and we were going to see them during our trip there. My kids also wanted to see a new baby cousin (who’s mom is not aware if the drama) and go to the lake where the ILS rent a lake house every summer and we have been but are asked to stay at a hotel 20 min away. And, of course, visit the collges.

I took my 3 kids on a week long, 1900 mile trip thru 9 states looking a colleges. Since we had the two younger kids, we stopped every 2 or so hours to eat, go to musuems, parks, etc. we ended the trip with a day at a fun tourist city and had a blast!!

I did NOT put pics on facebook, because I didnt want the drama from ILS. My DD put one pic of her at the lake on Visco. Her cousin saw. Yesterday, MIl, SIL1 called my husband’s answering service at work (he blocked them on his phone) and MIl texted dd. Cousin (21 years old) texted dd, asking point blank if shed gone to the lake.

Mil changed her Facebook pic to one of her, her daughters and sons in law, grandkids and 21 yr old granddaughter’s boyfriend (yep, he was invited to the Hamptons house ) to her profile pic. I have three kids. I would never have a "family" pic and leave a kid out.

It just seems like they are trying to pull us back into their mess.

I will, and I have told DD to, IGNORE.

You couldn’t pay me to visit them. Had a ton of fun in their area without them.

Also- Dd didnt like the colleges nearest MIl. She liked the one farthest away , for reasons unrelated to the family drama.

4 comments posted: Friday, August 13th, 2021

The why

I worked so hard to create a family. I had fantasies about holidays in the future where our kids, their spouses and their kids would come visit. It would be huge and loud w lots of food.

Why would he destroy that twice?

And why would mil not want us in her family? Why was ow accepted and i wasnt? Mil was almost giddy when wh dumped me in 2010. I don’t understand. Really and truly.

I dont get why they dont like me. I have 2 graduate degrees, come from a nice family. My parents have been very generous to us during our marriage both emotionally and financially.

Why dont they care about the kids? My kids- mil’s grandkids- are all beautiful, smart, nice kids. The oldest is 15 and a senior in high school. She’s a 4 sport athlete and competed and won medals at state competition, and was invited to regionals in 2020, went to camps, etc… kiddo 2 was on deans list, and is involved in local sports and clubs and a cool kid.

And baby 3 is 1 and sweet and smart and cuddley.

Why would you give us away? We are great! I dont get it.

I need an answer.

16 comments posted: Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

Question- going to in laws neck of the woods. Should kid visit

My 15 year old dd is super smart and a senior in high school. She is looking at colleges and the trip we were to take to inlaws we were also supposed to visit a tin of colleges (2 are two hrs away, 2 are in the in laws town, and 1 is 2 hours away, then there is a progression of colleges spotting the interstate for the next 4 hours that we want to see)

So. We obviously arent going to MiL house. As sil 2 who lives a few houses down said if we show up Saturday, she will call the sheriff. Ok. Um… thats a bit dramatic, maybe you want to stop watching Reality tv there, lady.

But. Darnit, my kid deserves to see her colleges. So im driving 6 hrs to the first one, we will visit, then an hour to the second, wenwill visit, etc etc.

Two colleges are in MIL town. Dd has said she wants to see grandma.

I told her I would drop her off for dinner or lunch at a restaurant in if she really wanted, but that one of her aunts might come “just incase Gotta starts trouble “

I only want my kids to have as many people who love and support them as possible. I dont want to fight w these people.

I told her to expect Aunt J to show up, and she doesnt like Aunt J (aunt J is the one who wouldnt give her a blanket when she stayed at the Lakehouse and proceeded to snuggle under her blanket and go to sleep.

DD is a little more hesitant to go knowing that aunt might be there to “protect” mil. (I say she might do this because she did when i asked to speak to mil after court when we were divorcing in 2010… aunt R came and stood next to mil so i wouldnt “be mean”

What say you, SI? Lunch or dinner with MIL (realizing she is not like me and wouldnt just have a nice meal with DD) or just let the dust clear and maybe let DD have lunch with her if/when she attends college up near MIl.

24 comments posted: Saturday, July 31st, 2021

I told my mother-in-law off yesterday

OK. So you guys know kind of a wimp about leaving WH. It’s been dragging on. Well we were supposed to see the in-laws in a few days. We have not seen them in three years. And they have never met our newest child who is not quite two.

