That great big boy cannot possibly be Mal. He's handsome as can be and has a gorgeous smile and obviously he's a keeper, but he's not wee small Mal. He just couldn't be.

Oh that SMILE. What a cutie.

I can't remember if I posted it before, but I figure it doesn't hurt to say it more than once so - {{{{{Pix and ND}}}}}

So, new court date set for mediation. Crazy whackadooness today. She took me to task for contacting ex BiL and her sister to try to arrange time for M to spend with them this summer -- er, like she WANTED US TO DO! -- and also cautioned me on what I say on FB cause it's making people uncomfortable in an "ugly divorce."

Honey, I'm just trying to back sure M has contact with his aunt and uncle (I used to work with uncle, and he socialized within my circle of friends -- I knew him at parties WAY before I started dating D) and I have said NOTHING nasty about her on FB. She's pissed because I'm "trying to horn in on her family" because we RSVP'd to her sis's baby's bday party THAT THEY, unprompted, INVITED US TO, and apparently, because I invited them to BBQ this summer when M is down, so he can hang out with them and his baby cousin.

Which is what she SAID she wanted. Honestly, I do NOT get it.

I actually welcome the mediation, because she is FlipFlop Queen, and the parenting agreement needs to be revisited now that she and D are both remarried, and since she, you know, MOVED TO A DIFFERENT COAST w/o notifying the court. @@

Sister, I get your worries. I honor your position as mom. I really do. But I rest easy in knowing that everything I am doing is trying to do the best thing for M. Period. If you don't like that, well, all I can do is my best, and if my best disconcerts you because PEOPLE LIKE ME, including your son and your BiL, well, SUCK IT.

Love, ME.

ugh, Erin. Best possible outcome ~ma.

Also? I just want, so badly, to say to her, "Do you really believe I want your family? Because I don't really. I have mine, and I have my friends, and D's family totally loves me (and they kinda hated you), and the only reason I try to contact the TINY PART OF YOUR FAM that lives in the city is because YOU want to make sure M sees them."

But I won't. Honestly, I really try to not even waste energy on it at all, and I am polite and cordial in our communications, and keep her updated on all the awesome stuff we have planned to do with M over the summer, because she wants to know, and I get that, and I want to make sure she knows that he will be safe, and loved and having a good summer. I don't begrudge that AT ALL.

It's just, sometimes, I need to be a little catty and OMGWTFBBQ here.

Oh, I just remembered, just after marrying Hubby, when his ex was still hanging out with my MIL, she pulled me aside for the smarmy "I hope we can be friends" speech, which included "I just want to make sure that I still have access to my family." I tried not to too-obviously give her a "you're a loon, bitch" look and made polite chatter in return.

Ack, then I'm not the only one.

I did not say, as I could have quite truthfully, "Well, if your family was so important to you, perhaps you shouldn't have cheated on your husband, then failed to show up to the divorce hearing, where Hubby presented as evidence the wedding announcement for your nuptials that were scheduled for the upcoming weekend."

Not so surprisingly, Hubby was only tagged for child support, as it was obvious the ex had a proven money-making system going--four husbands, four kids, child support from each of them.

Oh, and Wedding #5 did not come off, as Hubby dropped by the site the day of the wedding, introduced himself to the groom with the words, "Good luck, from #4 to #5." Seems Groom was under the impression that the ex had only been married once (she only felt the need to account for however many kids she had living with her at the time). Ex was not pleased with Hubby for scotching her plans.

And yes, I have deep, non-guilt-inducing abhorrence for that female. She makes the entire gender look bad.

Argh, that dalmatian. She's easily excitable, especially when it's time for a T-R-E-A-T. (They get a 1/2 dog cookie at bedtime.) The dalmatian is excitable and can be a loose cannon, and so we toss her cookie on the floor, rather than feed her by hand.

Well, tonight, as I tossed the cookie, she lunged for my hand anyway, and bit the shit out of my finger. Sliced right into it, maybe 1/2 inch long cut. I don't blame her, but I was expecting her to go towards the ground like she normally does when I toss the treat down.

So I'm engaging in the all-too-common Buffista activity of posting about a hand injury, USING the injured hand. It fucking hurts, but I put a lot of pressure on it for 20 minutes, which seems to have closed the gash (I cleaned it and such first), and The Boy put a band-aid on it, butterfly-style, to make sure the gash is pulled together.

I think I'll live. t hand to forehead

But FUCK, it really hurts. If I hadn't already taken Ambien, I'd seriously think about taking one of my squirreled-away percocets (not a whole one; just a 1/2) -- it hurts that bad. She has jaws like an alligator.

She clearly does not grasp the concept of not biting the hand that feeds you. Or perhaps she spurns cliches.

I think the lesson here is that divorce makes you do the wacky.