In my first marriage to Hex, I had a stepson. I met him when he was 5 and I left when he was 10. There were good days, meh days and horrible days. One of those horrible days led me to counseling and to a realization that this is *my life* and if I am unhappy, it is *I* that must change it. Change it I did, as I sought a divorce a year later. Since that time it has been a roller coaster of emotion about the marriage, my role as a stepmom and how I could have changed things somehow. No, dear Readers, I don't beat myself up about that, but I've always held that one who doesn't wonder "what if" doesn't wonder much at all.
Since the divorce was final, I dated one guy with a child (D9). The rest were all kid-free, as I am. As D9 and I have remained friends (he was quite a bit like the Hex, a good reason why we shouldn't have stayed dating), it isn't as though I was opposed to dating someone with children, it just wasn't something I pursued either.
As I've known Hoosier Guy a long time, I knew he had kiddos -- two boys. OldestKid is 16, YoungestKid is 11. The original plan (yes, I know best laid plans and all that) was that I would meet them this summer, as things in the divorce settled down and finalized and as I was relocating to parts as yet unknown. Basically, the idea was to allow the kids to adjust to their parents divorce and to adjust to their Dad dating someone else. Hoosier Guy had answered questions about me (e.g. he was dating someone). Seems simple, right?
Sure it does.
Add in some cra-cra, and needless to say the kids had seen pictures of me (Facebook stalking is a high art) and heard all about me -- from someone (their mom) who doesn't know me, has never met me and who, prior to all this, couldn't have picked me out of a crowd of two. Needless to say, the portrayal of me has been less than flattering but meh. Whatever.
All of this is neither here nor there, as life is sometimes messy and divorce certainly can be. This weekend, however, I met the boys.
I wasn't planning on meeting them -- I was gung-ho for the initial plan of summertime introductions. Again with the "add cra-cra," and wa-la, I meet them both.
Some general observations -- both kids are nice, pleasant, mannerly and clearly love their father very much, as he loves them very much. It is clear that they were shook up by this weekend's events, as they both looked absolutely shell-shocked when I met them.
On the flip side of that? I introduced myself to them and they were pleasant and nice. Even in the face of a very dark hour of their lives, they were pleasant to me.
As they arrived with very little, it was apparent that socks and underwear were required garments for an overnight stay. We all got ready to go and I offered to stay home, to allow them "boy time" to talk to their Dad about the day and the events that led up to their arrival at their Dad's home. Both boys insisted I go with them to Wal-Mart -- as did HG -- but it was their insistence that was most compelling to me.
1. They don't know me. What they do know about me isn't what I would call flattering.
2. They have just been through an emotional wringer.
3. They remain pleasant and courteous.
4. It is clear that they love being with their Dad.
5. It is clear they want to know more about me -- and form their own opinions.
We had a nice weekend, it was great to meet them and get to know them a bit. They are great kids, just as Hoosier Guy had told me. I don't know a damn thing about teenage boys, but I'm sure gonna learn.
Nice kids? Almost too much for me to have wished for. Wow.
Showing posts with label Crazy day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crazy day. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, April 8, 2010
One Busy Week
This week has been all kinds of crazy. Just running around like I've lost my mind (even more than normal) and getting some stuff done.
More this weekend when I've had a chance to process it all.
More this weekend when I've had a chance to process it all.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Key West
Was back in Key West again this weekend -- brief visit with my friend C and her (and now my) friend T.
C and T both discussed Key West with me -- I've been once before, it's not like I'm an expert by any means, but I think I have a pretty good handle on the town and what is going on. Both asked me why anyone would live in Key West.
My thoughts were as follows: it is a great place to escape reality. Key West doesn't resemble anything that is "normal" life -- it is mostly a tourist place and certainly many people completely lose their minds in Key West. For example, today while we were eating lunch, around 4 p.m., at the Grand Cafe on Duvall St., we noticed a few people across the street. One female, dressed in a long skirt, bikini top and no shoes, and one male, dressed in shorts, tshirt and a hat, were sitting along Duvall smoking a joint. Yes, you read that correctly. Also, you might have noted that I know exactly what the woman was wearing. The reason why I know EXACTLY what she was wearing and EXACTLY what she was NOT wearing is that while she sat on the street, she was sitting with her knees up and legs open-ish and the skirt was not nearly long enough to cover what was obviously a very hairy snatch. Yes.