WH has two sisters, their families, and mother-in-law and his sort of nuclear family. He also has some cousins and their families who are pretty close to him. They grew up together.

Mother-in-law and sisters in law go to a Lakehouse every summer for the past few years. We are not invited. I have asked if we can come, they say there’s no room. But even before they rented that Lakehouse we weren’t included in the times that they rented a hotel rooms in the resort area.

The last time we went up there, 2018, my daughter was invited to stay at the house with everybody, however my son was not. I let my daughter stay, she asked one of her aunts for a blanket, the aunt said oh it’s so hot you don’t need one. And snuggled up under her own blanket and went to sleep.

My kids have mentioned before how big kind of feel left out, or how grandma favors the other grandchildren.

Our trip up there was only going to be three days, because my sisters in law and their husbands decided to take another family trip. One month after the last family trip. I asked if we could go to that one, it’s my sister-in-law‘s Richard house in the Hamptons. It’s huge and it’s trying to be sold for $2.5 million. They said again there was no room. So in effect we are being kicked out after three days. My children have not seen their grandmother or cousins in three years, and they are going to leave three days and to our proposed visit.

I was calling mother-in-law to see you know what was up with that. Long story short I started laughing and I said you know I’m not gonna get in between my husband and his sisters I have my own sisters. This is what my family said where they said don’t marry that boy their families different than ours. Mother-in-law shot back well your family is a lot different than ours too.

21 years of being fucking pissed off and not saying anything came out. Nothing I said was a lie. I did not say anything wrong, I did not call names. I told the truth. When she said your family is a lot different than ours too. I said yes they have morals.

She said what does that mean we have morals to. I said no you don’t. If you had morals you would not have invited OW1 on vacation with you. She said that was the only way I got to see my grandkids if if she came. I said I don’t think that’s true. However if it is that’s your pretty weak. And I did say she was weak and had no morals. I also said I just want my kids to be treated with kindness by your family and in the past they had not.

She was upset that I said she had no morals. And she said I have morals. I said no you down I said tell me one time when you have shown an ounce of morality? She said I don’t have to prove anything to you. I said you don’t but you know I’m right. She said no you’re not goodbye.

My sister-in-law immediately texted WH and said your wife called mom a nut. When she is a nut. I told my husband I never said that, it’s not words that I use. I don’t tell people not to call them crazy. But not nuts and I never called your mom. She also said if we showed up Saturday on our planned trip that she would call the sheriff and have us removed from her mothers doorstep.

His other sister called me, I did not answer the phone, and she said when are you gonna learn to stop picking on my mother. We love my brother and the kids, they are welcome to at my house but you aren’t. You are not invited to my home and you’re not invited to my mothers home and you’re not to go there.

OK.

WH is livid he threw a piece of pizza at my head last night. He laughed and said congratulations on your baby. I am not pregnant, I have diet stasis adamant physical therapy for it. And it’s a very sore subject. He texted many of my friends and said can you believe with God I did? She’s a horrible person stop being her friend.

If what I said was not true, it would not hurt.

I don’t feel badly at all about saying what I did. I’m actually pretty proud, that I didn’t bring up that I found out some things about her family doing genealogy research. Example mother-in-law has given a cousin a very hard time about having a baby at wedlock recently. I found through genealogy that her grandparents got married in 1926. Her mother was born in 1921. I don’t believe she knows this. I also did not Curse or call her any expletives. I was very calm and said my family has morals and yours doesn’t. Which I stand by 150%.

I find it extremely ironic that she tolerated OW want to see the grandkids. However she won’t tolerate me to see the grandkids. I am a nice person. I do nice things for people, I am a good person. Part of why I stayed with WH so long, it’s because I’m a good person and I see the good in people. I was standing up for myself. I was not being unduly cool. I think it’s pretty shitty to plan a family vacation with two of your children and their families, not invite your third child and his family, and to say oh well we can only see you for three days because we’re going on a weeklong vacation to your sister‘s house that she has rented until October. They can change their dates, they can invite us, they could’ve done a lot of things to make this work, if they had wanted to. They did not.

