Lockdown

When I was about 13 I put a keyed lock on my bedroom door. After one of my brothers (not sure which one) broke it down in an Eliot Ness moment, I replaced it with a solid wood, brother-proof door, which worked nicely.

Now it's time to repeat history and secure my last sanctuary: The Basement.

I noticed that my ex-wife (who still lives in my house for free, pays nothing, took my retirement, eats my food, and lives the party life) has been rifling through my belongings in the basement. Specifically, she was apparently reading the book I bought, months ago, about winning a child custody war.

So I bought a lock from Home Depot and created my own Panic Room. It is still the original flimsy door, but if I have to replace it with a steel door, I will. Now my things are left in peace. And I go underground as soon as I get home each night. I think this will work well.

Court Papers

I notice that my ex is also filling out a lot of legal forms. What could that be for? Is she already trying to take me to court for more child support (while I am still supporting her 100%)?

I secretly peeked at the papers and I was amazed. It is a motion to the court to get MORE CHILD SUPPORT. BUT, I am not the defendant. Husband #2 is the defendant. He is the 18-year-old's father and already pays child support. In fact, he has been paying for 15 years and I have no idea where the money went because I provided all the shelter and some of the food.

But here she is again dragging his butt into court for money. I am astounded. She brings home A LOT of money each month and only has a car payment and some groceries to buy. The rest is gravy. But the "child" is going to go to the local community college and refuses to work so I guess her mother feels she can squeeze some more out of the father. But it will be interesting when she has to list all her expenses:

Housing = $0
Utilities = $0
Taxes, Insurance, etc=$0
Alcohol=$?

I feel sorry for the guy, but I know that this is what I can expect in the future. She feels that, if you can get it, you are entitled to it, regardless of the morality of it.


I Torture Them

Last night as I was warming up some macaroni and cheese, the 18-y-o step daughter started a slight confrontation with me, asking why I was filling my daughter's head with bad thoughts. I responded, telling her that I am sure I have sometimes failed to mask my frustration with her mother's drinking, but most of the specifics the little girl mentions are things she sees for herself. Oddly the mother and the teenager don't realize that a 6-year-old will notice her mother coming home at noon wearing last-night's Star Trek uniform. She certainly asks about it.

Anyway, this led into a controlled argument with the teenager and the mother. (Our daughter was glued to the TV upstairs).

They both asked why I torture them. I disconnected the Tivo, I put MY CAR in the garage, and now I have locked the basement. What gives??

No really. They weren't kidding. They wanted to know why I torture them so.

Well.....Could it possibly be that I torture them because my wife cheated on me, asked for a divorce, took my retirement, is 4 months behind in paying me $360 in rent, and IS STILL LIVING IN MY HOUSE two months after we got divorced and 13 months after she said she was leaving??? HELLO???

Apparently she is having a hard time finding a nice place to live; a place like this, with 4 bedrooms and no rent or mortgage. Seems like they are hard to come by nowadays, so she is content to stay here and complain.

I told her that I would find her a place, and I took my cold macaroni and cheese to my panic room and didn't emerge until deep into the night.

Meanwhile, Al found her a perfect, half demolished apartment in Pleasantville, with bars on the windows and painted a bright pink. I think she would love it there, and I can just picture her in the barred window.