SNAFU

Things with ex have been tenuous at best. I have largely held my tongue, but I have been rather direct about some stuff. He frustrates me with the way I allow him to make me feel.

I think the bottom line is that he thinks I am an idiot and I don't fit in his rational, military world. I actually say hurray about that.

Well, today I proved my own personal idiocracy. I took J to the airport so that he could spend a week with ex's mother and I was very excited to have another week off, as I don't get blocks of time off like normal people. Ex's new wife was going to take him, but I traded with her that I would do it, if she would take J a few Saturday nights ago so I could go to this party.

We arrived at the airport with plenty of time and stood in a relatively short line at the check in. When I got to the desk, she had a bunch of stuff she needed, b/c J was flying as an unaccompanied minor. Then she went to print the tickets and, in a shining moment I will never forget, she informed me that we were at the wrong airport. I did not have time to get to the other one and still follow the one hour before the flight rule. I could pay a $150 penalty and try for a flight the next day if I drove to the other airport's counter to potentially arrange things. Further, there were no flights at this airport which would allow J to make his connection.

I was devastated and humiliated. Called my ex-MIL and asked if she could meet me at a city about 2.5h from her house instead of the airport she'd gone to about 1.25h from her house. She was on her way to get her haircut and said she'd leave straight from there to come toward here, meeting me along the road someplace in the middle. Turns out, she drove 3.5h and I drove 4.5h. She almost looked teary when I filled up her gas tank and gave her $20 to eat. It was the very least I could do. I am so grateful.

It was a painful day. I began for the airport at 7:45a and got home at 10:50p. She, however, made it so much less painful. She drives me crazy with her religion stuff, but she is a very gracious grandmother.

Meanwhile, I do not know how to spin this with ex. I fucked up, but I made it right.

The best thing, though, is that I got to do what I'd intended to do for the day: paint. I stopped about 3h from here and painted a corn field in about 3h. I am excited about the magic of this one. Up close, it doesn't look like much, but step back 10' and it glows, coming together perfectly.

I created a painting I like. It was a good day.

Good night.