I thought to myself yesterday a lot of people have exit affairs. I think I just had an exit telling my mother-in-law off. I talked to a police officer last night at 10:30 PM after my husband hit me in the head with a second slice of pizza. And asked him how I can get my husband out of the house. I have a name of a police officer that I have to talk to today. I am fucking paralyzed with fear. However I don’t see how I can stay in the same house with my husband anymore. With him screaming calling me names throwing food at me calling me names like pregnant and fat.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 6:57 AM, July 29th (Thursday)]

24 comments posted: Thursday, July 29th, 2021

I want to email OW2

I want to email her and in a very nice way tell her what a piece of shit she is (i used to teach english and have written for a living before so if i think hard enough i can come up with something good)

I would email it to her, and the boss (workplace affair). Possibly her husband.

Shes having an affair with a bailiff at work.

I would block all emails from responding after i hit send

I would include pics of text messages she sent my husband

Yeah or Nay

18 comments posted: Sunday, July 25th, 2021

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Is this area drive able ? Theres a frida kahlo exhibit there and i would hate to drive all that way if its crazy traffic i cant navigate!

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 1:41 PM, July 18th (Sunday)]

5 comments posted: Sunday, July 18th, 2021

Interesting things!

Im feeling down like I am the worlds most boring person.

Name something interesting you have done.

Extra points if I can do it (ie, a move to Sweden is interesting but not doable for me. Helicopter ride over the city is )

I will go first: for years I have wanted to ride in a hot air balloon. I am scared of heights but really wanted to do it! Last month I went on my first hot air balloon ride

21 comments posted: Wednesday, July 14th, 2021

Mental health question regarding the affair

What would you do?

Im still processing the last affair. I need more therapy but i havent gone in about 9 mos- im taking care of 3 kids, doing PT for physical stuff related to last pregnancy, and i have a sick relative that i visit often who lives 7-9 hrs away . (7 hrs wo kids and dog, 9 -12 hrs when i bring kids and dog. And i always bring kids and dog )

Anyway. I usually rug sweep and bury the hurt, but today I was thinking. If ow2 and wh were Best Friends, what would you gave done in the situation.

Wh was inundating ow2 with texts about how she should not drive her Mil back to florida during the pandemic. Mil had been staying with ow2 and her husband and kids, after ow2 mother died several weeks before.

Ow 2 ‘s mil brought her 2 big dogs when ows son is allergic. My husband is also allergic to dogs and was upset that ow would force a kid to be around a pet hes allergic to, and just dose him with benadryl when needed.

Last straw was when they were all driving to a covid hotspot. Wh texted both ow and her husband many texts and info about covid, etc… and put in a text about how they need to think of their kids, as obviously they havent if theyve made their allergic 6 year old be in a house w 2 dogs the last 2 mos.

Ow was upset. Both block his texts. About 5 days later she calls in work and cries that she cant come in because wh was mean and telling her she was going to give the office covid, etc.

She told the boss that disliked wh first. A second boss came to wh and yelled at him for 30 minutes about what a shitty friend he was and its none of his business if ow goes to florida during covid. (Wh told her that he would allert the court system if she went, since no attorneys or other court officers were allowed to go to court for 2 weeks after travel back then)

Wh was manic. He quit his job and there is some other stuff that happened but ling and short- ow knew he has bipolar. He told her he has issues like this at times

If that were MY friend (haha… friend) i would have contacted the wife and said your husband is having issues, you need to come home (i was visiting family at the time)

I would not have gone into work and brought this there. The texts didnt happen during work time.

My dd baby sat her kids and when wh took dd to court (she is in highschool and was shadowing him for a week) ow 2 looked at her and ran away. Ow 2 used to text my dd (like an aunt… just stuff like your dad told me about your A! Congrats! )

This woman threw me a baby shower for baby 3. She had us to her home, we babysat her kids when she and her husband went out. We went to the lake together, etc. family friends.

I am not saying my wh isnt a complete jerk. But i feel like she went way overboard and did not handle this correctly.

BTW- shes messed up her career over this. She is given easy cases and has a boss with her sometimes (like a new attorney would). Other attorneys make fun of her (ive seen texts where they talk about her)

And to just ghost people you were supposedly friends with? I haven’t really lost a friend, but she considered me a friend (i know way more about her problems than she knew about mine..). And my DD. This is your old babysitter!

