We will be fine. He promised he would work on the house to make it beautiful (instead of hanging with his dudes?) and that he will liquidate and sell all the cars (6-7 I think, that I know about).

It was because his computer skills are low to nothing and his new job requires everything to be documented and videoed. He said he "tried really hard but it just wasnt something he was able to do".

The pay was fabulous, he had retirement accounts.

It is what it is. Will be looking at the bright side:

I feel like I live 2 lives.  One is happy, the other is not.  We have the skids half the time.  When they are not here, my wife and I can be intimate, watch our shows at night, have some drinks on the wweekend and enjoy our cats.  The other half, that all goes away.  Zero intimacy ever when they are home (10 and 15 and cant leave the house without mummy), ss 10 hogs the living room 24/7 (is annoying when not glued to screens so not worth changing it), no drinks together and they both feel the need to do loud baby talk to the cats so I cant even enjoy them anymore.  I have talked to my wife

My DH and I play this dumb game of "When the day comes" and we are over the obligation of dealing with his HCBM what that will look like. 

Lord have mercy.

Had a wonderful day out with my DH, sightseeing and enjoyed dinner at a charming restaurant located on the water. Out of the blue DH asks me if I would like to go visit The Diablas.

As you all know, they are moving outside of the US (hallelujah) where they have rented an apartment. He says, "The Diablas will already know the lay of the land and can show us around."

In my own mind I am thinking, "Lololololol Whaaaaaaaat?" I kept my cool. This is to be expected. The Diablas are predictable, as is DH.

Im re-watching while I get through this yucky bug, and "for the fashion" of course. Theres a resurgence in interest in this series...everything old is new again, right? 

Well, NOW I am noticing the step dynamics. Throughout the different seasons, as the characters age, and engage with bio parents, and "that other thing" with the billionair little boy lost and the almost-his-age-step mother. I noticed it mainly in season 5-6. 

So of course, naturally when things go wrong with SD and DH, it is some how my fault! DH still has not replied to SD15 after she basically took no blame for completely starting chaos this weekend between DH, herself and BM. She has not apologized. Heck she didn't even acknowledged she has been lying to BM about what goes on in our house even when DH called her out on it. She kept texting him saying how he needs to changed and why can't he treat her better and how she is just trying to talk to her dad... this sounds like she is only saying that to maybe use in court later ????

My SIL just left for the airport after her weekend visit.  As she was saying goodbye to me she said "I will be back a lot from now on."  I replied. "That would be great."

LIAR!

 I did stay nice the whole visit though I did get taken to a corner twice by DW asking me what was wrong.  I suck as an actor.

I am celebrating here on ST because as you all know, we can't talk about step-life elsewhere. I cannot believe our good fortune!

OSD28 told DH that she and YSD26 rented an apartment in a country outside of the USA!!! And they will living there "for several months." Hurray!

Dh waited a couple of days to tell me the good news. Why not keep your spouse updated right away? No matter. I measured my reaction carefully. I said something along the lines of "Oh really?" I asked DH how he feels about it and he said he is happy about it and thinks it will be good for them.

BM started with parental alienation syndrome within 6 months of our marriage (several years ago). She initially hoped that her punishment would get us "in line" with how she wanted things to be (apparently, she would be Wife #1 and I would take the backseat, while DH would cater to "the family"), but the opposite occurred: we set boundaries and were determined to have a decent life together without toxic interference. It was not easy.

Well that didn't last long.  Chef has gone creeping back to the supplier that has the accounting system from hell even though the sales person he deals with openly admitted that he almost quit due to the chaos over there.

I'm also convinced this supplier is double charging us so I will be looking at my books come January 8th.  

Until they make more successive mistakes that affect Chef, he refuses to leave them and wants to give them endless chances.  Something I don't get the luxury of.