Ouch! I hope the leak is a easy fix. I wouldn't even begin to be able to handle what you are up against financially. Fortunately both boys together are about that amount for the whole year at college!
kat
Me-53(and learning!) S24, S21, D18, D17 Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming. Dory
It was more than I anticipated (I was hoping for a bill of just under $10K), but at least I have been saving for this day for several years so that helps tremendously - however it doesn't take away the shock of seeing the college account drop $12K in one stroke of a computer key!
On a positive note, it appears the leak will be an easy fix and only cost me about $150. Feel like I at least dodged one bullet there!
OY, BA! I definitely know how you feel. I had a month like that in June - it seemed to siphon immediately out of my account and it got to the point of ridiculous. Anyway, I hope you have some relief by the weekend! Now we're both down to 1 kid!
I need to replace my windshield soon, as it's got a huge gouge from a rock off a dump truck. I'm waiting to hear back. Oh well.
You've certainly had an "exciting" year, haven't you? I'm glad your dad's memorial went well. I think those things are great for definite endings. I didn't realize how much I needed it as well.
Anyhoo, that's it for the moment. I'm actually in a time void (for lack of a better word) right now - no momentum for anything so I'm just taking stuff as it comes. It's kind of like a free fall?
Hope your week is a good one from here on out!
Betsey
"There are only 2 ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
Yes the financial bleeding has been relentless in July and early August. I am hopeful that the fall months will be a bit more financially friendly! At least my leak is now fixed at a cost of $180.00. Could have been worse.
Sorry about your windshield - hopefully your insurance covers the cost of replacement but it's still annoying to have to deal with that stuff, at least it is for me. My auto repair session took up the majority of my Sunday morning not to mention the cost as well. I would have rather been doing something more fun.
Yesterday, my D17 informed me that this past weekend was our last one together before she heads out - she is with her mom this coming weekend. :-( She is really excited about her future.
I had the college safety talk with her this weekend and I am hoping that everything I said sunk in. Fortunately she has a good head on her shoulder and I don't see her getting into any trouble but I want her to know that she has to be more aware of her surroundings and the actions of people around her as well.
On the good news front, I found out my GF landed a new job this morning. Will result in about a 50% pay increase for her which she deserves - her previous Fortune 500 consulting firm was shamelessly underpaying her. So she is on cloud nine right now. We will have to celebrate tonight!
It looks like things are starting to go on the upswing for you, your family and GF. Seems that the financial bumps are now behind you for now. Life throws us a bunch of curve balls shaped like lemons. Don't be fooled that they're baseballs!
Well this is the last week for D17 before she heads off to college! Wow where has time gone!!! College move-in day is Saturday morning beginning at 10am. I will be driving her down with her boyfriend and also the ex-W as well. We will have my Volvo SUV packed full with everything she thinks she needs to include a mini-fridge and microwave oven - I hope she remembers optional things like clothes!
Last night D17 and I watched a few clips of her from when she was just 7 years old living in Naples Italy. How much different our lives (D17, D16 and mine and ex-W as well) are today. Overall though it's a good thing. D17 is a happy, well-adjusted, confident and independent young lady who is excited about her future. I'd like to think I had a hand in that accomplishment. As for me, I am a much more happier, confident man who is enjoying a sustained period of a stable non-drama filled life which I intend to keep. That being said - Saturday morning will still be somewhat of an emotional day for me - but I am so proud of D17 and I know she is going to accomplish great things in her life.
Sounds like we're living parallel lives! (Right down to the photo musings and conclusions...)
When D20 pulled up to my office yesterday afternoon in her dad's Subaru Legacy wagon--filled with her crap--it made my heart heavy as well. And there is no way I'm going to deny that. The only thing I can say is that I didn't cry. D17? Whoa boy. Last night D20 texted me and said she and her dad made it to Kearney. She asked me to Face Time with D17. They were at a restaurant and we joked around for a few minutes - all 4 of us. Then we hung up and my D17 just sobbed. Heart wrenching sobs. It lasted about 15 minutes. She got out D20's high school volleyball programme and went to bed with it. I felt so bad for her.
We're going to Face Time again tonight so hopefully we'll get through this transition. I might have cried myself, but I knew instinctively that D17 needed me to be the person who was in a good place.
All I can say is that it's tough. Exciting but tough.
And I'm really glad you're in such a good place yourself. That will go a long way, you know?
Hugs,
Bets
"There are only 2 ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
Bets - we do seem to be living in parallel lives!!! Glad to have you on board!
The college expense stuff seems to be hitting me every time I turn around. Yesterday it was a new laptop computer for D17 since her current one is just not cutting it - after all it is a "dinosaur" seeing we bought it more than 4 years ago. We still haven't even bought a single textbook and I'm sure once she is down there a few days there will a whole list of things she will discover she needs that she doesn't have. Oh well, I keep reminding myself that I am thankful to have a stable decent paying job that funds this stuff and that her mother willingly kicks in as well. It would be that much worse if we weren't in this, expense wise, together.
I've have never done Face Time before so this will be a new experience for me. My girls are experts at it though so I'm sure they will get me up to speed on it quickly - plus we will have Skype as well.
So aside from the excruciatingly painful 7 hours of time spent on I95 going to and from Richmond, VA which is just 90 miles from Fairfax - the college move-in went smoothly. Got D17 all set up in her room and met her roommate who is very pleasant. I have to say that college dorm rooms sure have gotten a lot nicer since the 70's! D17's room is on the 16th floor of a 17 floor building and she has a beautiful view out her window.
I have to say I am glad that the 7 hours spent in the car with the ex-wife was actually pleasant. It's amazing how well we get along as friends now and joint allies in raising our two girls.
Had the pleasure (not) of riding into work with the ex-wife on the Metro today. I was reminded of how easily she can suck the happiness right out of me - boy am I glad I don't live that 24/7. I was coordinating with her on a couple of weekend trips I plan to make in October and November to go see my two older kids (one lives in Ohio and the other in Wisconsin). Since I plan to take D16 with me, I was letting her know. D16 will be ecstatic to go and visit her older siblings. The ex's response was in a condescending and negative tone was "You're making two trips in two consecutive months - isn't that a bit excessive." I started to go into a lengthy explanation of why it wasn't and then caught myself thinking 1) it's going down a cheese less tunnel because I'm not going to convince her otherwise and 2) I don't have to - all I simply have to do is let her know where D16 is going to be on those two weekends.