Also, rumor is she’s involved with a bailiff at work now. So she isnt making any good choices. But man. It still boggles my mind that she would destroy a “friend “ like that without notice to me at all. No - hey gotta, whats going on…

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 9:52 AM, July 11th (Sunday)]

41 comments posted: Sunday, July 11th, 2021

In laws and my kids

Inlaws are jerks. They are a big family and like to say how close they are, but they leave wh and our kids out.

Since 2016 they have gone on a family trip together (mil, her 2 daughters and their husbands and kids). This started the year my wh had surgery over july 4 holiday, which is anslow time at work and he had time off. We had usually spent july 4 with these people.

The next year SIL 2 told me over group text that everyone would be gone July 4 because thats when we take our annual family vacation. I was surprised, as I had never heard of this, but then found out it started the year before. Asked if we could come, and for the next few years we were sortnof invited- they would make reservations but leave us out and then we would get a hotel away from the group. Two year of this- we realized we werent wanted. We didnt ask to go this year, but mil did ask wh when he was visiting and he said July- she quickly texted back, “We will be gone then, and there are no hotels left up there” (which is BS- I actually looked online and they are expensive but available). Wh texted back- i mean end of July. Which, isnt going to happen either, because he has not made any plans for the dog and i know hos work schedule…. But not my problem.

So. They are on their vacation at the lake house now. And the cousins (their kids) are all on social media. My oldest is 15 and seeing her cousins (these are her only first cousins, my siblings dont have kids) shes seeing them with MIl, her grandma, having fun and doing family stuff.

She is very hurt. Ive explained that its me they dont like- not her. She said its still painful. Ive said they are jerks and don’t deserve her time- she says that sucks because they are her biological family and i dont get it because they are only my in laws.

My family is small but loves my kids and spoils them. They are loved here (we are all in my family’s state on an extended vacation now).

My in laws have never seen my youngest- who will be 2 in a few months . TWO. No one wished my middle son a happy birthday a few days ago. Grandma was on vacation with her other grandkids on a trip mine were not invited on, and did not even call.

My kids (esp. DD) dont want to ever see them again. She is telling me i have tomput my foot down with WH and tell him they arent going. What would you do? Get involved? Knowing that wh will flake out, and the trip wont happen, not say anything?

I used to go to the in laws bc my kids had fun with cousins, but now its been 3 years simce they have seen them, they dont know them anymore and say they feel like outsiders.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 7:49 AM, July 3rd (Saturday)]

12 comments posted: Saturday, July 3rd, 2021

Ow2 is having an affair with someone else at work

Recently found out that Ow 2 is having a PA with the guy who made some mean comments about my WH having mental issues to him.

(Small town. Big talk)

Theres kids involved

Its just sad all around.

3 comments posted: Saturday, June 19th, 2021

Ow2 telling people Wh’s bipolar diagnosis

Ow2 and Wh both have mental health issues. That was why they bonded.

Wh is very tight lipped about telling people his bipolar diagnosis. ONLY family knew until he told ow2 about 18 mos ago.

Well, 11 mos ago shit hit the fan, ow 2 and wh had big blowup over covid (wh was manic and told her she was being stupid for traveling to a hotspot during covid)

Ow 2 told their boss, wh got in trouble and subsequently quit.

He still sees ow 2 through work.

Ow 2 now has another emotional affair

Wh was next to this man a few days ago and the man said under his breath, “mental issues “

I told wh when u lay with dogs you get fleas. I am not surprised that ow 2 has another paramour, and im not surprised that she has blabbed about wh’s mental health.

My worry is how that will effect his business - if it gets out that he has bipolar, will that make him lose work? And money? And child support.

Im pissed. But not surprised. And to blab something so personal about someone… what a snake. Why is she talking about WH? This is so highschool…. I need to not feed on the gossip.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 3:58 AM, May 30th (Sunday)]

12 comments posted: Saturday, May 29th, 2021

New beginnings with out a partner ever again?

It’s been a process for me to untangle with Stbxwh.

I don’t think I can ever trust another person after this- and I really don’t look forward to dating or meeting someone new.

I’m 42. Can I live a happy life alone for the next 40 years? No sex for the next 40 years?

I’d love to hear from people who’s new beginnings don’t include a love interest! Because I have no interest in love!

36 comments posted: Friday, April 16th, 2021

I Did It!

