sucked dry
September 28, 2015

I got nothing. A stressful weekend, full of hard physical work and emotional agitation, has left me worn out, in pain, drained, and exhausted. Used up.

My husband is a complete dick when he is around my family, I hate my dad's girlfriend, I hate that they both smoke like a dirty chimney, and Dad is scaring the hell out of me with this new, devil-may-care attitude. /rant.

I had been planned that I would go to Dad's on Sunday to pick up some stuff that my mom left me and get it out of his hair. On Thursday morning, I got a text saying "Cancel Sunday, got a better offer--haha!" WTF? Well, okay--tesxted back I'd call him that evening. Called him, found out the "better offer" was a road trip with his girlfriend, and he was in New Glarus. They planned on swinging back home, picking up my stuff, and stopping by my house on Saturday at about 4:00 pm. Well, shit. That changes things. But whatever, I wanted to see Dad before he left for AZ, so this was going to be my only chance, and I had to roll with it.

I worked late on Friday, went home, had a peanut butter sandwich, took a nap, and then later, when Spouse came home, we went out to dinner at the lodge. Steak night--and it was very disappointing. The steak was off-tasting, like it was possibly freezer-burnt. The onion rings were way-overcooked. The baked potato was obviously a leftover, re-heated in the microwave. Not impressive, to say the least. And I was in absolutely no mood to be sociable, so of course we ran into people we knew, and sociability was required.

So Saturday was, of necessity, "get it all done" day. Spouse took the car for its stereo installation appointment, and I stayed home and laid into the housework with a vengeance. Dusting, vacuuming, wiping, scrubbing, polishing, and load-after-load of laundry. Then, when Spouse came home, I got to help him repair the toilet leak--and clean the bathroom all over again. And it was a humid and sticky day, too--I didn't stop sweating from 7:30 till after one o'clock--I even sweated through my shower!

One I was finally cleaned up and dressed, I sat down to catch my breath and have a sandwich and something to drink--so of course, there's Dad, two hours early.

Dad, and his chain-smoking, rough old broad of a girlfriend. But, interestingly--without my stuff. He says they changed their minds, and will mail it.

Yeah--I'll believe that when I see it.

Visited a bit, they went out to smoke, Spouse everyone around in her SUV so Dad could show her Kenosha, then we took them to dinner at our favorite little supper club (I had the maple-bourbon glazed salmon, and it was phenomenal). Everywhere we went, every chance they got, they chain-smoked. Spouse and I wanted to vomit, because we are not used to that at all. They were smoking in the back of the damned car!

Sent them on their way to their hotel, and as soon as Spouse and I got in the house, we stripped off our stench-ridden clothes and threw them in the wash, then showered the stink off of ourselves. We had left them with plans to meet for breakfast at a really good little diner on Green Bay Road. But after I got out of the shower, my phone rang again, and it was Dad.

He had decided that he was spending so much money for the room, that he didn't want to have to pay for breakfast, too. So we should all just come out to the hotel and have the free breakfast there.

Seriously. I took you for drinks and dinner, bought you prime rib and crab legs...and your cheapskate ass wants me to steal breakfast from your hotel?

Jesus Herkheimer Christ, Dad--you gonna go over to the Walgreens and shoplift some batteries, while you're at it?

Even before I got off the phone, I knew what to do. I agreed with Dad, hung up, and went in to tell Spouse that plans had changed, and he didn't have to go.

He stayed home and had oatmeal and toast. I met them, they smoked, they ate, they smoked, we talked for a while, they smoked. They had decided they would keep going on their trip and head up to Door County, so I said goodbye and wished him good travels, gave him a hug and a kiss, and took my leave. I guess I'm done with Oregon for good--I won't be back there before he makes his move to Arizona nezt week. No ties there any more; that chapter is closed.