I completely understand your vent. Isn't there a truck stop or something she could hang out at while he is picking up DD? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I told WH the same thing, DO NOT ever bring that woman onto my property. She can sit at the 7-11 while he is picking up the kids.

I can't imagine being in your shoes, with the OW a former friend of yours. I feel for you.

Shimmy - watch Fried Green Tomatoes some time - watch Olympia Ducakis character tell the baby a nice little story - I think her character would be one to adopt right now - attitude, humor and the ability to do something so devious to OW and look entirely innocent! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I think that was Steel Magnolias. She does that to a little boy at the easter park scene--classic! I haven't seen fgt.

Oops - you're right - Steel Magnolias - I have no clue why I get them mixed up because they're nothing alike.

FGT? I have to say, the book is better! Fannie Flagg's stuff is pretty funny to read.

*Sigh* Got an offer on the house yesterday. WAAAAAY too low, though... about $20K less than the original asking price. We countered with $10K less than the asking price, and they countered with $15K less, which we can't afford to do. Ugh. And I thought we were unloading this house pronto!! We'll see what happens...

Also, I got brave and emailed the guy I met at the speed dating thing again, just to make sure he got my original email. He wrote me back this very nice email, saying how much he enjoyed meeting me and talking with me that night, but he's trying to get back together with his former girlfriend. Triple UGH. I wonder just HOW former she is... That night, he made it sound like it had been a while. Guess not so much.

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> How on EARTH do single moms with very little money meet guys?? It seems like everybody I know is either married or seriously involved with someone. My friends are all married with married friends, so that doesn't help. I know a lot of people through work, but ick. I try to get out on the weekends, but DD is always in tow as I can't afford a sitter.

I know, I sound like I'm heading straight for a rebound relationship, which is not healthy. I guess I'm afraid I'm going to end up alone forever. I know that's really fatalistic to say, but part of me really is scared about it. I mean, This is the first time in my adult life that I've been single, and it's really, really scary. Any ideas??

Shimmy, have I seen you on tribe?

I have an account there, but I haven't joined any tribes yet. I do lurk on some of the dance tribes.

There is a Shimmy or some spelling thereof who has a gazillion tribes and she also dances. As for me, I am trying to get into a hooping class. My d and I took a couple of middle eastern classes and ot distracted by her modeling classes. The place where we were going still has them but at a different time. The woman who teaches there also teaches somewhere else but it is totally inconvenient. We are bummed.

What is hooping, cinderella?

Hey, on an unrelated note, the craziest thing happened today, but I feel like I handled it with class. I was at a community event for work all day with DD. I'm walking around, making sure everyone has what they need, and bam, there she is. OW. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> She works for a nonprofit in town now, and they had a display at this event. She hadn't been there in the morning, but she was there around lunchtime. I don't know if she saw me or not, but DD and I left the area and went back inside to do some kids' activities. A friend came up about an hour later to say she was gone. It almost seems like OW showed up only to see if she could get me into a confrontation or something. or maybe she wanted to see what kind of reaction I would have if she came up to see DD. She certainly wasn't there to work the event, because she didn't stick around long. I guess if I was really being classy about it, I would have just gone about my business right there, heck, I would have gone up to her and said hello, but I didn't want to deal with her.

Later on, while we were packing everything up and OW was long gone, her coworker came up to me, whom I had never met before, and asked, "Are you SG?" She started talking to me about how she liked the bag design I did for the event. That just felt really weird. How on earth did she know who I was, unless OW said something to her? Maybe I am being totally paranoid here. I was proud of myself for not saying anything about OW and XH to the woman. No "gee, your new coworker is a homewrecker," you know? Just smiled politely, said thank you, and asked her what she thought of the event's turnout. See... dignity and grace, dignity and grace... I'm trying!

