Is he really going to leave town?

It looks like Rebel's BF is skipping town. He's decided that the grass might be greener on the other side. Who am I to tell him that it will still need cutting. He's going. I first heard this from Rebel's BFF. She whispered it to me while Rebel was out of the room. This morning, she informed me that he's heading west. Can you see me doing a very happy dance? She's also known for some time and has thought things through.

He has a car in my garage. She is going to sell it and keep the money for herself.
He's got a lot of his belongings in my garage around the car. She is getting rid of all of it and keeping the money. She knows her rights on cohabiting and has informed him that's what his is hers and good luck if he thinks she'll hand over anything she deems is hers. Oh she is baaaaack with a vengeance. This lad of 31 years (seriously! 31!) doesn't stand a chance around her dance. It's a pleasure to watch.

If I read her right, and I am not sure I do, I sense relief in her. I think she couldn't find a way to extricate herself out of this relationship and now, he is doing it for her. Oh happy day!

Now, she is going to drive out west with him. It will be interesting to see if she stops in Winnipeg to visit the fam with him. I wonder what she'll do? I am not going to suggest or push anything that might make her think twice about coming home. As it is HIS father is buying her an airplane ticket to come home. She wants to go to school here next year so she's not planning on leaving any time soon. Will see how this whole trip goes. The lad has no clue about geography and doesn't realize it takes practically three days to get out of Ontario let alone make it all the way to cowboy country!

I will be quietly elated.

Slowleeee slowleee... we used to say. Not in this context but it works nonetheless.

RebelJunior comes home on Wednesday. She has her summer all planned out. J-O-B doesn't seem to be a part of her plans. I am not going to get into an email conversation with her on this front, but will advise her that this single mother cannot afford to pay her university without some contributions, nor will I afford her clothing style. She is on her own, unless her father chooses to pick up her expensive tab, and lately, he's been whining at Rebel about not having any cash on hand. WhatEV... not my problem.

I owed tax money this year. First time ever. Damn separation. On the positive side of this - better $200 extra dollars than a spousal unit who is disengaged and costing me more than a few dollars, eh?

Drama and dilemmas

It seems that I am on the go all the time.  Not far or anything too taxing, but I am really ready for about a week of nothing.  Only problem is I only have 4 days of vacation left until start of the new fiscal year which is April 1.  Man I hope I can make it.  After Christmas there are no stat holidays until Easter so I think I'll save my last few days for those times when I really need the break.  The annual scrap and spa weekend comes to mind.  Oh bliss.

Rebel Junior was at the XSU's this past weekend.  As usual she left a lovely disaster in the new basement - dishes, clothes, and an assortment of teen paraphenalia.  I left the dishes in a pile, tidied up around them and then hid her computer and camera - not to be returned til said dishes found their way into the dishwasher.

As I expected RJ returned home on Sunday and had a fit that I had taken her computer and was keeping her from doing all her homework.  Never mind that her father has a computer in his house that I have been told is the latest aned greatest.  For three hours as she harangued at me, I kept repeating, " clean up your mess - it will take all of 5 minutes and you'll get your computer back. "  If she had taken all that energy used yelling me about giving back her computer and just complied with my request it would have been done in five minutes.   She loves the drama that one.

Unlike her father, I won't and didn't cave in.  She again threatened me with going to live at her dad's full time.  I calmly told her that was her choice.  What's she gonna do?  Frankly, moving to her dad's would involve picking every piece of clothing off the floor of her room and  putting them  in something called a suit case or even trash bags,  and I think that's too much effort for her right now  LOL

Interestingly, Rebel, although living with the loser BF, tends to drop by and stay at my house almost every day or second day.  I asked her why she is constantly at my house aned not going to her dad's place which is closer into town.  Her response was "it doesn't feel like home." 

 I am putting up with RJ's slovenliness and Rebel's leaving stuff around or taking food home out of my fridge,

I am also counting down til RJ goes to France- 74 days.  Rebel may end up living here again too as I am hearing a little more often now " I nearly broke up with him" or some variation on this theme.

More importantly this week, is the troubling dilemma of  Pride or Alouettes All the way?   HOW can I score a trip to the Grey Cup in Calgary on Sunday?!?!?  yes yes yes.. sold out... what EV...  any game with the Saskatchewan Green machine is gonna be good, especially since it's being played in the heart of football country.    Ah well, this may not be the year, so I will find  a few friends, maybe a great sports bar and enjoy the crowd around me - but I won't be painting my face green. 

He's So Cheap Even The Birds Sing About Him.

The weekend is nearly here – Thank goodness.  I have had a busy week at work while at home the activity level has dropped substantially since Frenchy left on Tuesday to return to France.

We went out for dinner with Frenchy and of course XSU was along.  He made me pay 50% of the bill.  I expected that, but really – I was the one who took the girls to Niagara Falls and Toronto, I have had them with me nearly the entire time and yet he couldn’t for over $40 for a road house meal.  I roll my eyes.
 
This weekend I’ll be doing up the expenses for Frenchy’s visit, as well as my monthly child support from XSU.  I hate spread sheets but on a spread sheet it will all be tallied and emailed to him.  RJ will take him the supporting receipts – AFTER I copy them. Then he will have to cough up his share. 

Rebel has been getting head aches.  She calls them tension headaches and thought it might have to do with her glasses.  She’s been once to the optometrist and has a second appointment next week for more tests.  He may either recommend her to see an ophthalmologist and/or a neurologist depending on what he finds.  It’s always something with that girl.  He thinks she may have a lazy eye that is refusing to focus and this is what is causing the headaches, but he’s checking out everything else too.

