80. Happy Easter 2013

As with every holiday we strive to be at peace with our family.  Today is Easter Sunday and all of the frustration of the past few days has been put on hold.

Today Kristin, Chris, Matty and I went to Longhorn Steaks for lunch.  After we got home we headed to the beach and had a great time.

It was a very nice, pleasant, uneventful day.

79. Apartment Hunting and Jail Visits

I'll take door #1 Alex!

Last night Kristin berated me again.  I  really don't post too much the things she says to me, because it is very hurtful.  She is so very very sweet to everyone.  And, most of the time she is sweet to me too.  But, there are many times she takes the opportunity to 'talk down to me' and I just don't know what to say or do.

78. To Foreclose or Not to Forclose - Nancy Drysdale

Drysdale Real Estate

When I had met with Curtis yesterday I realized I was probably going to have to let my house go into foreclosure.  I dreaded having to do this.  I have spent the last 25 years getting my credit to near perfect.  

There was no way I was going to be able to afford to fix up our house.  It would cost thousands of dollars that I do not have.  I also know I have to take Mark off of the payroll.  He has been on the payroll since I left him in November and he has not worked since then.  It has hurt our company very much having to pay someone that doesn't work, plus pay all of the payroll taxes on top of it. But, I needed his paycheck to make the house payment, pay all of the utilities, the lawn service/gardners, etc.  My paycheck alone just isn't enough. 

77. I Fired My Attorney Today & Hired A Great One

Curtis Witters

I know I haven't talked about my divorce attorney too much.  Most likely because I just don't like her.  Robin Roshkind bills for everything.  And, I mean everything.  

When Mark was in the middle of his tirade calling me he also called her.  She emailed me and asked me to send a recent picture of him to put downstairs at security.  I complied.  When I got her bill, she charged me for writing that email to me.  She charged me for responding to her email sending the picture to her.  She charged me for every phone call Mark made to her office.  She charged me for a "staff meeting" she had with her 2 employees about Mark.

I hired her at the end of January.  In just slightly under two months she has used up the entire $5,000 retainer.  And, the only thing she has actually done for me to date is file for my divorce.  Heck, I could have done that part myself and saved a ton of money.  There were other things too that I won't go into.    I had wanted to fire her for a long time, but because my friend Bonnie recommended her I kept thinking I needed to give her a chance.  She had recommended her after all.  Suffice to say I had just had it.

76. Packing and Cleaning - Megan and Claude

Despite my oldest daughter being totally against my youngest daughter, Megan, moving into my house with Claude, I went ahead and gave my blessing for them to do so.  They offered to clean up all of the trash and pack the 'stuff' for me, in lieu of rent.  Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

It is clear they can't possibly move in the way the house is right now.  In fact, it will take a many days to get it in any condition for anyone to live there, but they are willing to do it.

I took them both to the store and bought a bunch of cleaning supplies for them today.  I also bought more boxes and tape.

As I said before, I didn't make that mess.  I just do not wish to fix anything else for Mark.  He did this. Not me.  I am grateful they have offered to do this so I don't have to..

75. Direct TV Bills

74. Mental Abuse and Me

Today was my appointment with my counselor, Amber, with the Victim's Services Unit.  I must say I really like her.  For the first time I feel like someone really understands what is in my heart and my head.

Amber makes me think about a lot of things in a different way.  For instance, I was all for moving to Loxahatchee, but it wasn't even a couple of months that we lived there that Mark went wildly manic the first time in 2003.  In the past ten years following our move I have allowed myself to be alienated from my family.