Take a moment.
Yes, I saw another woman's vagina today, from across the street. Did I mention I think people lose their minds in KW? Yes. Good.
Now you don't need to take my word for it, my two companions happened to look over there at about the same time and we all looked at each other and said: OMG, did you see that?
In other Key West news, I learned how to open a non-twist beer bottle without an opener from two German guys on Smather's Beach. I found out that Key West Southernmost Wheat isn't a bad choice of beer. I also had breakfast at Camille's -- which may go down in history as my best breakfast ever -- and those of you that know my love of breakfasts know that this is a very high honor.
In perhaps the STRANGEST news (yes, even stranger than seeing a vagina on Duvall Street), last night (Friday), C, T and I went to a bar near their rental on Stock Island -- Hogfish Bar and Grill. We sat at the bar, had some good drinks and generally bullshitted. When we were getting ready to leave, we stepped outside on the porch area and I happened to see a woman that looked familiar to me. I thought maybe college, maybe Indy, I wasn't really sure. She was that kind of vaguely familiar.
Both C and T thought I was full of crap. So I called her over, and asked if she was from Indiana. She said, no, she was from Wisconsin. It was then it clicked. She was the bartender from Malarkey's that first served me Spotted Cow on the night PM and I were there for our conference. That fateful night was also the first night I met Pete and Babs.
So what do you think the odds are that a bartender from Wausau, WI and I are in a bar on Stock Island, FL at the same time? Bizarre.
C and T both discussed Key West with me -- I've been once before, it's not like I'm an expert by any means, but I think I have a pretty good handle on the town and what is going on. Both asked me why anyone would live in Key West.
My thoughts were as follows: it is a great place to escape reality. Key West doesn't resemble anything that is "normal" life -- it is mostly a tourist place and certainly many people completely lose their minds in Key West. For example, today while we were eating lunch, around 4 p.m., at the Grand Cafe on Duvall St., we noticed a few people across the street. One female, dressed in a long skirt, bikini top and no shoes, and one male, dressed in shorts, tshirt and a hat, were sitting along Duvall smoking a joint. Yes, you read that correctly. Also, you might have noted that I know exactly what the woman was wearing. The reason why I know EXACTLY what she was wearing and EXACTLY what she was NOT wearing is that while she sat on the street, she was sitting with her knees up and legs open-ish and the skirt was not nearly long enough to cover what was obviously a very hairy snatch. Yes.
Take a moment.
Yes, I saw another woman's vagina today, from across the street. Did I mention I think people lose their minds in KW? Yes. Good.
Now you don't need to take my word for it, my two companions happened to look over there at about the same time and we all looked at each other and said: OMG, did you see that?
In other Key West news, I learned how to open a non-twist beer bottle without an opener from two German guys on Smather's Beach. I found out that Key West Southernmost Wheat isn't a bad choice of beer. I also had breakfast at Camille's -- which may go down in history as my best breakfast ever -- and those of you that know my love of breakfasts know that this is a very high honor.
In perhaps the STRANGEST news (yes, even stranger than seeing a vagina on Duvall Street), last night (Friday), C, T and I went to a bar near their rental on Stock Island -- Hogfish Bar and Grill. We sat at the bar, had some good drinks and generally bullshitted. When we were getting ready to leave, we stepped outside on the porch area and I happened to see a woman that looked familiar to me. I thought maybe college, maybe Indy, I wasn't really sure. She was that kind of vaguely familiar.
Both C and T thought I was full of crap. So I called her over, and asked if she was from Indiana. She said, no, she was from Wisconsin. It was then it clicked. She was the bartender from Malarkey's that first served me Spotted Cow on the night PM and I were there for our conference. That fateful night was also the first night I met Pete and Babs.
So what do you think the odds are that a bartender from Wausau, WI and I are in a bar on Stock Island, FL at the same time? Bizarre.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Crazy day at work ...
I'm sure it will make the national news, as it has hit the AP wire here and the news is all over Florida ...
Today at our northernmost campus, a young woman was assaulted by two men in a classroom. This happened about 10 this morning and, as such, that campus was not only locked down, but each and every vehicle leaving the campus was searched. So far, there has been descriptions of the two men released but no one has been apprehended.
