Sadness Part 1

I expect that this will continue for some time, which is why I label the post Part 1.

My wife is an only child. Her parents have been having marital issues for some time, and they have now come to a head. While her mother was in the state capital and her father was visiting us, her mother had either a restraining order or a protection order drawn up. When her father returned home and tried to call her mother in the state capital, her mother had the police come and serve the order to her father and force him to leave the house. With no where to turn until he is able to find out more at the court hearing on June 4, he has come to visit us.

Both mother and father have caused pain to each other in the past, and both need to make changes in order for this situation to get resolved with them on better terms with each other. I don't know that both of them will be willing to do that.

It is hard not to choose sides (other than I am fully on my wife's side), and it is hard to know how to help my children deal with this new reality. They are really struggling to handle it. Of course, I don't know how I might be able to help my wife either, but at least it's not taking her completely by surprise.

My wife read the order and started to get the feeling that she, listed as "child in common" might be restricted from contact with her mother as well. We are uncertain if that is actually the case though, as the wording doesn't make it clear and the legality of something like that seems questionable. My wife has had her own difficulties with her mother over the years, and it is hard to know if there is anything that can be done to patch their relationship now.

My wife has had issues with her father in the past as well. These seem to be improving as time goes on. Perhaps there is a chance that one day things can work out better with her mother as well.

29 May 2008 Work (And Some From the Day Before)

No workout this morning. I got up intending to do one, but I've been noticing some funny sounds coming from the elliptical machine for a while. I've been intending to try to tighten the screws on the machine to see if that would help, but I hadn't gotten to it.

This morning I decided to try to fix the machine instead of work out on it. I did all the tightening and checking that I could think of, but it didn't change anything. Funny noises still exist, but at least I know that it's not due to something simple that I can fix.

My wonderful wife purchased an extended warranty for the machine when we bought it, and she has arranged for a part that commonly goes out to be shipped to us and a repairman to check the machine next week. She's obviously got the better idea here. :)

My father-in-law has been visiting us the past 2 days, and he, my wife, and my oldest son have tackled the jungle growing in our backyard. I got home to see a transformed near-paradise. I helped trim a bush a little bit until the door-to-door alarm salesman came to find out that we weren't switching unless he could provide a better deal. He couldn't. The backyard has been weighing on my mind, and I really appreciate all of the hard work that has gone into making it so nice yesterday, with some finishing touches taking place today.

Ditto

Up until after midnight. Busy researching money savings (this time on our home alarm system). Too tired to try to get up and work out. My next post might be titled Deja Vu or something similar until I can't think of any more names for the same thing is happening.

Wonderful Weekend

What an enjoyable weekend. Saturday was my wife's birthday. Sunday was the day of rest. Monday was a day to try to catch up on some house work since the yard work was put off by rain. I didn't work out any of those days (or today), but my weight came in at 355.4 this morning.

Life has been busy and a little stressful recently, and this weekend has been a welcome respite.

I Like Sleep

Too bad my kids don't seem to like it very much. I woke up at 4:00 needing a bathroom break, and after that, I couldn't seem to get back to sleep very well. I decided I needed the sleep more than a workout, and then not one but two of my kids joined my wife and I in bed by 6:30. So much for getting extra sleep.

I guess I could move closer to the equator so that the days were generally always the same length and changes in the time of the sunrise wouldn't affect my children so much, but I'm sure I won't. :)

22 May 2008 workout

Time: 6:15 AM
Weight beforehand: 358.3 lbs
Length: 10 minutes
Program: The first 10 minutes of the TPRU
Elliptical Reported Calories Burned: 165
Rating: I wanted to stay in bed but felt too guilty to get back to sleep.

Can't Win for Losing

No workout today. I wanted to try to get some things done on the computer. The baby had gone to bed early last night and was up early, so my wife asked me if I wanted to make German pancakes for breakfast because they are easy while she took care of him. I decided I'd decide later.

I went down to work on the computer, but I found something else that needed to be worked on. When I got that fixed, it was time to make breakfast. I decided to make German pancakes because they are quick and easy.

20 minutes later, after kids whining and needing help, the pancakes go in the oven for 15 minutes. This will leave me 10 minutes to eat and be on my way. When the time is up, the pancakes are not done. Back in the oven they go for 10 more minutes. They are finished just in time for me to take some to work. My wife is feeling sad that they took so long, but it's not her fault things worked out that way. Her day is not starting much better than mine has.

I get out of the house around 8:05, and I have 10 minutes to get to where I need to be. Due to rain and traffic lights wanting me to sit around forever, it takes me 20 minutes to get there. On my way into my work building, through the rain, I realize I left my phone in the car and have to go back and get rained on some more.

Oh, did I mention that I need to get gas soon, and the price of gas went up 10 cents a gallon overnight?

It's just after 9:00 AM now. Who knows what the rest of the day will bring?