I emailed my divorce attorney and said I am ready to file

I had gobe to see family 7 hours away (8-9 with baby and stops for him). WH was ok sort of with that, but I was getting tests to come home soon, he didnt know if he could make it without me... whatever. He ALWAYS DOES THIS. I NEED YOU. ILL DIE WITHOUT YOU

Seriously. I was gone less than a week.

My DD stayed and I am to pick her up next weekend. (her school is virtual right now so no problems ) middle son is not virtual so I had top get him home.

WH FLIPPED when he heard I was driving back Easter weekend. He ended up locking my phone (so no maps on a long trip, which I know pretty well but they are nice if I need to find a gas station or something and get off the normal route. Also, no phone if I get in trouble or have a car issue)

We get home, and he is fairly nice, I told him to fix my phone and he said he was sorry, he didnt know I needed a password, that he had just locked it for a little while and it wasnt actually locked anymore-- i just didnt know the code

Im pissed, got a shitty call from my sister and my husband was like shes right and we start fighting

my husband goes from 0-60 in a minute and is telling me how bad a person i am, how lazy i am, LOOK AT THE HOUSE ITS A MESS (fucker- i just came home from a week trip!!!) he is saying i am lazy, "What have you done in the past 15 years other than raise kids... maybe you should talk to your friends about how to have a career, kids and clean the house"

it devolved from there. He left and went to another room. I was so pissed off and didnt know where to put that anger, so I grabbed a knife he had from eating by the bed, took it, went to the closet and shredded 4 of his suits. (He did not know I was doing this) I also threw my phone until it smashed the screen, which i had wanted to do all day after he locked it.

It felt so damn good to destroy his suits (he has more, he probably wont notice these 4 are gone) and smash that phone

Then, I started cleaning up the house. The clothes on the floor (his), I just threw in the garbage. Calvin Klein dress shirts, ties, etc. Garbage.

I realized i was scared to come home to my own fucking house. And this wasnt the first time.

I emailed the attorney. Its time. I need to file, please advise. We have the separation agreement, I have sole custody, all I need is to start getting alimony and child support (those numbers are not in the agreement, as my WH was making less last year than he probably will in the future)

Nothing he can do for me is worth living like this. Stuff like doing the electronics for me- I can take my phone to get fixed. I can drive in a different country (we are going next year and this is a worry... how will I get around without him. Now-- fuck it., I'll figure it out)

There is 0 he can do to convince me to not divorce. Last night was the end.

"THIS HOUSE IS A MESS! MY MOTHER WOULD NEVER LIVE LIKE THIS!"

Loser- I have been GONE for a week!! (where I got the stomach flu, and was sick most of the week!) ITS YOUR MESS!!!

44 comments posted: Sunday, March 28th, 2021

Normal division of housework

Im a SAHM. Wh has a demanding job. He resigned summer 2020 due to a fight with OW2, and has branched out on his own. Hes working a lot but not the 90 hrs he says

Yesterday he had anxiety, crapped himself in bed, washed the sheets and spent the whole day ( until 6:30 pm) in bed

I took my kids to a party (it was Covid safe with masks, in a large open area and with people from school that my kids are around anyway... plus my kids get covid tests thru school)

Due to covid and finding an acceptable safe, space the party was an hour away. This meant i had to find something to do in a new city with my toddler (we walked and ate snacks )

Got home, showers, then worked on a diorama for one kid’s class. This kid has some learning disabilities so i has read the book with him over two weeks. I helped him on his project, made (a quick) dinner and took dog out. No help from wh

He comes in kitchen that is full of art supplies and dried clay on the floor. Complains about the state of the house. Texts me later that night basically saying im a failure at my “job” because the house is a mess. I told him my job was not to clean up after him (he takes off suits and literally leaves them crumpled on the flooor )

He said it is my job as a SAHM. At that point i blocked texts. We sleep in different rooms .

My question- my house is a mess. I love art and let my kids paint all the time. Im ok with couch forts and Lego projects in progress all over the house. All i ask is that they dont eat in their room and true messes be cleaned up (ie, food or clothes on the floor)

Wh and I both grew up in spotless homes. My mom is a type A personality who never goes to bed with dishes in the sink. She works her butt off.

