From debt to freedom...

crazy_cat_lady

Good for you standing up to your ex. I hate this sort of controlling behaviour from exes - still trying to hang on somehow at all costs. :mad:
Really pleased you have dd1 home - enjoy the festivities!

Kitten868

Looks like dd1 can see right through him. Don't blame her either - he might turn up for baths there too. It's weird how some people can make you feel at ransom with the most basic information. Well done to both of you for standing up for yourselves. And well done you for seeing that you're giving your kids so much help so you don't need to go mad with presents too. I'm sure you'll still spoil them any way.

I'm wishing you a very restful, fun Christmas with no ex husband and lots of time to reflect and build yourself back up for January. You're doing fantastically. Merry Christmas xxxx

Cherryfudge

Well done for holding your ground. The fact she doesn't want him to know where she lives says a huge amount.
Meanwhile she's home! Have a lovely Christmas all of you

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you CCL, Kitten and Cherryfudge. I'm so, so glad to have her home .

Yesterday (Sat) was busy in terms of getting the food shop sorted for Christmas. The DDs helped me, not least DD2, who always likes to scan the shopping as we go round. Useful to keep track of prices as we go.

On our return, I got stuck into cooking. I thought I'd give a couple of new recipes a try, so did Coffee chocolate meringue roulade, salmon and leek strudel, raspberry and white chocolate tart and a festively shaped lemon drizzle cake! I love having time to cook and experiment in the holidays:T:T:):):). All the dishes were taken to a friend's as a contribution to lunch. I think I will make the meringue roulade again tomorrow so that everyone can eat that here. 2 DSs and 1 DD weren't at the lunch today, so might like to try them. One of my friends was very sweet and suggested I could open a tearoom with my cakes. Not sure I could but it was a nice thing for her to say.

Today (Sun) my family have arrived. My grandmother is staying with us and my parents in a nearby travelodge. It's been lovely to have time to chat to my grandmother.:)

I've been mulling over various things at work and come to the conclusion to keep a look out for other jobs. If things improve, all well and good but if they continue in the way of the last 3 weeks, I think it's best to try elsewhere.

Honeysucklelou2

It's been the weirdest Christmas Eve...I realised I'd forgotten two gifts for friends, so had to do a quick shop, then home to wrap and out to deliver said gifts. I've got some food preparation done. The ex, having mentioned a cinema trip for Sunday, didn't show up yesterday and then made arrangements via phone with the children today so they were all suddenly off out this afternoon, which I hadn' t known about in advance. I do wish he would just have a little consideration and courtesy and discuss arrangements regarding the children. Hey ho.

Hoping to get the last few presents wrapped this evening and possibly get to the midnight service, provided I don't fall asleep in front of the fire!!

Happy Christmas one and all. :xmastree: Enjoy your celebrations. :xmastree:

Drawingaline

Happy Christmas x

WannabeFree

Hope you have a wonderful Xmas

x

crazy_cat_lady

Merry Christmas - hope you've had a fantastic day

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you for your Christmas wishes.

It was a lovely day yesterday. I made it to the midnight service which was good. The church was lit with lots of candles around each pillar and looked beautiful.

Rightly or wrongly, I did invite the ex to Christmas dinner. DS1 gets quite frustrated with the situation ( and gets fed lies about my family) which can make for some tense moments. I thought that inviting the ex might help DS1 but he chose not to come. I confess to feeling relieved that he didn't. It meant that the afternoon particularly, was relaxed and fun. I even fell asleep after managing the luxury of being able to read three chapters of my favourite author...a very rare occurrence!!

Not sure what today's plans are yet but hoping a walk will happen. There's lots of food in the fridge and cupboards so might even get time to get some more reading in!

Honeysucklelou2

Yesterday was a wonderfully relaxed day. I found 4 presents I'd forgotten about so those were given to the right recipients.

After cooking dinner, fresh veg and left over turkey, we got out for a walk. We took the 2 older dogs for a walk across the beach which was great. I needed some sea air in my lungs! It was surprisingly busy, lots of people obviously had the same idea! The sea was beautiful and calm and I think we had the best of the day.

I confess I have spent some money on cinema tickets for tonight. The DDs, the toddler, a friend and I are all going to see the Mary Poppins film. Hopefully the children have enough sweets that they can take some with them, rather than buying more.

I'm hoping to be able to get out into the garden today. The camellia bush started flowering yesterday which looks wonderful. I've been given some seeds for Christmas, so some can be started off now :):).