We made it! (follow up post to 15 hours...) now only 2 1/2 left in the day.

[Guest guest]

Phew!

So, I drove to my grandma's with Nada and my son in the car. She

started out trying hard to 'be good' but ended up complaining about

where we were going within 4 miles (it is a 42 mile drive). I just

drove and my son listened to his iPod. Within 10 minutes she's on

her cell to her deceased dad's second wife (re-married when Nada was

an adult)... the conversation is all sweet n honey and then she

says, " well yes, I'm in the car on my way to my ex-mother in law's

house with (me) and (son)... yes, I know... but SHE insisted that's

where we're spending the day so *I* have no choice... " .

My thought: (Damn straight lady...)

Anyway, we got there and she was all sugary again (but they know

better)... however, with the amount of people around and my son

engaged with video games, dart boards, a trampoline and a pile of

cousins (not to metion food, they're all teens) he was doing GREAT!

I had my dad, loads of my cousins, aunts, uncles, etc... worked out

fine. There is a wedding coming up next week so she got to chatter

about that with some of the aunt's and ex-mil so she

felt 'included'...

I made a point of giving Nada a jewelry set I made for her in the

car. She put it on while I was driving... they all 'noticed it' and

she had no choice to show what a wonderful person I was ;o) She got

to be center of attention with everyone grabbing at her neck...

metaphorical if I do say so myself...

We stayed til it was really too late and with the longish drive

home, we came straight in (she insisted on using her car with me

driving) and she left for ex-hubby's #2 (the ex-mil's house we were

at) to do whatever it is she's here for.

One note... we weren't even out of the cul-de-sac before she started

ripping on them. Wow...

I just got son to bed. I'm headed there myself... a long week ahead

of 'dodge the houseguest', 'emergency therapy' and 'work'... party

on Wayne (for all you who remember 1992).

Putting my emotional armour away for the night (a phrase my

therapist gave me...). When I said I was so tired of being tired

about this she said, 'well of course you're tired... every time the

phone rings and you see her # you have to put on your emotional

armour... it will exhaust a person... " . Who knew MY FEELINGS were

VALID?????

Lynnette