MIL lived in a multi generational home with her grandma, mom, aunt, and family is down the street until about 3 years ago. (Aunt who owned the house died so Mil moved to a small home alone) So there was a ton of help, with many people to act as baby sitters, cooks, cleaners. Plus MIL hates mess and doesnt allow stuff like finger paint

I see why my house is cringy for wh, after growing up with a spotless home. HOWEVER- he doesnt help with the kids or mess. He could have babysat the toddler yesterday but did not. He doesnt get groceries, do dishes, etc. when j grocery shop, i have to take the toddler with me bc he refuses to babysit his own child.

How much do those of you who have had a SAH parent in the home do? Either you are the SAH parent OR you are the working parent

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 9:15 AM, March 15th (Monday)]

19 comments posted: Monday, March 15th, 2021

Wh bad moods w bipolar 1

Wh says that he says mean things in the morning bc he hasnt taken his meds . Today its how im wrong for going to get grocery pick up at a store thats farther away than our closest, usual store.

The one father away could do groceries earlier. I need coffee. Its worth it to me.

Wh gave me a 30 second lecture about how, “wow, $70 grocery pick up and an hour and a half drive and all that wear and tear on the car. Okaaaayyyyyyyy”

(Closest store is a 30 min drive both ways, this is probably 1-1.5 hours both ways. We are in a rural area and i drive 2 hours every day to take my kids to and from school, so this is no biggie)

I said they had availability much earlier and i needed coffee.

He said you could go to the corner store for coffee (instant coffee i dont like)

I mean. Its effing 11 am. Hes just waking up. And picking on me how i get groceries

I dont want to fight. Im done, so i dont care if he “gets it”. I just want to say im sad and cant wait for his meds to kick in today so he isnt a shitty human. He wont even remember being a douche by 1 pm

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 10:06 AM, February 27th (Saturday)]

15 comments posted: Saturday, February 27th, 2021

Ramblings from an angry, tired mom

I am tired. Wh never helps

My house is a mess. Wh never helps

I am scared to start over. Scared that i cant live without his paycheck (where is that?) or without his help (that he never gives)

I take our son to school every day. I take the cars in for servicing and walk the baby in his stroller throughout the car lot, i dont have WH to pick me up and drive me home! Once I had to get a cab to and from from my daughter’s medical appointment because WH couldnt be bothered to take us home, and I didnt have a car due to a car accident.

Barcher144 said this is like the movie the matrix. Take the red pill and see what life can be, or take the blue pill and go back to life as you know it.

I am fat, depressed, tired. I dont have social interaction like i used to. Family members are sick with cancer. Life has thrown so many lemons.

How do i get out of this hole?! Ive got to start making decisions. Im just stagnant, waiting for life to happen.

Thank you for listening.

8 comments posted: Sunday, February 14th, 2021

Sex after divorce

I have only been with WH. We were college sweethearts. He had only been with me for sex until 2009 when he started his first affair. (had oral sex with other women in highschool/ first years of college before we met)

For years he has made fun of my body. I am 5 ft tall abd had a 10 lb baby; baby 1 was also very overdue. Therefore- huge belly, lots of stretch marks, hanging skin.

8 pregnancies, 3 big babies, over 40 years old...

I feel like i am not going to be desirable for anyone.

I can lose the baby weight, do exercises to close my diastasis recti (i currently look 5 mos pregnant bc my belly is huge) and look nice with clothes on... but i feel like once i have a new relationship, i dont want anyone to see my disgusting stomach.

I trusted my husband, father if my kids, and he has said i need surgery, im disgusting, i need 2 pews for my fat ass at church..

What would someone else say?

I hust want someone smart that i can talk to. Someone who thinks im great and will do things for me that make me happy. Id donthings to make him happy, too. Build each other up. Wh purposely does things to upset me.

I just feel like all men are like my wh. Selfish, abusive, skirt chasers. I have no relationship other than wh so i dont know that good men exist.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 8:14 AM, January 16th (Saturday)]

10 comments posted: Saturday, January 16th, 2021

Call to mil at christmas

Wh and i spent both thanksgiving and Christmas separately. I took the kids and have been with family out of town since end of november .

Wh and i were getting along well over calls and texts. He has to work with ow 2 and was telling me gossip about that (she is not doing well professionally or personally and i admit it msde me happy to hear this gossip)

I was also working with my therapist and saying why do i care, its like its a soap opera, i just need to disentangle myself from wh’s mess.

So. Wh and i are friendly, im away from him and having a nice long visit with family, kids are running and playing in huge yard, etc.

