How soft is your ass, Erin? That's always a pleasant topic.

{{{Erin}}} I hope D can work something out that makes him feel better without feeling he needs to move.

Zenkitty, tons of ~ma for your sister.

We have no heat or hot water this morning. Our landlord isn't answering his phone and it is really freaking cold today.

sj, that's really frustrating. I hope you can go somewhere where you can stay warm temporarily, at least. Here's hoping the landlord gets his act together soon.

Well, my application for support during teaching is now being considered formally by the ever-irritating government agency. I'm going to be employing and paying a support worker myself in the meantime, as teaching starts on Monday. I'm hoping they rush through the decision, but I somehow doubt it, given the incompetence so far! At least they've agreed to put through the application. Small mercies and all that.

Landlord just called back so it looks like I will be here waiting for the repairman. It's really bad on the roads right now so I won't leave until I have to.

My ass IS soft! I made a bunch of brown sugar and cinnamon scrub as my hostess gifts for my Girly Craftsmas party this weekend, so it also smells like dessert!

I just spent 2 hours looking for sub line info and almost crying because I couldn't find it. I felt sick yesterday and has off and on stomach trouble, and it's not going away. I got about 4 hours of sleep, and I have to keep running to the bathroom. I finally found some info and had to call an admin at home, which makes me feel awful, and she was all "Oh, you could have just emailed!"

But who knows when email gets picked up! I was up at 5, because I wanted to give as much notice as possible. TEACHER FAIL.

sj, that sounds awful. Stay in, stay safe, and I hope everything works out ASAP for you.

I am going back to bed, hoping that the Imodium actually works for a bit, because it didn't much last night. UGH.

Speaking of bad roads. Yesterday on I-35 I saw two cars spin out on the other side of the median and hit the new-style wire guardrail. This was about five seconds apart, and about 300 ft apart. There was another car between then having hit it already. Nasty. I called 911.

sj, I hope the repairman gets there soon.

Erin, I have nothing useful to say about your situation. It's a really rough one.

Landlord just stopped by and pressed the reset button, which did nothing so the repairman will be by sometime this morning. In the meantime lots and lots of hot tea.

But the only thing that's helpful for the kid is to maintain the useful fictions of civility. There's no safe emotional space for a kid who has to choose between their parents, to make that judgment.

It doesn't matter to Micah that his mom was a bitch to D, or has been selfish or manipulative.

This is 100% true. My dad trying to make me hate my mom only resulted in me hating them *both* for a few years.

Erin, from what you've said, you sound like you're pretty good at the stepmom gig, despite being new to it. I think that once D has some time to think about it -- ideally, without the emotional pressure from his ex -- that you two will be able to come to a workable solution that's supportive for Micah.

It sucks to find out one of your parents is a dick. Thankfully(or not) I did not have a lot of pre-administered poison to assist in that discovery, but it still is a rotten feeling. Hopefully, Micah will understand some of his mother's failings/that it's not all his dad's fault without the extra layer that comes when the other parent starts treating him like she treats everyone else.