Trying flirting on for size!

[ACJ]

Thank you everyone.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a fabulous New Year.

[BeingMe]

Merry Christmas, ACJ!!! And I wish you a serene, peaceful, financially prosperous and flirtatious New Year.

Keep up your good spirits!

[ACJ]

Thanks BM.

The magic 'love letter' arrived today bang on cue! It was so predictable. I wasn't going to open it until after Christmas but glad I did as I needed to set a few things in motion. It's just a formality now. 20 years of M has come to be no more than a business transaction. So very sad. It's me whose paying the price (quite literally) but although that seems very unfair it will be worth it to have my full independence again and know that I no longer have a very large load on my back keeping from moving on with my life.

Here's to 2009. Whatever happens it will be good b/c I want it to be.

[ACJ]

Christmas day was quiet BUT was the best one we've had since H left. There were no arguements. I didn't have to cook the dinner as D18 and her BF did that. S16 visited me twice and we spent some time with friends and neighbours. I shed a tear when S16 left the first time to go and have his Christmas meal with H and OW (however they were eating at MILs and not Hs as originally planned) but his second visit was completely a surprise and we had a good chat and a bit of a giggle. He had a friend with him and he was telling us all about going to the Christmas market with H and how the men were all wearing lederhosen (sp) and making fun of them. I silently disappeared for a while and came back with photos of S16 when he was about 18 months old, at my niece's christening, wearing, yes you guessed it, blue ledehosen. He looked soooooooooooo cute. His friend couldn't stop laughing and I'm sure the convo will be rehased at some time in the near future when they have been to a party or two! S16 saw the funny side too so I'm hoping the tension between us has gone and will remain gone.

[Andabelle]

Sorry about the letter. You sound good, though. Your life will be much better once that sorry SOB is out of your hair, IMO.

[ACJ]

Thanks Andabelle. The letter was like water off a duck's back. There are several revisions that I will want making to the agreement and that is before I have had a chance to speak to my L about it.

It doesn't look like my planned New Year's day party is going to go as well as it usually does as a lot of people are either saying they have other plans this year or don't want to give me a definite answer as they don't know how they will be after New Year's Eve. I'm still going to cook all the food and if no-one turns up D18 will be eating chilli, shepherds pie and apple pie for the next few months at uni Equally if they don't turn up I will have to think of another new tradition for next year.

Things I would like to achieve in 2009:

Enjoying my new job and not being stressed out by it

Having my name on the mortgage alone

To have the D finalised and over (miracles don't seem to be happening in this part of the world )If you are new to my thread you must understand that this will tear me apart but after 3 yrs of being in limbo it has to happen to allow me and my children to move on.

To complete my current degree

To start a top up course to make that degree into a better one

To have a new carpet in my lounge

To get asked out on a date (once the D is over with of course)

To ENJOY being Alison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

[BeingMe]

I love your NY's wishes, ACJ. Hope they all come true. You so deserve it.

((((()))))

[ACJ]

Thanks BM. I made a start on No 2 this afternoon and hopefully by tomorrow afternoon the wheels will be in motion. Scary but a good feeling all at the same time.

[ACJ]

As of today (New Year's Eve) I have an agreement in principle with the mortgage company to have the mortgage solely in my name. Scccccccccaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyy but nice. When I finally decided I actually said to the man I was talking to on the phone 'I'm going to take a leap of faith here' He thought I was talking about faith in his advice and was quite relieved when I explained I was taking a leap of faith in myself. That feels sooooooooooooo good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Oh nearly forgot to say. It seems H and OW have gone camping tonight (his uncle owns a caravan site) and left S16 and his GF home alone. Part of me is furious a smaller part thinks 'how foolish' but the biggest part feels sad that H won't be taking the opportunity to spend NYE with his own son even though he had the chance.

[BeingMe]

Happy Independent New Year, ACJ! Lesson here ... the only person we can truly trust is ourselves, 'eh?! Your STBXH surely has lost his parental skills. He will have many regrets one day, I think.