It's cold and going to get colder here so I'm staying inside and baking. Jack was home sick yesterday but is back to school today so I was able to decorate the gingerbread men, without "help". There are still more to decorate and he'll help with those:)
I went to my new bookclub on Saturday night and it was fantastic. It's the ladies from my pottery class, we talked about the book, and then we talked about everything else, life, women's rights, children, husbands (past and present), grief, childbirth, and taking care of things (like vehicles, toilets, trailers, etc).
There was drinking, not me, I was the designated driver for three of the ladies who can't drive at night, and then we made Christmas ornaments. It was our first club meeting and the woman whose house is was at set up a craft for us to do. Although we all take pottery together, which would be considered crafty, our skill set varies, a lot. One of the ladies is a bona fide painter, I am not. Her ornaments were gorgeous, the rest of us tried our best:) And we all had fun. It was fabulous. It's good to have female friends, we need each other.
Jack and I continue to meet up with my son for swimming on Saturday afternoons. My son is on time, respectful, and even smiles. It's a huge change for him. He also takes his other son swimming on Sundays. He's trying and I appreciate that. The other day he even gave me a hug which surprised me. He's going back to school to become a carpenter, he's working in construction now as a carpenter and can stay on at his job as an apprentice. Trade workers are always needed.
The biggest surprise this past week was the help my ex-husband provided in applying for us to be Katie's trustee. He did pretty much all the work, including talking to the guy at the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. It was way less work than I imagined, everything is sorted out, just the signing left and then I'll take it to the Public Guardians Office. I thanked him for his help and it's good to know that he will help with Miss Katie. The application will take a long time to go through the system but nothing I can do about that. The government will just to wait. They're the ones that caused the backlog in the first place.
Not much else going on. And now for a funny.
You have quite a bit of good news, and I'm very glad about participating fathers in the story. So they should, but often people do fail. You're generous at giving credit when they come through.
ReplyDeleteI always hope, even a little, that my son will do better.
DeleteYour Book Club does sound fantastic! We do Xmas tags at our December meeting and it's fun to sit around and chat while doing a project. Mine aren't the best tags but I have fun doing them. Good news about your son and your ex. Perhaps it's never too late to grow up and take some responsibility?
ReplyDeleteOne can hope.
DeleteOur next book is going to be "The Spoon Stealer" by Lesley Crewe.
Sounds like things are looking up for your son!
ReplyDeleteI hope so but time will tell.
DeleteI am glad your book club was fun. I was also happy to read about your son and joining you all for swimming, and that your ex-husband helped with the paperwork for Katie. Yay!
ReplyDeleteMy son is almost 42 now and sober for a year. Time will tell.
DeleteWow on so many fronts. I hope for 2026 you see a lot more good from your ex and your son. That would be so wonderful for Jack to have one parent make a real attempt and get on track. I have a book club and I adore them as well, so glad yours is going well!
ReplyDeleteIt was our first book club meeting but I loved it. I hope my son can turn his life around, sobriety helps. Time will tell.
DeleteI'm glad the book club meeting was fun. And you actually talked about the book! Some "book" clubs don't even bother with the book. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI think many book clubs don't talk much about the book but the woman leading it is a retired English teacher. She did well.
DeleteThe book club sounds fab. And I'm glad to hear your son is doing so well. I wish him all the best in continuing to turn his life around. And nice to know your ex helped with the guardianship and trustee application and that it's ready to be submitted now.
ReplyDeleteYour gingerbread people all look great but what's the backstory on that big bruiser up in the top right hand corner? Did he receive the super soldier serum like Captain America?
I made some big gingerbread men and then thought they were too big and I had a smaller cookie cutter, so I used it. Jack ate one of the large gingerbread men tonight and liked it.
DeleteI'm thankful the trusteeship is on it's way into the system, and then it's out of my hands.
That sounds like a very good weekend to me, and a good result with paperwork. I'm glad you didn't write off your son, but there may be a step backwards at some point. I became brain overloaded with paperwork after my partner died. Although his affairs were simple, I didn't employ anyone to do it. Fiver minutes work with me by my sister's doctor wife, and she had neat piles, in a good order for me to methodically tackle. It was such a relief.
ReplyDeleteMy son has been drinking for about 25 years, I'm hoping he stays sober.
DeleteI hate paperwork, especially government forms. They seem to make them difficult on purpose:)
I’m so glad you have that group of friends! The other news is great too, but the friends should be there through thick and thin. ❤️
ReplyDeleteI had my work family when I worked but I needed a new family post retirement, a family of like minded ladies and I found them at pottery.
DeleteThat is so great that you've found women to be friends with. It's also great that the ex took over the Canadian paperwork.
ReplyDeleteIt was a happy surprise that my ex was so helpful and I'm thankful for that.
DeleteSo glad for you that two iffy relatives are actually coming through for you at this time. A great gift for the holidays. Fingers crossed that it continues!
ReplyDeleteAND an extremely positive first book club meeting. 'Tis the season to be jolly!
We've just started reading a new book, "The Spoon Stealers", I'm hoping it's great.
DeleteFamily is hard, but I still hope.
The book club sounds like it is a great idea. Your son really seems to be trying and the ex-husband has stepped up. These are positives. The cookies look like something I could eat in about todays. I understand the funny!
ReplyDeleteI still have more gingerbread men to decorate, I'll get on that today. Yesterday was busy with Katie. I can confirm the gingerbread men are tasty.
DeleteI am going to be cautiously optimistic about your son. May he take one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteI've seen that last quote before and I love it. There's something about the "with vigor" part that charms me to pieces.
I like the "with vigor" part too:)
DeleteTime will tell with my son. He works part time in a bar as a bouncer but he says he's not tempted to drink.
It sounds like "Everything's coming up sunshine and buttercups" lately, Ms Pix. And THAT is good to hear.
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice change from the last six years, that's for sure. I'm just waiting to see what the weather is going to be like for next week before I decide for sure if I can make it to Saskatoon.
Delete