1.03.2006

caution - bitterness ahead

it's a new year. time to let bygones be bygones. make some resolutions. be a better person. look at the bright side.

in order to find the bright side, we'll do process of elimination. these things I am quite sure are not the bright side to 2006:

we need a new heater. our boiler is so old that the one tiny part that is leaking disgusting water all over our basement is no longer made. so, we need to replace the whole thing. our home warranty covers the boiler...unless it's over $1500. and - it is over $1500. more like $3500. looks like we'll be putting off doing the countertops and getting a new storm door.

bella is sick. she had a fever on friday and I took her directly to the doctor's from daycare, and lo and behold, she has 2 "whoppers" in each ear - meaning ear infections. and the kid HATES medicine. I had to call the pediatrician today to find out if there's anything we can do about the fact that she is not getting any of her medicine - and now we have to go back on thursday (the day before we leave for vegas) to see if the ears have gotten any better. the next step is a super antibiotic, something in the sulfur family, which is only taken once a day, but tastes much worse than the non sulfurs. which...if she won't take medicine that doesn't takes as bad as that, what difference does it make if it's one dose or two?? and then tubes in her ears. fanfuckingtastic. and all this ear trouble RIGHT BEFORE we get her on a plane for the first time.

and jo-anne, sean's mother, is no longer speaking to us. she and sean really went at it, and the outcome was jo-anne refusing to read any more of sean's emails, and telling him "remember, you only have one mother. I have 3 other sons." all this over a hat and scarf she doesn't like. I can't even believe it. she did say something not malicious, but certainly telling of her thoughts regarding trent - when she was talking about how she always tries to get people gifts that they like (unlike me), she said that she "even" gets trent a few things so he doesn't feel left out. because, as you know, trent is not a part of her family, just a kid that hangs out with us and who we can't leave home when we go visit for christmas. I can forgive all the I hate the hat comments, but not that one. trent won't be going to her house for holidays anymore.

so. bright sides. hm. as nicole points out, I do have my whole body and am not living with anyone with a debilitating illness of a physical or mental variety. unless you count me; obviously, I am insane.

9 validations:

the beige one said...

Patrice, seriously, good riddance to bad rubbish that...the fact that all of this is over the hat and scarf she ungratefully accepted is just...

well.

remind me to talk about my father's mother at some point. Not a pleasant lady.

NME said...

Advocating looking at the bright side doesn't mean you can't still vent a bit when things suck. And big home expenses, sick babies and big family blowouts certainly suck. Sorry it's a tough week.

Katy said...

i'm not a fan of that woman. not at all! How kind of her to make such a sweet gesture as giving pity gifts to a boy who probably doesn't need or want, let alone deserve her pity. And that dig about having three other sons, whatever lady, I don't care how many kids you have there's still only one Sean. I suggest you forgive and forget for your sanity WAY more than for hers, but that doesn't mean you have to allow her to treat you and your family that way.

Vegas baby!! WOO HOO!!!

Missuz J said...

What Katy said.

Jen O. said...

"remember, you only have one mother. I have 3 other sons."

Holy shit! Grow up, Ho-Anne.

Jen said...

Oh dear! I think you are right to be very offended about Trent. That is a cruel and heartless way of thinking of your family if she consideres him not part of her family. Just because he is not related to her by blood doesn't mean he isn't part of er family, whether she likes it or not.

Sorry to hear about the boiler (whatever that is) and i hope Bella's ears get better.

OMH said...

First let me say - We should not be surprised that she doesn't see Trent as her family when she thinks her own sons are interchangable & replaceable

Second let me say - Good going Sean for sticking up for your wife and family!

Third - Well the third one was not very nice so we will skip it and just say ...... may she live out her days surrounded by people just like her!

How angry and hurt you must be when I don't even know you except through this blog and I'm mad enough to spit nails right in the old bats EYES! I could have sworn that we learned in Wizard of Oz that she had melted!

amandak said...

Maybe it's a blessing that she's not speaking to you for the time being, since it seems most of what comes out of her mouth is CRAP. Obviously, this woman has issues far deeper than not knowing how to accept a gift graciously. It sucks for Sean, but I think some distance will be a good thing.

Happy New Year! May this one be filled with happy houses, healthy kids, and mothers in law who know when to keep their big mouths shut!

lonna said...

Poor Bella. What kind of medicine is she taking? Dermot can't take anything with penicillin or it all comes back out. So he takes omnicef and he loves it. It smells sweet and he seems to like the taste of it.

Regarding Sean's mother, the funny thing is that we are always kind of hoping for some big nasty blow-up that will allow us to cut ties with my parents. I don't want to initiate anything because I don't want my brother to be hurt. Who knew that something as innocuous as nice scarf and hat buying would do the trick? Sean may have only one mother, but no mother is better than a shitty mother. Who the hell does she think she is? She should be proud of her son for including Trent into his heart so smoothly and she should hold herself lucky that she ever got to meet a kid as cool as Trent. Some people.