That's the bad news.
The good (?) news is that we (my college) are very ready and able to handle such an occurrance and aside from the fact the assault took place, the procedure was followed. It seems a bit inhumane to talk about procedure when a woman is hurting, but honestly, it could happen anywhere and now I know what we would do if it happened on my campus.
After this happened, in an unrelated incident, the entire campus email system, network and internet systems went down.
I did a lot of filing today. Thoughtful filing.
I hope the woman who was assaulted is okay. I will keep her in my prayers tonight.
(from the Charlotte Sun Herald)
BREAKING: ASSAULT WITH KNIFE REPORTED AT EDISON, CLASSES CANCELED
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office is investigating "an assault with a knife in a bathroom" shortly before 10 a.m. today at the Charlotte campus of Edison State College.
The victim is reported to be a student around age 30 or 31, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Lt. Rick Hobbs, a major crimes detective with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, said the matter is being classified as an assault, until further testing is completed. Officials earlier called it a sexual assault.
Sheriff's deputies stopped students' vehicles as they left the campus. The woman has been taken to a hospital.
Classes have been canceled for today.
Deputies issued a BOLO for two male suspects.
Sheriff's spokesman Bob Carpenter provided these descriptions:
"White Male, 5-6 to 5-8 inches tall, about 20-25 years of age, skinny, dirty blond crew cut hair, two-day growth of beard, was wearing white Puma shirt, black shoes, a scar over eye and wearing a gold hoop in his right eyebrow.
"The black male was stocky in build, 150 pounds, 20-25 years of age, clean shaven, black hair, brown eyes, wearing a large gold necklace around his neck, large baggy blue and black polo shirt, and blue jean shorts with yellow boxers over them."
The sheriff's helicopter and K-9 units have been involved in the search for the two suspects.
Those with information can call the Sheriff's Office at 941-639-2101 and Crime Stoppers at 800-780-TIPS.
Classes at Edison are expected to resume Friday.
Today at our northernmost campus, a young woman was assaulted by two men in a classroom. This happened about 10 this morning and, as such, that campus was not only locked down, but each and every vehicle leaving the campus was searched. So far, there has been descriptions of the two men released but no one has been apprehended.
That's the bad news.
The good (?) news is that we (my college) are very ready and able to handle such an occurrance and aside from the fact the assault took place, the procedure was followed. It seems a bit inhumane to talk about procedure when a woman is hurting, but honestly, it could happen anywhere and now I know what we would do if it happened on my campus.
After this happened, in an unrelated incident, the entire campus email system, network and internet systems went down.
I did a lot of filing today. Thoughtful filing.
I hope the woman who was assaulted is okay. I will keep her in my prayers tonight.
(from the Charlotte Sun Herald)
BREAKING: ASSAULT WITH KNIFE REPORTED AT EDISON, CLASSES CANCELED
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office is investigating "an assault with a knife in a bathroom" shortly before 10 a.m. today at the Charlotte campus of Edison State College.
The victim is reported to be a student around age 30 or 31, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Lt. Rick Hobbs, a major crimes detective with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, said the matter is being classified as an assault, until further testing is completed. Officials earlier called it a sexual assault.
Sheriff's deputies stopped students' vehicles as they left the campus. The woman has been taken to a hospital.
Classes have been canceled for today.
Deputies issued a BOLO for two male suspects.
Sheriff's spokesman Bob Carpenter provided these descriptions:
"White Male, 5-6 to 5-8 inches tall, about 20-25 years of age, skinny, dirty blond crew cut hair, two-day growth of beard, was wearing white Puma shirt, black shoes, a scar over eye and wearing a gold hoop in his right eyebrow.
"The black male was stocky in build, 150 pounds, 20-25 years of age, clean shaven, black hair, brown eyes, wearing a large gold necklace around his neck, large baggy blue and black polo shirt, and blue jean shorts with yellow boxers over them."
The sheriff's helicopter and K-9 units have been involved in the search for the two suspects.
Those with information can call the Sheriff's Office at 941-639-2101 and Crime Stoppers at 800-780-TIPS.
Classes at Edison are expected to resume Friday.
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