Hey,
I wanted to check in with you and see that you're doing well.
I haven't seen you here for some time now, and I'm still thinking of you.
Do you have friends or family to spend the Holiday's with?
Did you go to the party you had mentioned?

I would like to hear how you're doing if you get a chance.

Thinking of you,
Karona

Hi Karona, Thanks for asking!

I've been lurking occasionally, but busy getting ready for the holidays. Our work Christmas party was last Friday and it turned out really nice - I stressed right up until the last minute though. Then this week, we had our annual surprise inspection at the same location where I had a quarterly meeting for which I hadn't written any of the 6 reports I had to present... so, I stayed up all night at work typing and drinking coffee... got 5 of 6 done, the inspection went well, and now I'm thoroughly exhausted.

I'm going to a party tonight and a small get together with friends tomorrow night. Christmas day... plan to open presents if I can wait that long and then take it easy, not sure yet.

As for the divorce, I think my lawyer has set it for trial - I hope it doesn't come to that as it would be extremely expensive, but I'd rather spend the money than drag this out any longer.

Funny thing - I got a Christmas card from FIL for the 1st time in 5 years! MIL died this summer so maybe he's just taking over her duties, though she hadn't sent cards in years because of her Alzheimer's. It was just a generic message, so I sent him back one with the same.

Now that the surprise inspection I've been anticipating is over, I'm going to make reservations to go visit my dad ASAP. He's 98 years old and I don't get to see him often. He's getting weaker, vision's fading, hearing's going, but still mentally lucid.

How about you? How are you doing? What are your plans?

Hope you, and everyone else here as well, have a wonderful holiday with all the trimmings. Holidays can be rough after what we've all been through, but it's also an opportunity to start new traditions and spend time with those we love, whether family or friends.

I'm glad to know you are well LT, I have thought of you several times.

WOW, your Father is 98, incredible. I'm glad you are making plans to see him. Will you drive? Fly??

Also glad to hear you have plans for the Holiday. Is this get together the one that xbf will be at possibly?? Good luck if it is.

My girls are with their Dad until tomorrow night, late. I'm going to dinner at a friends house tomorrow. It will be all couples and me, but hey, it's better than spending Christmas Eve alone right?! The girls and I are going to SC on Tuesday to be with my mom, brother,SIL&niece. We will come back NYE day. It's about a 7 hour drive. I'm not looking forward to the drive, but its worth it to be with some of my family.

So trial eh? Yes, I can imagine that will be costly. It's a shame that it may have to go to that, darn it.
Sounds like you worked your tail off on those reports, Success in the end though, great!!

Merry Christmas!

Karona

Karona, I'll fly to see my dad because we're on opposite coasts.

The party last night was pretty much all couples, but there were a couple of other single women. I didn't know anyone but the hostess, but it was a fun group and I had a good time. The party with XBF was a few weeks ago and his band was playing so he didn't come. Tonight I'm going to dinner at a friends and tomorrow I'm going to dinner at another friends. It's great because all I've had to cook is a dessert for tonight!

New Year's Day I'm driving down to visit niece and her 3 y.o. son for a few days, which will be fun.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your girls and a nice visit with yoru family. I wish us all a much brighter and happier new year!

Sounds like you have had some fun times. I'm glad for you LT!

Enjoy your niece, that will be nice.

I just got home from my friends house. It was a nice evening.
I may go to church in a little bit. My girls should be home in a couple of hours and then it will feel like Christmas for me.

Merry Christmas! Lets hope for good things in 2006.

Karona

Karona, Hope you had a nice Christmas with your girls. I think we all deserve good things in 2006. Are you making any New Year's resolutions?

I want to be divorced in 2006. That seems do-able. The others are the same as every other year... to lose weight and replace all my bad habits with healthy ones. It's another year, who knows, maybe this will be the one!

I'm not even ready to say I want to be in another relationship, but it's hard to imagine another year of being alone. Well, I'll leave that one in God's hands, where I put it after my H left.

How about you?

Aloha LT,

I don't know if you remember me or not. You were one of the first to respond to my posts way back when. I like to hear what happens to those few people who has a part in our recovery. You, along with the others are on my prayer list.

Glad to hear you are well and keeping busy. And in case I never did it before; thank you for your kindness back then.

Blessing to you and Hau'oli Kakahiki Hou (Happy New Year).

S&C

Thank you for asking LT~Yes, we had a very nice day together.
We went to church, and stayed home the rest of the day and enjoyed each other.
The day was mindboggling for me. They both had high technology on their list. I got them what they asked for, never considering HOW I would connect/work these things. My youngest wanted a TV for her room, I have never hooked up a TV/DVD. I had trouble with that, but was determined to do it myself and NOT have their dad come. I called my brother, he walked me thru to a certain point, and from there it was trial and error.
My oldest got her iPod, but that was yet another feat.
We worked with that for I bet 6 hours. I was so disgusted with being a woman and not knowing how to do things. OD called a girlfriend, her and her mom came over and helped us, and finally, we got it. A glass of wine never tasted so good as it did after this mess.

