This, That, and The Other
This
Was the first day of school.
Here they are with their morning cuppa.* And yes, that's a 'G' on the welcome mat. Actually, it's not really a 'welcome' mat, since it says 'Go Away.' We're a friendly bunch.
We made it through the summer. And it was a good one. Lots of camping, lots of playing outside, they got to hang out with some good people, and we swam in one Great Lake, two Finger Lakes, one Adirondack mountain lake, a pond, and a couple of swimming pools. Pretty good, considering where I was at the end of June.
There she goes, loaded with supplies. Hopefully, they'll last.
That's my boy's uniform. He won't wear pants. It has to be twenty degrees and a foot of snow on the ground for him to cover up his calves.
That
the mediation was acrimonious is a given. That we got anything accomplished is a blessing.
The first part of the meeting was pretty much me stating that I really wasn't going to budge on much and her accusing me of trying to keep the children away from her. Then she went and had a cigarette, and the mediator tried a different tack. Once he started dividing up the days--who gets Christmas, who gets Easter, et c.--she became more willing. The mediator was able to get a framework hammered out. The only problem is she wants both winter and spring breaks, plus a month in the summer. I talked to the kids about this and they don't want that. I told them they will have to change their mother's mind. Also not addressed in this post-cigarette agreement was the stipulation that she have food for them to eat, a place for them to sleep, that I know where they are, and that she doesn't smoke in the house when they're with her. I had mentioned this earlier in the meeting, but I didn't bring it up in the second half. I will bring it up in the followup mediation, which will be sometime next week, since we go to the judge on Thursday.
The Other Thing
is that Lt. Trouble has his last day at his current post on Friday. Which is a very good thing, since his new post is under a different Command. Normally this isn't a big deal, but something happened last week that, according to him is "snowballing, except this particular ball is brown and smells really bad." And even though his base had nothing at all to do with what happened, it's in the same Command, and therefore everybody in the group is going to be under a pretty intense microscope for the next few days.
Which is a very good thing. As a civilian, I'm very glad that the Air Force is paying very close attention to this, and not trying to minimize it, or sweep it under the rug. Accorting to the good El-Tee, the top brass is extremely serious about examining procedures, and not from a CYA standpoint, either.
yeharr
*Red Rose English Breakfast, with milk and sugar. My friend Nancy has turned them into tea drinkers.
Was the first day of school.
Here they are with their morning cuppa.* And yes, that's a 'G' on the welcome mat. Actually, it's not really a 'welcome' mat, since it says 'Go Away.' We're a friendly bunch.
We made it through the summer. And it was a good one. Lots of camping, lots of playing outside, they got to hang out with some good people, and we swam in one Great Lake, two Finger Lakes, one Adirondack mountain lake, a pond, and a couple of swimming pools. Pretty good, considering where I was at the end of June.
There she goes, loaded with supplies. Hopefully, they'll last.
That's my boy's uniform. He won't wear pants. It has to be twenty degrees and a foot of snow on the ground for him to cover up his calves.
That
the mediation was acrimonious is a given. That we got anything accomplished is a blessing.
The first part of the meeting was pretty much me stating that I really wasn't going to budge on much and her accusing me of trying to keep the children away from her. Then she went and had a cigarette, and the mediator tried a different tack. Once he started dividing up the days--who gets Christmas, who gets Easter, et c.--she became more willing. The mediator was able to get a framework hammered out. The only problem is she wants both winter and spring breaks, plus a month in the summer. I talked to the kids about this and they don't want that. I told them they will have to change their mother's mind. Also not addressed in this post-cigarette agreement was the stipulation that she have food for them to eat, a place for them to sleep, that I know where they are, and that she doesn't smoke in the house when they're with her. I had mentioned this earlier in the meeting, but I didn't bring it up in the second half. I will bring it up in the followup mediation, which will be sometime next week, since we go to the judge on Thursday.
The Other Thing
is that Lt. Trouble has his last day at his current post on Friday. Which is a very good thing, since his new post is under a different Command. Normally this isn't a big deal, but something happened last week that, according to him is "snowballing, except this particular ball is brown and smells really bad." And even though his base had nothing at all to do with what happened, it's in the same Command, and therefore everybody in the group is going to be under a pretty intense microscope for the next few days.
Which is a very good thing. As a civilian, I'm very glad that the Air Force is paying very close attention to this, and not trying to minimize it, or sweep it under the rug. Accorting to the good El-Tee, the top brass is extremely serious about examining procedures, and not from a CYA standpoint, either.
yeharr
*Red Rose English Breakfast, with milk and sugar. My friend Nancy has turned them into tea drinkers.
posted by Balloon Pirate at 11:08 PM
8 Comments:
I saw that story in The Army Times the day it happened, but it was taken off the website about 2 hours after I saw it.
good luck with the followup.
could you bring a typewritten list for the mediator of your needs maybe?
or the kids so they can address their wants?
Mary used to have to bring a large bag of supplies to school in Atlanta -- tissues, handsoap, paper, pencils, etc. I couldn't stand it because I thought the school could've gotten most of that bulk for much less. I like it here in NH -- the kids just need to have a backpack to put their stuff in. Everything else is optional if the teacher requests it.
Again, good luck with the mediation. If your kids don't want the extra time with their mother, that should be honored.
Is the future Mrs. Trouble moving with the LT? He should combine their things to get the AF to move it for them...
SHe's really grown over summer! She's almost as tall as her brother now!!
Stick to it with your demands. You're not asking too much. It's only reasonable that they are well cared for when they're at their mother's house!!!
your daughter doesn't look very happy about the picture ;-)
hold your ground during mediation - it's so easy to start accommodating and "fixing" again
I started drinking tea in college and prefer it to coffee.
School kids here have a mixed bag of what they have to bring. What is frustrating are the parents who do not even check to see if the kid is properly attired for the weather, let alone clean.
Good luck with Ex on the arbitration. I am thinking the things you are asking for are not unreasonable when considering the welfare of the children.
My only thought on Ex is does she REALLY want visitation? She seems more than a bit self absorbed. NOMYDB anyway. Good Luck
happy new school year!
They look like they are ready to hit the books with a vengeance.
Hey Pirate!
I have seen your comments on Mr.C's blog, but I never have come for a visit.
#1 You would hate what they do with school supplies in our area. Everyone brings it all in, and then it is placed in a central place for it to be given out. In case you are not getting it. . . your kid has expensive extra nice stuff, but your kid doesn't get to keep it. It is now community property.
#2 Stand your grand with the X. You are not asking for the moon. I would think anybody in their right mind would not allow your kids to be smoked on. . .
Enjoyed the blog. . .
Ciao
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