I am starting to get scared about tomorrow. Even though I asked XH politely last week to not bring OW to our house to pick up DD, what if he brings her tomorrow anyway?? And why am I so freaked about running into OW in the first place? I guess I just don't want to deal with her. Don't want to see how DD acts with her. Geez, what if she calls OW mommy?? I'm past the point of caring about losing XH to her. He's not that great a catch. But DD.... THAT'S what rips my heart out. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Time to tell DD a fairy tale tonight... "Ouizer" style (Steel Magnolias) 'bout the mean old ugly "OWIZER" who busted up the the little princess's family and changed little princess's father into a frog king... it could happen... just a little bedtime story... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

a man hooping in his garden

a whole different look

I think this is what they call dance hooping

There are lots more of these videos on the web....these are all different and will give you an idea what sort of things you can do besides what we might have learned (I didn't learn any of it) when we were children. Somewhere I saw a middle eastern hoop dance.

Good news... the buyer met us halfway on the house, so we have a contract on the house. They want to close at the end of the month. This is really exciting stuff... all pending the home inspection of course. The house is less than 4 years old, so I don't think there will be any deal breakers, but you never know.

XH was at the house when we came home yesterday, cleaning the gutters. And yet another reason why I'm glad he's my ex and not current... when his cell phone rang, he had a Toby Keith ringtone. I hope I'm not offending anyone on the board with this, but I'm not much of a fan. Just another way in which he and I are very different.

Congrats on the house sale! Are you going to try to get one of those condos??

Yep. Got a contract on one already. I went to talk to the mortgage guy last week and when I asked him if he thought it was too soon to start the application his reply was, "You never know, you could have a contract on your house next week." How right he was!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed on it...

SG

Teach her to call her "Granny" - I like that! Or, try "Nannie" - it would make other people think OW works for you and XH...... (Although, I hate to offend nannies with that.)

I have the same fears of running into OW all the time. We live in a small town, and I am never sure when she will turn up. Plus, she is friends with the woman next door. I hate it. So, I have taken to being sure that whenever I go out in public I am dressed so that I look great - just so that if she sees me, I'm sure I will look better than she does. Classy beats out skanky anytime!

I also practice what I might say in certain situations. For example, I saw her car in the parking lot at my job, and figured I might see her in the office. So, I practiced, "Nice day." I had to say it about ten times to keep the wiggle out of my voice, but when sure enough she came out the door and nearly ran me down, I was able to look her in the face and say, "Nice day." and go on to my meeting. She fully expected me to break down and cry, and I walked right past her with dignity. Ho-buster, that's me.
(I measure my progress in tiny bits, as you can tell!)

I have a plan for the Wal-Mart encounter, which I am sure will come one day. I hope to pass her in the aisle and say, "Can't talk, need to get over to cosmetics for some massage oil. I am fresh out and need to keep my stock up!"

Just have a plan, girl. Wash that OW out of your hair. And don't let them see you flustered - it's exactly what they want. It gives them something to bond together with. Their relationship isn't built on much, so kick that leg out from under them, and it will be that much less stable.

By the way, my mom once told me that the quickest way to find your true love - is to stop looking for him.

SB

Had the big moving yard sale yesterday. Made much more cash than I was expecting. My neighbor friend stopped by and got sad... "I guess you really are moving. This makes it real," she said. Yep. Makes it real for us, too, and sad to an extent. My kitchen is now empty (sold the kitchen table), I even sold the comforter set off my bed (ugh, been wanting to get rid of that since XH moved out).

It was hard, sitting out there as folks pawed through my life. It was hard deciding what was going to go and what wasn't... I ended up rescuing a few things, like the tacky silver cat earrings XH gave me for our very first Christmas together (back when he was 15), and the tacky CZ ring he used to propose. I figured DD might like to have those one day.

The folks want to close on our house on Nov. 2, which means we'll be moving that weekend, I guess. It's very exciting, but very scary, too... a new chapter of my life is really going to begin in the next few weeks...

And it will be a great one!