2012 vomit, bird beaks and a fedora

The new year didn’t start out so great.  I was up at 8 AM, waking my little ball of sunshine up so she would be ready when her father arrived at 9 to get her.  While she got dressed, I walked Ying.

Ying and I hadn’t been outside long when my stomach began rumbling and my mouth began to water.  I recognized those warning signs but it was too late to go back in the house.  Linda Blair style, I began puking in the front yard.  My eyes watered and stomach heaved uncontrollably.  If I hadn’t went to the bathroom before taking Ying out I would have wet my pants.   Now I would have been cursing myself for drinking too much on New Years Eve, had I even had one drink!  After the wave of nausea passed I sheepishly looked around to see if there were any witness. (no, my head did not spin around)   I didn’t see any sign of my neighbors being nosey so I guess Ying was my only witness.

Tesla was dressed when I came back in.  We snuggled on the couch until her dad showed up.  After a week together,  it was hard to see her leave.  She didn’t get upset or argue with me about going with her dad.  I think she was still half asleep.  I saw John pull up so I said my goodbyes and gave hugs and kisses to Tesla before I opened the door for her.

As soon as she went out I said “I love you baby!” and closed the door.  The less I have to look at John, with his bird beak nose, wanna be beard and goofy fedora, the better.  I found this man attractive at one time?  Love is blind.

I am actually psyched about 2012.  The Mayan calendar (which is very accurate) predicts the end of the world as we know it to be December 21, 2012.  That might freak some people out, but I am fine with that being my last day on earth.  What could happen that day that will change the world as we know it?  Hard to say, other than it won’t be a flood.  🙂

God Bless everyone with the start of this new year.  Times are difficult, the economy sucks and no one should take things granted.   Enjoy everyday with the people you love…there may be less than a year left on earth.  Tell your friends and family you love them because everyday is precious.

Love you!!

~P.

Last day of the year

It’s hard to believe this year flew by so fast.  Life passes you by before you know it!

Dale, Tesla and I are watching “Twins” and I’ll be going to the grocery store soon.  A few friends are stopping by to ring in the new year.

My year almost ended on a bad note.  Tesla and I were getting something to eat at Surefine earlier today.  We chose our sandwiches and she talked me into a chocolate donut.  I set down our sandwiches and bagged her a donut on the condition she eat her lunch first.

I laid out our lunch on the check out belt and reached in my pocket.  Shit….no wallet.  I went through all my pockets…no wallet.  I asked Tesla if she had my wallet….nope.  The likelihood of her having my wallet was slim to none, but I thought I would at least ask.

“I’m going to have to go look for my wallet, I’m sorry.” I told the check out guy and made a bee line for the donuts.

No wallet hiding in the donuts….back to the sandwich cooler….no wallet.  FUCK!  Now what?!

Then I hear a voice from above…”Patricia Crider please come to the customer service desk.”   It wasn’t God.

Some honest, thoughtful person found my wallet somewhere in Surefine and turned it in.  God Bless that person!

The couple of dollars in my wallet didn’t matter but all that much, but the cards, license, etc. would have been a pain to replace.

I lost my wallet riding my motorcycle once.  A walker found it and turned it into the Northern Regional Police who contacted me the next day.  See, there are good people out there.

Even if they are few and far between.

Down came the tree

We did it!  We did it!

Tesla and I took down the Christmas tree and decorations.  She chatted away about the ornaments and separating the glass from the plastic so they don’t break.  I love having conversations with her because she can be so colorful with her story telling.

Tesla is up in her room now.  Enjoying some quiet time.  It seems to be a luxury for her now.  Trust me, she won’t be up there long and will wander down to see what’s going on.  So I am finishing up packing the Christmas decorations.  I thought about Heather as I folded up the holiday theme kitchen items she took Tesla to buy.  Deep down, she is probably a good person…blinded by love.  What I don’t get is, if she is such a good person over all, why is she with my future ex?

What he yelled at me Christmas day, “we don’t want anything that makes us think of you in the house” shut me down.  There are so many things in that house that must remind Heather and John me on a daily basis.  Hell John probably thinks about Kelly on a daily basis.  She kicked off all the changes to my house.  I think what it boils down to is, the entire flipping house should be a daily reminder of me.

