More Insanity
Thank you all for your comments about the trip from hell. If I hadn’t lived through it, I would find it hard to believe. If it had been a movie, I’d complain that there was no way that many things could go wrong. But it was all true. Every word. Except the part about Erik throwing the chicken nugget at the gate agent. He threw it, and it almost hit her, but I don’t think he was consciously throwing it at her.
I am drafting a letter to American and hoping to get some kind of compensation. I need to get Pigs to write it because she’s actually gotten results from them in the past, though I don’t think the results ended up being positive.
Speaking of Pigs, I have to mention that I got the brown sweater in the four generation picture totally free! It was a $70 Macy’s sweater, but between free gift cards and the clearance rack, I didn’t pay a dime. I’m telling you people, get a Macy’s card (if you aren’t a compulsive shopper) and pay attention to their coupons and sales. I get much better deals there than I ever get at Target, plus the clothes are much better quality. Of course, most of you may have noticed I’m a little finicky about my clothes, so I’m willing to pay a little more for something I actually like and that fits well so I’ll spend up to $50 on a top if it fits into the 100% rule.
Other than the trip home, most of the visit was pretty good after my sister and her hooligan children left. I want to love those kids so badly and I do love them, but they are very hard to like. It’s not their fault that their mother is crazy and doesn’t believe in consistent discipline or rules or bedtimes or healthy food, but the result is two very annoying children that you can’t take out in public. I feel so sorry for them, but there is nothing I can do about it.
My sister is just insane. That’s the only word that fits. I don’t know if she is on on her husband’s scam of my grandma or not, but the whole thing is just a horrible mess. My grandma lent them $10,000 to start a business, co-signed for a brand new truck for him (or at least she thought she was co-signing, turns out she was the buyer), and let my sister use her credit cards to pay for the farce of the wedding. Then the jack-ass husband took out four credit cards in my grandma’s name and maxed them out, never paying a dime on them. The total adds up to well over $100,000, but my grandma is only actually responsible for about $60,000 of it. The rest is credit card fraud. The numbers take my breath away and I was really worried my grandma would lose her house over it, but I guess when you only buy beanie-weenies for $.33/can you amass a lot of wealth and this barely makes a dent in her overall net worth. I knew she had the money to live comfortably, but I had no idea her mini-real estate mogul days set her up so well. I’m glad to know my mom will be sitting pretty comfortably in a few years if my sister and her husband don’t drain the bank accounts dry.
Anyway, I got a call from my sister today. She wanted me to promise to do her a favor. I don’t promise to do favors until I know what the favor is. I’ve read too many L. M. Montgomery books that have sad old bachelors or old maids who can never get married because they made a promise to their mothers/sisters/aunts/best friends.
She found a Halloween costume for Laynee on eBay that she HAS TO HAVE OR SHE WILL DIE. Cost of costume? $45 including S&H.
Go ahead and laugh. I sure did.
Who in the HELL pays that much for a costume that will be used one day? I don’t even pay that much for practical clothing that Erik will wear every single day. I bought his winter coat at the consignment shop! Heck, I bought his Halloween costume at a yard sale for $2. No, it is not super cute. Yes, it will do for the day. He is two! Laynee is two! They don’t give a shit!
Of course, it is not my job to tell her how she should spend her money, but when she wants me to order it on my credit card and she’ll pay me back? Hell no. I’m not going to spend $45 on a Halloween costume for anyone, much less a two year old. If I honestly thought my sister would pay me back, I might roll my eyes and do it, but the fact is she’s never going to pay me back. I look at lending money to anyone, family or friend, as a gift. If I get my money back, great, if not, oh well. That’s why I very rarely lend money. I only lend it if I feel I can spare it as a gift.
She’s not used to hearing no from people and kept at me, just like she keeps at my mom and grandma. “But I HAVE to have it! I just can’t do the Wal-mart thing! Laynee has to look cute! I HAVE to have it!” But you know what? I am not my mother or my grandmother and have no feelings of sympathy for a dumb ass who wants to spend the better part of a $50 on something so useless. Whenever my mom or grandma ask for their money back, all she does is yell at them and tell them to leave her alone because she’s poor. She really thinks I’m going to play these games? I think not. Espescially when she tells me I dress Erik like a wuss and am mean to him because I won’t let him hit, eat candy 24/7, run in public places or throw things (except chicken nuggets and evil gate agents).
More about the trip later. Teaser: do you believe in haunted houses? I gotta run. I’ve been typing this in the bathroom and I think Mike is starting to get suspicious. I’m usually a lightening fast pooper.
Pretend you didn’t read that last sentence, unless you think it’s funny.
October 12th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Holy cow – at least the kids will go into the system once sis and hubby are in jail for fraud. She probably doesn’t think of it as fraud though since it would eventually be her money anyway. How do people do that? I can’t relate to that feeling that some people have that they are owed something – that they are entitled to things and money that they haven’t earned. Anyway – good to you for saying no. Sounds like she didn’t hear that word enough growing up. I’ll have to check out the Macy’s card & coupons. It’s about time to buy Peanut a new coat.
October 12th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I hate reading that about your sister… not because I feel bad for her, but because she seems like such an asshole! (pardon the bad language, but I think it applies here). I’ve read your blog for a long time, and always give a little cheer when I hear that you’ve stood up to her – again – and made your mother stand up to her. Your grandmother is a hopeless case, I’m afraid.
Sorry to sound so judgemental, it just makes me angry when people do this to their families and expect to be bailed out again & again. It’s pathetic. It’s even worse when she uses her kids as pawns to get what she wants – I agree with you on a $45 Halloween costume? PLEASE!!! I hope her kids find a way to not become scam artists, too, but somehow it sounds like you’re the only good influence on them and they don’t get to see you often enough. If they just have their parents as role models, their future doesn’t look bright.
I’m glad you have Erik and your supportive husband. You will make a wonderful man out of your little boy – you’re smart, you’re steady, and you’re not impulsive. Congratulations!