XSU gave Rebel and her BF his car, but he refused to put her on his insurance. Refused out right!.  She still drives his car because she needs to get around. I am trying to stay out of that one but I am coaching her on what she needs to do to get on his case about this.  It’s just plain foolish.  I am not understanding what his issue is, but then again, have I ever understood his issues?  

Be prepared- back up plans

The crankiness continues, but I am working through it.  RJ has made it plain that as soon as Frenchy leaves, she's outta here.  She's going to live with Dad.  Okay.... am I supposed to do something about that?  It almost sounded to me like a challenge, but I am not sure.  Of course she'll go. 

Meanwhile, "Dad" is doing whatever he does in his lonely little bungalow in Bells Corners, AKA, BC, where he resides a few minutes away from me.  I got an email from him asking me what RJ's weight was when she was born.  I sent it to him and figure what the hell, may as well ask why he needs it.    He's applying for a birth certificate for her. UMMM  That's been done. Over 18 momths ago I got her birth certificate.  The girl needs a Social Insurance Number so she can get a job.  At the time I got her birth certificate I asked him to please get the SIN card since the government office where the paper work needs to be dropped off is two minutes from his school. I asked him to finish up the details, take the girl down there and get it done.  18 months later we continue to wait. Same with her passport.

Frenchy's time with us is nearly done.  Seriously - it's been three months already.  Can't believe it. The only two things I asked XSU to do with the girls:  1- Take them to Montreal for a day, and 2- take them to a hockey game.  Montreal was nixed - he doesn't have the money, and he'll get tickets for a game this week. They're playing out of town this week and back for a game on Halloween. I roll my eyes.  RJ of course, has plans for Halloween night.  The game for some reason is at 2 PM so they will go - IF XSU manages to actually go out and buy tickets. I thought I was doing both girls a favour since XSU really does know the game better than I do, but I LOVE the arena, whereas XSU prefers to sit alone with a beer or something and watch in the privacy of his own bungalow without people around him.  WhatEV. 

Rebel has been talking "break up" again - it comes it goes.  But more often these days.  I think she's sorta getting fed up but not quite ready enough yet.  She breaks up with him she's going to land at my house.  I so do NOT want her dog. So I will have to have a back up plan and I suspect it will be XSU.  This does make me laugh as he so wants to Garbo it - "I vant to be alone" but he'll have both girls and whatever noise they both bring around.  All speculation so far, but it's good to be prepared.

The Buck Stops Here

I have spent the weekend schelpping stuff either up or downstairs.  I am trying to empty the dining room of stuff from the basement and then shifting other stuff around in the other rooms as my windows are finally being replaced this week.  I don't like the idea of these *guys* traipsing through my house - every room in my house - but how else are they gonna get the job done.   My main floor is slowly getting back to being a real living and dining room.  I need to have a garage sale but the season is done.  So the stuff in my garage might just get hauled away by some charity or other.  I don't believe I'd make much money.  I am going to post a few things on our employee forum for sale board at work and see if I can unload a few things.

I called XSU to find out if or when the girls were coming back.  I asked what consequences he imposed on RJ over her skipping classes.  AS expected - not much of anything from his blah blah blah.  "I told her she had to go apologize to the history teacher."  big whoop.  I told him I left a message for the history teacher and the Athletics Assocation teacher and that they were to throw the book at her.  No more leaving classes to take photos at sports tournaments, no skipping classes at all, or her trip to France would be jeopardized .  He told me that was too "harsh"  My eyes are rolling so hard I am getting a head ache. 

Of course the girls didn't get back here til after 9 PM and sure as heck were not in the mood to help me at that time of night.  As expected RJ was going on about needing the laptop.  I told her sure, after she tidied up the ktichen that was spotless until she walked into the door and had to have a snack. Well, she never came back for the laptop so I am just guessing when I go downstairs my kitchen will still be a disaster zone.  sigh...

And yes... point well taken, when RJ is at his house, I have zero control  But when the calls from teachers come to my house and I have her during the week, oh baby the buck will stop with me.

Emphatically NO!

Rebel and the BF have to move out of their basement apartment. The upstairs tenants are moving out and the two don't want to stay there. The place has its problems too

The BF has lost yet another job and Rebel is in school full time. I want her to stay there. The BF while trying to find work, doesn't have any trades papers or other qualifications. He's good at a lot of things but nothing that certifies his skills. 

So guess what?   She wants to move back - with him and her little dog too! I am not impressed. I told her to go see her father. XSU said no. A 3 bedroom house and a full basement and he said no. Can we say selfish bastard? He then proceeded to tell her all the reasons why they should move in with me. He will build a dog house and a run for the dog. They could live in my newly renovated basement. They would keep me company and "help me out" so I wouldn't have to be alone. 

OF COURSE XSU doesn't want the Rebel and her BF nor the little dog too at his place. It might interfere with his aloofness and need to be alone.   OF COURSE he assumes I would be ready to welcome all with open arms. The truth is I am not. I told Rebel if she had to move back she could. I would rather her BF moved back to his own parents place - they won't have him - and the dog? Not welcome. I have one dog and that's more than enough. She thnks I am harsh and a bitch. But her father? oh it's all right for him to say no and he's not selfish at all.

I have to have more than a few words with XSU on his totally inaccurate assumptions and utter selfishness. With RJ heading to France for three months I have been anticipating a quiet three months without having to deal with the every day demands of a teen nor of her almost equally demanding older sister. I believe that given the life I have contended with for oh the last 7-8 years or so I am entitled to that peace and calm for at least three months.

I *really* believe that XSU owes me - separation or not. It's his turn to shoulder this responsibility.  Rebel, her BF along with her little dog too would all be very comfortable over there. I now have to make that point wih him. Very emphatically.