So back to packing up the decorations and I will discontinue thinking about my husband’s girlfriend.  I am sure Heather has many good qualities.  I’ve learned more about Heather and her children than any other of John’s previous attempts to replace me.

So a thank you shout out to Heather…..The gifts were great and next year maybe we can attempt a gift exchange in person since John had serious issues accepting a gift.   He was too busy berating me in front of both our children about not wanting to think about me.   Though I do remember you Heather, yelling at me that when you are all home I am the last person all you would talk about.  Someone’s doing a lot of talking….John tells me about it all the time.  It’s hard for him to forget me.  Breaking up is hard to do.

I was clearly to make a huge deal over the gifts Heather purchased confirming to John that he has chosen well since dumping me.  It’s just hard to do as my time with Tesla is severely cut, I don’t get to talk to her more than a few minutes, this divorce is a drain of time and money and a distraction from school.  Yes, the possible future “step-mom” bought a few cute gifts, but that same person is the cause of many problems in my life.  She is living in my house with my child.  A house that I want sold and a child that should be living with her mother.

Oh well, I just have to be patient as usual. John said I can never get anything right…Someday, he will learn.

I may be wrong, but I doubt it.  🙂

~P.

 

Nothing like Christmas drama

Christmas was in high gear at my parents house when John came for Tesla at 11:45.  Tess was still opening gifts from Uncle Joe and Aunt Kathy but we hurried through so she could leave.

I walked Tesla out to her dad’s truck.  He had all the kids with him and I was excited to give them the little gifts we had for each of Heather’s kids.  It wasn’t any big deal, just snacks and candy in their own gift bag.  John put those gifts in the truck and the kids waved to me.  I had another gift in the car for John, Tesla, Heather, Abbie, Bria, Casey and Katie but John wouldn’t take it.  It’s this type of drama that reminds me why we are no longer together.   The kids would have loved the gift and there was something special inside for John.  Oh well…..

Apparently he is offended by my blog about the gifts from Tesla.  I thought it was incrediably nice of Heather to take Tesla shopping.  Tesla picked the gifts out and I didn’t care if the dates on the ornaments were wrong.  That isn’t a big deal.  What is a big deal to me is why John is mad at me and says he won’t take a Christmas gift because they don’t want anything in the house that going to make them think of me.  REALLY?  I imagine the exception would be Tesla of course.  It’s funny to me….whoever John is with on a holiday always gives gifts to me.  Maybe to make up for the fact that John sure isn’t going to give me a gift.  I doubt he even remembers what Tesla and I gave him last year.  That or he threw it out because it reminded him of me.

Besides John’s usual drama, Christmas was wonderful.  At my parents house with my sons, Tesla, Dale, Suz, Blaine, Sam, Joe, Kathy and Sawyer.  It was a full house!

I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and hope everyone got what they asked Santa for!

Hohoho,

~P.

A different kind of letter

It’s Christmas Eve day and I had two pieces of mail.  A very delayed letter from the Dept of Welfare and a copy of my lawyer’s letter to John’s lawyer.

The letter to Doug France is my lawyers attempt to get things moving along.  At this point, France may have put more time into John’s stupid filing for divorce than he did in defending the ax murder who killed the woman from Red Lion and dumped her body at Beaver Hole.  France was disappointed when the murder hung himself in jail.  Apparently France managed to get the murderer a life sentence.  More about that in my Beaver Hole blog.

So the letter requests more time for Tesla and I together, her going to art therapy and to proceed with the divorce (house appraisal, business records, debts, etc.)  The divorce information has been requested several times now.  My accountant has been hanging onto records for years now!!

Can’t wait for Christmas!

~P.

Surprise gifts from Tesla

I picked up Tesla at 5 PM tonight.  I was a little bit early but it took another 15 minutes or so for her to come out.  I walked up to the door three times, and rang the bell.  I saw Heather in the house.  John saw me at the door and yelled out “she will be out soon” through the glass.  A little bit later John and Tesla came out, John carrying a large bag of gifts and Tesla’s school papers.   He said he would pick up Tesla at my parents at 11:45.  He’s on a tight schedule with Heather’s kids and all.