I have not even thought of a resolution.
If I had to pick one thing, I would say, work on myself, to become the best I can be. I want to knock someones socks off someday!

As far as a relationship? I'm with you, I give that to God.
I do not live in an area where men are plentiful. In fact, I was just talking to a guy last week who even said, the majority of the men in this state are red necks. It is the honest truth [he has lived here all his life].
I have decided that being alone isn't the worst. I don't understand the plan, but I'm trying to remember that there is one.

I'm off to my moms in the morning. I will be glad when the drive is behind me. Having trouble sleeping tonight, that will work against me!

Take care,
K!

S&C, Hi! I read the link in your signature line and it brought back memories of that time. What an inspiring story. I hope your recovery is still going strong.

Karona, I don't think it's just a gender thing, it's also an age thing, LOL! Congratulations on hooking up the TV and figuring out the iPod. I can't even figure out my TV remote.

Good reminder, thanks!

Hope your drive went ok and you get some sleep. I think I'll be sleeping better once the holidays are all behind us.

Karona, Here's an interesting development regarding XBF. I saw him last week and he said he'd thought of dropping by Christmas day but was afraid I might have a man here. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

I'm glad he didn't stop by, though there was definitely no man here, <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />. Then a mutual friend said she ran into him at the movies with a date. She was with a new date herself who she introduced to XBF while his date was in the ladies room. When his date came out, he didn't introduce her to our friend, but just left. I didn't ask about the date and friend didn't offer any info.

I'm happy for him, yet I still find it awkward to be "just friends" after being more than that. Friendly, yes, but friends, I doubt it. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Some friends invited me out on New Year's Eve to the place where his band's playing. I was thinking of going, except I woke up feeling sick this morning - started with a sore throat but now I'm feeling achy and nauseous... I've avoided going out to where his band is playing since we broke up, but this is my favorite local place... Well, I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

LT~~

I just got back into town/state this evening.

I'm wondering if you went out, or if indeed you were sick.

Fill me in!!

Funny thing, I also had an interesting development, of sorts.
Monday, [day after Christmas] my xbf text'd me, saying he hoped we had a good Christmas, he had been thinking about us, and thought of bringing a gift by but didn't think he should.
I went to my mom's in SC the next day.
I have not spoken to him, only this text'd stuff.
I'm assuming things must not have worked out with whomever he had been dating.

I'm not sure what he is wanting at this point, whether someone to talk to, or?????
I thought all along, I would welcome his return, but now it leaves me wondering how I do feel.

If he asked me out, I would go, and hopefully I could get a good feel as to what I really do feel.

When I read your update, I was amazed that we had the same type thing going on.

Keep me updated, and I will you also.

Happy New Year! My girls and I are staying home tonight.
After driving all day, I'm rather glad I didn't have plans tonight.

Take care,
Karona

Hi Karona and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, I'm all dressed up, and stuffed up, too. I'm meeting my friends for dinner, then I'll see how I feel. They already paid the cover for the band so I'll probably go for a little while at least.

Interesting development with your XBF! As I remember, the way he treated you was great, but you had reservations - he seemed maybe a bit smothering? Hopefully, IF he's interested in trying again, you can figure out whether it was just too soon for you before or whether he's really not right for you.

I'll write more next year (tomorrow!) to let you know how my evening went. Tomorrow, my friend is coming to visit and Monday, we're going to visit my niece and her little boy for a few days. I'm really looking forward to that as she's the closest thing to a daughter I have (I was her legal guardian for 4 years).

I'm wondering how your evening went. Fill me in when you can.
Enjoy your trip to see your special niece and her little guy.

You are so right LT~ this will give me the peace I may need to move on from xbf or if there indeed was something, I will find that out also.
The way I feel today, [not seeing or talking, only text] I feel numb to him. I did receive and email from him. I don't know all the details, but it appears as though he may have been taken for a ride by this person that he took up with.
He has let me know the respect he has for me, which made me feel very good. Anyway, time will tell. I suspect at some point I will meet him and talk, but more than that, I can't predict.

Happy 2006!
Karona

I went out to dinner and dancing for a couple of hours. We all left around 10:30 - party poopers, huh? I was the oldest in our group, so, other than me, none can use the "old fogey" excuse, LOL.

Besides feeling progressively sicker as the night wore one, I felt awkward with XBF's band playing. He came over and said hello between every set and then went and sat with a couple of women who were seated near the band. He seemed more focused on one of them, so maybe she was his date and she brought a friend to talk to while he played? That's what I used to do, so it's likely. Of course I made comparisons... she was quite a bit younger and thinner than I am... but I don't feel jealous, just sad he couldn't have been "the one" because feeling sick accentuates feeling alone - no one to take care of me, I guess.

I woke up to a stormy day feeling really sick so I'm taking it easy, hoping to feel better for the 5+ hour drive tomorrow in what's predicted as "heavy rain". I still have a little bit of paperwork to complete for work and I still have to wrap presents! Despite this bumpy beginning, I hope 2006 turns out to be a really great year for all of us.