Space,
i have been lurking a bit on your post and just wanted to pop in and say Hello.
I am so proud of how well you are dealing with all of this.
It seems like your wife really does enjoy the victim stance.
I think it is great that you refuse to be sucked into it because it really is petty.
You have been a great example to your children and everyone here.
I hope she see's the light of day and realizes what she will be losing if she loses you.
I guess sometimes we have to just let them go and hope that whatever path they choose will bring them back to you.
As long as you have peace about it that is all that really matters.
You deserve some peace after this last year.
Thinking of you friend.
Layli

SC,

THe "death" of the spouse thing was an exercise that I wrote about in 2 posts prior to this.

Thanks for your response. I completely identify to it.

All,

In honor of our Texas friends, I just have to tell you this story!!

OS earned the opportunity to represent his 4th grade class in the school geography bee!

There were a total of 12 kids competing. They SHOULD take this on the road...I haven't suppressed laughter like this in I don't know when!!

Anyway the question asked that honors our Texans was - "What COUNTRY on the continent of North America has the lowest population?"

You've already guessed the answer that darling girl gave - "TEXAS"!!! Sigh, I feel better now that I've shared that with you all (or in Texas ya'll!!) CSue

To take the heat from Texas for a minute, I'll tell you another story! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

I have a coworker who's W is from China. When applying for her US citizenship, she was given a sample quiz with the question "Who was president during the Civil War?" She asked my friend, who (being from Virginia) replied "Jeff Davis!" So, when his W went to take the test, that question was on the test! When the guy giving her the test asked her the question, she replied "Well, I know it was Abraham Lincoln, but my H says it was Jeff Davis." The guy laughed his head off. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Since we're doin' Texas jokes, here's one I received today. This is in honor of our dear, dear, California MB buddies:

A duck story in the true spirit of Texas wisdom...

A big city California lawyer went duck hunting in rural Texas. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence. As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing. The litigator responded, "I shot a duck and it fell in this field, and now I'm going in to retrieve it."

The farmer replied, "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."

The indignant lawyer said, "I am one of the best trial attorneys in the U.S. and, if you don't let me get that duck, I'll sue you and take everything you own."

The old farmer smiled and said, "Apparently, you don't know how we do things in Texas. We settle small disagreements like this with the Texas "Three Kick Rule."

The lawyer asked, "What is the Texas Three Kick Rule?"

The farmer replied, "Well, first I kick you three times and then you kick me three times, and so on, back and forth, until someone gives up."

The attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom.

The farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the city feller. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees. His second kick nearly ripped the man's nose off his face. The barrister was flat on his belly when the farmer's third kick to a kidney nearly caused him to give up.

The lawyer summoned every bit of his will and managed to get to his feet and said, "Okay, you old coot, now it's my turn."

The old farmer smiled and said, "Naw, I give up. You can have the duck."

ROTFLMAO. That was a great joke Space <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> Thanks for sharing it.

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by TooMuchCoffeeMan:
<strong>ROTFLMAO. That was a great joke Space <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> Thanks for sharing it.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hey TMCM! Long time no see!
Did you ever get that graphic I found that reminded me of you?

Here is the link again:
Wired Java Fanatic