The gifts inside were for Dale: a cute stocking with a ginormous summer bologna stick, Hershey’s chocolates and walnuts.  There was a coupon for Chili’s, buy and adult meal, get a kid’s meal free.  It was expired.  Not expired, were McD’s coupons.  McD’s is his favorite place for quick food and a sweet tea.

I received a huge glass peanut jar.  Inside was Christmas tea towels, oven mitt, pot holder, cookie mix, icing, sprinkles, and a cookie cutter.  A second small gift was a Christmas ornament.  It says Mother & Daughter with a hole for a picture.  Hanging from the bottom is beautiful beading and a decorative tag that states:  2004  Hell, that was my first Christmas with John.  No baby yet…

There is a gift for Grandma and Grandpa in the bag too.

So at 11:45, Tesla and I will give John and his new girlfriend and kids the gifts we have for them.

Santa,

I need a divorce for Christmas.

Sincerely and seriously,

~P.

 

Ying is ready

I can hear him jingle when he tries to sneak away

Ying is ready for Christmas.

I’m almost ready.  Going for a couple little things tonight.

I hear Jingle Bells!

Over ride rejoice

You know there are days you get out of bed and with in minutes you know it’s going to be a sucky day.

This wasn’t one of those days.   I slide out of bed (tall bed) and was surprised at how chilly it felt.  Grabbing my warm-up pants and Spartan T-shirt I instantly felt warmer.  Padding across the wooden floor I opened my sock drawer and found it empty.  Glancing at the two baskets of clothes waiting to be put away, I padded back to my bed and began rooting through the mismatched socks box.  The lights weren’t even on in the bedroom yet but I didn’t care if my socks matched or not.  I grabbed a white one and reached back in for any other sock that was similar in shape.  Presto!  The sock I grabbed was a match.  Then I knew it was going to be a good day.

I checked my email at school and had a message waiting from me from Dr. Zerbe.  He is higher up on the food chain at school if you know what I mean.  I was in a difficult situation in needed a specific writing class that I had skipped.  I went from writing intro to the 300 level classes.  Dr. Zerbe checked with the professor, Nancy Eshelman about an over ride and she agreed to have an 18th person in her class.  Woohoo!  Christmas came early for me.  Nancy is a great teacher and columnist for The Patriot Times in Harrisburg.

Now only a few more days left until Christmas is here.  I can’t wait for Tesla to get back to PA.  I haven’t heard from her much but her dad is sending pictures.  Soon Tesla and I will have a week together!!

Celebrating early!

~P.

 

4 days left

 

Very Cool!

Only four days are left until Christmas day.  Where does time go!? 

Now that the fall semester at YCP is over and we are just waiting patiently for our grades, it dawns on me how close Christmas Day is.  Tesla is with her Dad, Heather, and all her kidlings.  Somewhere in Erie they are in a water wonderland.  It looks awesome and I’m glad Tesla is having this experience.  Though not receiving any child support since November 23 is frustrating to say the least.  

Meanwhile I am home organizing all these notes, bills, school work and more.  It seems endless!  I love seeing the pictures of Tesla and can not wait to see her on Friday.  Christmas Day we are going to my parents.  I only have Tesla until noon.  I would love for John to extend my time until two but I doubt he will agree to that.  We are texting about exchange time now.  I asked him to pick up Tesla at my parents.  I don’t know if he will even agree to that.

sigh…Hohoho

At least Tesla will wake up here Christmas morning!!!

Have you been naughty or nice?

~P.

Oh, for shits and giggles…here is what I signed to visit with Tesla for three hours.

 

Memento from my “first visit” with Tesla

 

Filling up the Banana Boat

Years of notes…all gathered together.

How often do you need to recall what happened on a specific date? Probably not very often. Imagine if you needed to keep track of everyday for years. I have enough material to write two books.

Yes, I am serious. I think “I Used to Drive a Mercedes” will cover Sept 2004 to 2009. My other book, no title yet will be from 2009 until this divorce nightmare is over.

I guess now that I’ve taken the time to organize the random piles of journals I realize I have quite a bit of writing to do.

Here’s the intimidating pile of journal records. The banana box has room for more. I never know where I will find piles of journal pages.

Ready to write,
~P