Checking in...

The stress around here has eased up just a lil bit now that the house is officially on the market. We had a couple delays getting it up for sale but, as of this Monday, the house is on the market. We had our first showing today. No word from the realtor yet but we're keeping our fingers crossed. The houses around here seem to sell pretty quickly so, we're hopeful!

NM continues to be on decent behavior. There have been a couple comments here and there to the tone of "I wish all the kids could be together at Christmas" or "It would be so nice if ds could play with the other kids here in my neighborhood". On both occasions, I was quick to say - politely but firmly - "Ain't gonna happen NM." To her credit, NM did not push. Instead she said, "I know. Just wishful thinking on my part." and added that she's trying to let go and accept what is but it's hard.

As for me, I seem to be having a better time of letting the few comments NM makes roll off my back and not get to me. I'm hoping that I can continue along this way but realize that I may slide a bit here and there. As always, I'm ready to stand my ground much more firmly when the time arises.

Found out from talking with NM that my NHS has been homeschooling her two kids this school year. This news was very upsetting to me. NHS' level of malignancy makes NM look like a harmless kitten, and that's putting it mildly. The one silver lining in the whole situation for me was that those two children were at least exposed to some normalcy for a few hours each week day while they attended the local public school. But now, they are subjected to NHS' particular brand of insanity 24/7 and it just makes me extremely sad and worried for their eventual well-being. Even dh agrees that NHS and NBIL's way of thinking is extremely cult-like. It's just a crappy situation all around.

My aunt N revealed that NHS - who has apparently been studying to be a medical assistant of all things (what is it with these malignant N's wanting to go into the health care field?) - recently failed her exam. The big thing was that she failed in correctly putting on a T.E.D. sock - talk about easy peasy - and (NHS) claims that, after the lady told her she'd gotten that part wrong, NHS was too "flustered" and couldn't concentrate and so THAT is why she failed almost the entire exam. As always, it is NEVER NHS' fault. (Never ceases to amaze me just how many excuses an N can come up with as a means of shirking responsibility.) Now, supposedly, NHS is whining all over Facebook about how she can't retake the exam any time soon because they "can't afford the fee". Aunt N believes, as do I, that the only reason NHS is whining about not having money on FB is because she's counting on certain relatives to send her money and bail her out yet again. As I understand it, this is a weekly/monthly occurrence with NHS whining about not having money and either NHS' aunt (NSJ's sister) bailing them out or NSJ and NM sending NHS and NBIL money. Aunt N says that NSJ frequently takes money out of his retirement fund (which he and NM have already been quickly depleting to keep up with house payments, etc. lately) to send NHS cash. Yet I'M the irresponsible fuck up who needs to get off my lazy ass and get a job. Whatever!

The IL's have still been somewhat pissy and refuse to help out at all but dh and I haven't given them a second thought and have just been coming up with ways to do for ourselves. It's actually turned out kind of nice because it's brought dh and I closer and helped up be more resourceful. We're rather proud of what we've accomplished as of late. As for the IL's, we've just been keeping a bit of distance and leaving them to their crankiness. LOL

Still no word from NSM and NF which is just FINE by me. I'm curious as to whether or not we'll hear anything with Christmas coming up soon. They chose to ignore dh's and my anniversary in September as well as dh's birthday so it's possible we'll continue to hear nothing for Christmas. They may send ds something but, then again, they may choose to ignore him too. (Anything to get out of spending their precious money, don't you know.) Guess only time will tell, though I'm rather hoping the holiday passes without hearing from them. Who needs more of their over-the-top religious cards filled with intended guilt-trips like "We miss you."? Bah-humbug!

Hope you are all doing well. I'm hoping to be able to post more now that the house is on the market and I have a bit more time so, with luck, hopefully I'll have something more to post soon!

Warmly,

DA xoxo