Week 6

Week 6. Still trying to catch up.
I don’t think it’ll ever happen.
In a couple of days my kids start school again. I can’t believe that almost six weeks have passed.
I would love to write about something that happened during the sixth week but I don’t remember anything anymore. That was back in June.
The only thing that comes to my mind is that school was about to end and my stress level was high but not as high as it is now.

I remember my school years. How much I dreaded the last weekend of the summer holidays. Specially Sunday.
School here starts on Thursday and I have the same stomachache that I used to have 35 years ago.
Unbelievable. I can’t remember what happened two months ago but I remember the school days like it was yesterday.

Some time in the end of June my kids went to Italy with their father to visit their grandparents.
When I asked my kids if they were happy to go, they said “yes and no”, except for my oldest son who said: “NO, I hate going there. It’s awful”.
The thing they like about going to their grandparents is when they go to the beach. The thing they hate about going there, is all the rest.
They usually go to the beach late in the afternoon because it’s VERY hot.
Also because they have to follow the protocol.
Breakfast that lasts almost until noon and then lunch that lasts almost until 4pm because I’m not sure if you are familiar with the Italian customs but sometimes meals have a lot of courses and then dessert, fruit and coffee.

When I remember, I want to cry. A meal with them was torture. I had to endure the same subjects of conversation over and over, mostly criticizing the rest of the family. But they can do that because they are “so perfect”.
That always made me cringe.
The more I think about it, the worse it gets.
My ex mother in law made my life really difficult. She was invasive and passively mean. She always put herself as the victim and fooled everyone with her Snow White face.

Before leaving, my ex asked me if I could pack the kids bags because I was good at it.
I can honestly say that in the 14 years that we were together, that was the ONLY thing he acknowledged that I was good at. For all the rest, I was useless.

After thinking for a bit, I said: “OK. I’ll do it”.
Then he asked: “Can you have the bags ready on Sunday when I pick the kids?”
“But you are leaving next week Saturday!”
“I know, but I want to check if you packed good things or not”
“Are you f#$king kidding me?!?”
“…..” Silence.
I went on: “If you want me to pack the bags, you’ll have them ready on Friday. Maybe Thursday evening if I got everything washed in time but not before”.
“But if you don’t pack nice things?”
“Then you’ll have to deal with it. And why do you want me to pack nice things? you NEVER go anywhere with them! You stay the two weeks at your parents’ house and only go to the beach in the evening. I’m not packing nice clothes so they can stain them with tomato sauce”.
“…..” Silence.
“So, do you want the bags on Friday or you pack them yourself?”
“Friday is fine. Please don’t pack old clothes, OK?”
“I’ll see what I can do. Anyway, your mother will complain no matter what you bring or do. But you already know that”.

So I packed my kids’ bags. I didn’t do it for my ex, I did it for my kids because I know how the w(b)itch is and my kids don’t deserve to listen to her more than what’s absolutely needed.

One day while they were in Italy I sent a message to my 2nd son asking how they were.
He replied: “Fine. We are in Pompeii”
“Are you really?”
“Yes”
“I’m glad you finally got to go somewhere”.

So I guess that being a bitch to my ex helped a bit. I think I’m still full of crap and when I have the chance, I let some go.
Also, when I get the chance to be in control, I sure don’t miss it.

I’m happy that finally my kids got to see something else other than their grandparents’ house and the beach (and use the nice clothes I packed for them!).

~ by DotedOn on August 1, 2017.