Then wh texts he is upset our 15 yr old has blocked his texts for a month. I tell him she has good boundaries and he picks fights with her and she doesnt want that drama.

Wh flys off fhe handle and locks my phone (he has it set up where he can do that). He says im horrible and cruel, that im not a mother but treat our 15 yr old like a friend , and he will ounli k my phone after Christmas , maybe after new years.

Oh well. That’s wh. I was happy to be free from a phone for a few days because seriously, i hate my phone addiction and it was sort of nice.

On Christmas he unlocks it. Tells me he never locked it? That it was my password... i dont know. Gaslighting i guess.

So after he unlocks it, he starts texting about having the lids call his mom bc its Christmas

My dd has already texted her grandma merry christmas from all of the kids. Mil texts her back, etc.

I told wh its not the kids responsibility to call adult relatives. If they want to call the kids, ok. But dont put that responsibility of reaching out on the kids.

Mil is also an asshole who was friends with ow 1, gossiped about me to ow1, invited ow1 to her home and on vacation.... told wh to be nice to ow 1 after he left her because she was “great with the kids” (nope... my dd 15 is in therapy bc ow 1 started scaring her, telling her that she could live with her forever, and shes having flashbacks now. Dd also saw ow 1 and wh passed out from drugs, ya know, because judges think both parent should get visitation)

Was i wrong to say i was not going to have the kids call MIL? She knows dd’s phone number.

My wh texted me and emailed me that i was evil, a c u next Tuesday, was fat, have a beer belly (i have diastasis recti pretty bad from 3 large babies and its a real sticky point with me)... he said im not a good Christian and dont know the meaning of Christmas because i wouldnt have the kids call mil, and that dead relatives of mine were weaping in heavenbecause of how mean i am.

Should i have had the kids call ‘mil? If he had asked nicely, i might have. But he demanded it, then got nasty. Plus the fact shes not nice, and she should be calling them... i just didnt do it.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 10:49 AM, December 26th (Saturday)]

23 comments posted: Saturday, December 26th, 2020

How do you start over

Im getting it thru my thick skull that there is 0 chance this marriage will ever make me happy. That wh will ever feel true remorse for his EA and the remorse for his PA is more because he realized what he gave up for a gross affair down.

He slept with other women while we were separated (he was living with OW 1 at the time telling me they were engaged) and he has no remorse for that. Just learned about those women this summer. I have very mixed feeling about the 4 women he was with then, as we were separated, and i myself had joined an online dating service towards the end of that year,. So its not as hurtful as the OW1 or OW2, but its still hurtful.... but then again its awesome to know he and ow1 werent happy at all (hes told me this many times but the admission that he cheated on her is more concrete proof)

Ok. Enough about him. How do i find my goals? For years my goal was HAPPY FAMILY. To get that meant keeping wh happy. That is no longer my goal. How do i switch and abandon THAT goal and create a new one just for me?

(And of course, HAPPY KIDS will always be my main goal, but im pretty good with that )

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 7:20 AM, December 10th (Thursday)]

15 comments posted: Thursday, December 10th, 2020

I miss wh

I miss the nice wh... the person he was about 30% of the time.

I want him to text or email me that he loves me and is sorry

Im at my family’s and have blocked his texts- if he really needs me he can call on the landline. But he has a habit if sending masses of cruel texts at night so ive blocked him.

I just want him to be nice and try to win me back.

But it doesnt seem like he cares.

He emailed me that he cant believe my mom let me come to her house without my “family” (i brought the kids and the dog). He said his mother would never let him come for thanksgiving without his family. It took all my willpower not to respond,”LOL! YOUR mom invited YOUR mistress to her house! So dont act like shes some bastion of morality and family values!”

Hes been radio silent since a flurry of mean emails two days ago.

Im sad. I miss the person i thought i was married to.

But i dont miss the put downs and the “thats stupid” everytime i suggested something or said something.

11 comments posted: Sunday, November 29th, 2020

So hard not to engage

I want to constantly yell at him for effing up every thing.

Hard not to

Gray rock gray rock gray rock

Its the time of year that i found out about BOTH affairs (day thanksgiving)

This is tough

10 comments posted: Monday, November 23rd, 2020

At some point he loved me

We have been together for 22 years. We met at 21 and 19 years old. At some point he loved me. I think?

