That's great Alphin! So your focus will be on you, the girls and fun....that will help your patience <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I hope DD had a wonderful time in France....how grown up she is!

"I might set up an email account and you could get the details from that? Then you and WAT could have WH and OW's names too."

Whatever you think is best. Know there are more than just the two of us willing to ping the school, however.

WAT and I seem to have sort of an emotional investment in straightening them out though, LOL. And it's interesting how the two of us approach it from totally opposite directions.

With prayers,

She had a wonderful time! Although I doubt she's slept more than three hours in the past five days!

I missed her so much; I almost embarrassed her by blubbing when I first saw her, but I managed to control myself in the end! She looked very chic! Funny how much they change when you've been apart from them only a little while. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Another wonderful thing happened to me today. I'd just got back from picking up DD12 from the school, and was reading DD5 her bedtime story. The phone rang - it was MIL! I was a little anxious, I haven't been sure how things would be after she heard about the D. But we had a lovely chat. And she has invited the girls and I down for Christmas this year.

WH and OW are not invited!

I almost cried when she asked us to be with her and FIL this Christmas. I must say, Christmas was something I had been absolutely dreading. But now it will be OK. And we are going to a pantomime!

Another thing she said: I was telling her about how WH still insists that we can be friends, despite the fact that he's wrecked my life and broken my heart. MIL said: Stupid man! (about WH) and then said: Well, we'll always be your friends (meaning her and FIL). The tears welled up again.

Just wanted to share that. I am so grateful for their kindness.

Alph.

Alph.

Thats wonderful from your in laws. Horrible circumstances often reveal good people.

They must be hurting too, for you, for their grandkids and their deluded son.

Blood is thick, though Alph, so don't hang your hat on their support.

If WH threatens them with sending them to Coventry unless they stop supporting you, they may be driven to do so out of their love for him and their need to stay in touch with him.

They sound liek good kind people though. Its always nice to be reminded of the nobler attributes of humaity when you've been surrounded by the bad stuff for a while.

AWww... nice to hear abt the new development Alphin. But I agree, don't count on it too too much. Take it with a bit of salt.

What interesting things did DD12 do in France??

~A

Does DD12 speak French?

Just curious because we lived in the French speaking part of Belgium one summer. DS, 6 at the time, could hold long conversations in French with other children in the park by the time we moved away. He still can use it too.

He picked it up mainly from the Paris Cartoon Network feed.

This is true. I doubt MIL is ever going to have much love for OW, though. I told MIL yesterday about the 'punta' thing. She though it was hilarious! We even discussed the possiblity of teaching the word to DD5 so she could impress OW with her knowledge of Spanish when the kids eventually start going over to the septic lovenest. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Of course, I wouldn't really do this. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The way I see it, the only thing that could redeem OW in MIL's eyes is if she and WH had a child together. MIL adores her three grandchildren. She would adore any child between OW and WH just the same - I think this is only right, too.

I hope we will stay friends. I will do my best to keep it this way.

Alph.

Aphelion,

DD12 takes French at school, but I wouldn't say she was fluent just yet!

She had a great time - spent tons of cash on junk. They had a trip to Paris, although it was a five hour trip there and back, and they only had a couple of hours in the city itself. Saw most of the sights, went back again!

She looks skinny - said the food was rubbish. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

They visited a cheese farm - stinky. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

They visted a hypermarket - where DD12 blew most of her cash.

Her favourite day was the trip to Rouen - she said this was a beautiful place.

On the last night, there was a farewell disco. Groovy!

She really had a great time. Shame about the food though.

Alph.

Kids are amazing at that age, aren't they? Brains like sponges, soaking stuff up so easily.

I can't understand why kids aren't taught languages in this country until they are in high school. I think I'll write to the education secretary and suggest 1 hour in school of Cartoon Network in French for all children under the age of ten. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Alph.

Alph,

You sound good, like you are gaining strength and seeing hope for YOUR future. Hang in there woman!

I am off for a week in Spain with D10 and WH. I'm not taking any work or my laptop with. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'll check in to your thread on August 1st.

Hey Lost!

Have a wonderful time in Spain! We are off to Barcelona on the 3rd. I can't wait to leave this all behind.

*dreams of Sagrada Familia*

Alph.

Hey Alph,

DD12 seemed to have lots of fun! I'd love to visit Paris one day.. or even Barcelona!

Alph, are you in or near London?

I go there for conventions some times-- I had to miss one this June because of this problem that just cropped up and the $$ shortfall. I will also be missing a Lord of the Rings con in Germany in Oct. But my European and UK friends had booked me for another one next May! It's one relating to the "Angel" TV series. I hope that I'd have a good job soon so that I can save up for my trip.



~A

Alphin,

your favorite word is actually "puta", without the n.

Punta means the tip of something.

Just thought you might as well get your message across if you ever use the word! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I thought it was, but then b0b spelt it 'punta'.

So much for that! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

What would she think if I was standing in the street, shouting 'Tip! Tip! Tip!' at her? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Alph.

She would think that you are crazy and we wouldn't want that!

anyway, puta sounds much nicer <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> I even use it as a password lately! LOL

She thinks I am crazy anyway. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Alph.

I thought it was Punta, sorry. Although puta means 'tramp' which sounds right !

Having said that, offering to give a puta the tip of something sounds about right too !

puta means ho, really. punta is the tip of something and not offensive at all although we could think of a phrase with both words in it for Alph to use in case she meets the omelette

I forgot to mention that last Thursday week WH had his summer concert at his school. These are usually very well attended, as WH has really built up the music department since he has been teaching there, and runs a big choir and bands etc.

This time there were four teachers attending, including him, OW and the other music teacher in the department. One other (can't remember who) and NO OTHER TEACHERS.

There were also very few parents there.

When WH told me this, he said that an ex-pupil had been killed in the last couple of weeks, and that was why no-one had turned up at the concert. I accepted this. Also, the local Catholic girls school was holding their concert on the same day (so he said that any teachers whose daughters went there would go to that concert instead).

MIL told him when he spoke to her that she thinks that parents and teachers had voted with their feet and boycotted his concert because of the affair. I did expose to the Parent's Association, after all.

Does this sound likely? And will it make any difference? WH has a thick skin, and is still so foggy. I suppose that if he divorces me it won't matter any more anyway.

Alph.

There is a good chance they other parents are making a statement. See the WS can't control the world (though they tend to think so).

Reality bites. Don't make excuses. Just state the facts.

WS: The concert had a low turnout because too many other obligations on the part of most people.

BS: Yes, there was a low turnout. Wonder what the next one will be like? Those poor students. What are you going to do to keep them from being disappointed?

See how easy that is to put it back in the WS hands?

Reverse babble. Gotta love it. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

L.