Pix of Hailey

Hailey had to show me how to use my iPod Touch. Smart little beggar!

And the beat(ing) goes on...

Well, we were hoping that the stuff with Hailey was done, but not so! Although they signed an agreement and then attended mediation, where more decisions were hammered out, Hailey's mom still insists on taking Matt to court over everything she can think of. I used to think her problem was postpartum depression, now I think she's just nuts. Case in point - In the beginning of January, a car hit a power pole about 6-8 blocks away from us and knocked out our power for about 3 hours. Matt had Hailey that day and has brought her over about 10 and everything was fine. The power went out about 1 or so, so I called Steve and he came home from work (about 10 minutes max) to fire up the generator and get the wood stove going. Mirisa called to check on Hailey during that time, so I told her we were watching a video and staying warm in the basement because the power was out and Steve had seen an accident on his way home to start the generator. End of story. We were warm and had electricity for the TV and the family room, so all was well. Until a week ago when Matt got some papers from her attorney which said that our power had been turned off that day and Matt brought Hailey over, knowing that we didn't have heat or power. That girls suffers from an overactive imagination. It's all the more laughable when you know Steve and I. Before winter even arrived he had enough firewood set aside for the whole winter, we have a storage room with extra food in it, and we have a generator and extra gas to keep it running. Not to mention the fact that in 23 years, we have NEVER had our power shut off. Nothing like not knowing what the hell you're talking about.

Of course the issue that I take pain medication came up. Again. We've had talks about that in the past and it was agreed that I wouldn't take any while I was watching Hailey. No matter that some days I've literally been in tears from the pain by the time Steve gets home. I don't take it when we're alone. Although to be quite truthful, I doubt if anyone could tell by just talking to me or being around me that I had taken it. I take it for pain, not to get high. She's an idiot. Just throwing out accusation after accusation, not even thinking about how it made her sound. At this point I have two schools of thought - either I wish she would just disappear (maybe take a long ride with her best friend who loves to drink and drive) or go ahead and continue sounding like a lunatic. She actually helping Matt with his case because she's so immature and childish. Matt brought up potty training with her the other day but she decided the doctor had to tell them when it was time. Oh yes, God forbid you use the brain that Almighty God gave you. I think when Hailey knows the difference between pooping and peeing, and she can tell you when she poops her pants, the time has come. Matt told her it was a parenting decision, not a medical decision, but she insisted on asking the doctor - who told her it was a parenting decision. Imagine that. All I can think is that I was so, so wrong when I thought she and Matt could be good parents - she sure isn't, and she won't let Matt be. Nitpicker extraordinare!

Dad seems to have calmed down some - which is very, very good. Don't know if it's good regarding his dementia or not, but he's not nearly so crabby now as he was a couple of months ago. He went through a whole battery of tests at the VA last week and a week from Friday we go back to meet with the team of doctors who saw him and find out what they think. I have an inkling that they're going to tell us we can't provide the kind of care he needs at home. At least that's what I'm hoping we'll here. Mel is about done in, burned out, and fried to a crisp. Missy is floating out there in her own little world, and he sure can't come live here. Of course we know his "wife" won't take care of him, so we're rapidly running out of solutions. Dad did finally pay his first attorney in full and she released his file for Richard, his attorney now. Maybe NOW we can get this no asset divorce on the right track - at least going forward a little instead of backsliding, which is what I feel like has been happening since last fall.

Social Security has finally decided that I am, in fact, disabled. I'm glad someone who has some sense finally reviewed my case. Yes, I can type, but not for 8 hours a day. I can't stand and walk for very long, and I can't sit for more than about an hour at a time. Even Dr. Seitz finally agreed with that. And the Social Security review decided that taking painkillers did diminish my capability to do highly skilled work - do ya think? Yes, I can stay home and live my life without too much trouble, even babysit (imagine that), but to work with figures or type all day - no. And with the economy sucking as bad as it does, there are no jobs available in my area of the country. I don't know what I could do in three 6-hour days a week, with extra breaks and an hour for lunch, which is what Dr. Seitz recommended. By the time you add up all the breaks and lunch and deduct them from 18 hours a week, I'd actually be working about 12 or 13 - hardly worth my time or an employers time for that matter. We shall see how long it takes them to pay me now. They said about 60 days, we'll see.

That's about it, I guess. Spring is trying to prevail, but Ol' Man Winter isn't quite ready to give up. We're in a winter weather advisory for tonight and tomorrow morning, but the temperature should be in the mid to upper 30s and lower 40s, so how much will be rain and how much will be snow kind of depends on that. In the meantime, I'm working on getting rid of this nasty sinus infection from the cold I caught from Hailey, and managing pain in the cold, damp weather. Sounds like a plan to me!