He transfered from our college without telling me after an intense 4 month love affair. I remember one saturday he was a little mad that id gone out all day with my Friends because he wanted to take me out. (He hadnt told me this). Not angry mad, just more like, what did you do that for.

He transfered back home mid semester, probably because if money or missing his family. But he didnt tell me this. I was devastated, i called him at home , thinkng id get his mom and ask when he left to come back tonscholly

. Thats when he told me he was not coming back. I said so what now, he said its over.

I kept calling and was upset, i said lets get married. He said really? And agreed, sent me roses, we had a long distance relationship for 1.5 years, and he was the one who said lets get married right after college... i had wanted to live together a few years, but he said, no, thats “disrespectful”. I thought how sweet, really old school..

Years later he told me he knew id leave him if we lived together before we got married so he wanted to get married first.

It feels like ive been chasing him for years.

I told him yesterday how hurt his emotional affair hurt me, and he just yelled that it wasnt an affair. I walked away.

There is absolutely no reconciliation with him. Hes done this too much. Im still confused how i feel about his sleeping with other women during our separation and active divorce case in 2010. It feels great that he cheated on ow 1... but why didnt he come to me and say i messed up? He continued to use ow 1 against me. She had access to my kids, to his email where shed email me as him (i knew it was her), hell, he was still taking her with him to his mom’s house, and mil and sils were welcoming her.

I know what happened- i wanted the family so much i overlooked and rug swept. But now my okder kids hate their father (dd calls him “your husband” and dd calls him by his first name). Wh doesnt value us, or the family. He doesnt want to go to the pumpkin patch or have family dinners. Im not really sure what he wants. Its not to grow a family.

When the kids leave the house, we will not have similar interests and do activities together. I like kayaking and Jane Austen books and going to museums. He likes texting women that he adores them at 2 am and sleeping around. And lying in bed all day talking about how depressed he is and how i don’t understand bipolar disorder and how mean i am.

10 comments posted: Friday, November 6th, 2020

Favorite Dostoevsky book

I loved crime and punishment

I hear there is one book that’s *the* best

Can’t remember if it’s Brothers Karamazov or the idiot.

14 comments posted: Wednesday, October 7th, 2020

My new beginning

I’ve been living away from stbx for 2 months.

Each day I realize more and more that I will not be lonely without Wh. I do not miss him. I do not miss the chaos of our relationship. Life feels calmer .

I want to go back to school to get a PhD. I want to go abroad to do 3 separate things pertaining to my degree. I don’t know how that will work with kids but I want to find out.

Wh was always supportive of the last OW (an EA). He was not of me.

I can do things. I’m smart! (Not dumb like everyone says! Sorry Godfather 2 joke)

But seriously. The whole world looks brighter. And calmer.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 3:42 PM, July 26th (Sunday)]

11 comments posted: Sunday, July 26th, 2020

Find ow’s father

I won’t get into why I need to find him, just that a crime was committed by him and I need to report it to police

I know ow’s name, and her moms name ( mom died and was divorced from dad) I know siblings names. Just don’t know dad’s first name.

I’ve looked on ancestry and can’t find it, any other tips?

7 comments posted: Monday, May 18th, 2020

Intimacy question

Not quite ready for my new beginning yet... but have a question that’s on my mind.

I’ve only been with STBX.

What’s it like to be with another person- are you constantly comparing them? What if they aren’t as technically good as your Ex? Is it still good because you have feelings for them? I noticed when my STBX and I were intimate at the end of our relationship, it wasn’t as good- technically, yes, just as good, but there were no feelings or love there, so no emotions made sex not great.

Having a new relationship is a big thought these days, but being intimate with someone other than STBX is terrifying!

13 comments posted: Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

How do I check iPhone messages

Wh is very protective of his phone. I’d like to have his messages sent to me. Is this possible?

1 comment posted: Thursday, December 5th, 2019

History of China

My middle schooler really wants to study the history of China. I have no idea where to start- can anyone recommend books that would be good to start a study of China-- Ancient China and the Shang Dynasty in particular.

Thanks!

Darn- just realized this goes in Book Discussion! Sorry.

[This message edited by Gottagetthrough at 11:29 AM, February 17th (Friday)]

4 comments posted: Friday, February 17th, 2017