Happy Beheaded Chocolate Bunny Day !!!

HAPPY EASTER !!

Easter is supposedly the first sign of Spring. Here in NC, it's around 60 and sunny...The Daffodils and Tulips are blooming, as well as, The Bradford Pear Trees. However, my son in New York says today's high temp was around 40 degrees....My close friends in Cleveland had 4 " of Snow on the Ground . O MY !!!

Well....Elliot was in NY for Easter....sent his Easter Basket (BOX) to him by UPS last week....Jessica and Andrew spent the weekend with their mom and celebrated Easter there. Haven't heard the stories, yet....but it's always interesting, being my ex wife doesn't cook...I always get a chuckle....but at least she's making an attempt to be domestic for them.

Jessica and Andrew will come home Monday AM, and we will celebrate Easter at my parents at Lunch. I have Easter Baskets for both of them. I think they will like !.

On Easter Day, I came home from American Express.....and made a Coconut Cream Cake (1st Time), Potato Salad and a Sweet Potato Casserole...These are my contributions to our Easter Meal on Monday. I, then, chatted with Elliot for a while...and slept rest of my day.

I still find it odd that I don't go to church on Easter Sunday. It's not that I'm not a believer....but I work such a crazy schedule, it's just difficult to make it to a service....Additionally, being gay, I'm not going to a church that "hates" gay people.

On Tuesday, my cousin, Janice is bringing her mom (Elsie) over to go out to lunch, to celebrate mom's Birthday. Jessica and Andrew, both, want to go. I think Aunt Dot will be coming, as well. Afterwards, we will all go visit Aunt Katie (suffering with Alzheimer's and recently diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer). Aunt Katie's days are numbered. She has had a wonderful life. She's got 3 kids ( my cousins) who love her dearly and would do anything for she and/or Uncle Watson. Also, she has, 7 grandchildren, I think (Mike has 2 kids...Kaye has 3....Ken...hmmm...2, ?).

On Wednesday, I work my Part time job for a few hours. Thursday, I'm off at Pier One and American Express. The kids and I may go hiking or do something fun that day !! YAH !!

RENT

Here's a musical that our family loves !! INCREDIBLE !!

The Holocaust & Homosexuals

I have always had an interest in persecution of people groups and their ability to continue to thrive and even flourish through their torture.

We, as a people, are extremely intolerant of others who do not think, act, look, worhip and/or behave as we. Most of us are aware, due to much press, of the persecution and torture of many people groups througout history (i.e. Christians, Jews, Blacks in the US, etc). However, recently I discovered that homosexuals in Nazi Germany suffered equal and even harsher treatment than most Jews.

Below are some links of very interesting reading.

http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/hsx/

http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/Holocaust/personalize-gays.html

http://www.holocaust-trc.org/homosx.htm

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/homo.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_gay_men_in_Nazi_Germany_and_the_Holocaust

Lots of things have occurred this week, which I thought noteworthy.

Current Events :

• On Friday evening, March 14, Downtown Atlanta, GA, was hit by a Tornado. The CNN building, OMNI Hotel, Olympic Park, took significant damage. The storms came up thru SC and into NC. NC had a few Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and a couple of Tornado Warnings. We only experienced a few thunderstorms and a good amount of rain.

Family:

• Being the kids will be with their mom on Easter Sunday, My parents have agreed for us to celebrate Easter on Monday. I dare not skip Easter, being Jessica told me it was one of her favorite holidays. So, I am doing everything possible to make it a nice day !! I've already started purchasing things for their Easter Baskets. Of course, all 3 kids will get a basket. I need to mail Elliot's by Tuesday.

• My Mom's Birthday is coming up on the March 26. My cousin Janice is bringing her mom, Aunt Elsie, over from High Point, and we will go out and celebrate. I am sure it's kind of hard on my mom and Aunt Elsie. Two of their sisters' diseases / illnesses have progressed in such a way, they will not be able to celebrate with us. It was only just a couple of years ago, and all 4 sisters got together regularly for birthdays and special events. Now two of the sisters' health is to poor from them to get out. However, after going out for a meal, we will go visit Aunt Dot, who has Parkinson's Disease, and Aunt Katy, who has Alzheimer's and recently diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Aging Sucks !!

• I have told Pier One management that I need to have either Tuesday or Wednesday off each week. I've been thinking about it a while now. I'm just not getting anything done around the house. Additionally, I'm just tired all the time. I'm especially excited this week, being I don't work Sunday night....off Monday from both jobs....then off Wednesday, both jobs. I should get some things accomplished !!!!

• I, finally, purchased my airline tickets to NYC for my April trip. Jessica will be there with her choral group. I'm flying up to spend time with Elliot and to attend some of Jessica's activities. It should be lots of fun !! I'm staying in a hotel this trip. There are some issues with Elliot's roommates. Apparently, Elliot's roommate's, live-in girlfriend, Kate, doesn't want me to stay at the house with Elliot and has been making all kinds of excuses for me not to stay there. I refuse to be a guest somewhere I'm not wanted, so I'm staying in a hotel. However, because of Kate's sudden dislike for me, it's causing a lot of tension with Elliot. Elliot has been extremely angry and upset with them for their lack of maturity. Elliot has been a loyal son. It's one thing to have done something tangible to cause her to feel badly towards me, but she's making up things to cause issues. If I had offended her, I could attempt to correct the problem or make amends, but she's making very random excuses why she doesn't feel I should stay at the house. 1. She feels like she will have to enertain me during the day while Elliot is working. When that excuse didn't hold water; 2. She told Elliot that I bitched alot about him behind his back, which made her uncomfortable. Fortunately, Elliot knew that was a lie. He knows I think the "sun rises and sets" with him. Funny thing, it has been quite the opposite. When I visited at Thanksgiving and at New Years, I was the one uncomfortable with their complaining about him. 3. The latest accusation has been that I have played to rough with their dog and have caused him emotional damage and they are having to hire a trainer to undo what I caused. Elliot and I, both, know this is a load of crap. I love their dog and have done nothing but love that animal....If anyone has mistreated the dog, it's been Steven and Kate. The dog gets yelled at and handled roughly for several minutes if it has an "accident" on the floor or does something they don't feel is appropriate. I think I'm more disturbed by the lies and this sudden dislike for me. It amazes me how some people would rather just end a relationship rather than have discussion to cause reconciliation. I'm not used to being disliked and it's been very disturbing. Elliot keeps telling me to not let it get to me....let it go.... Personally, Elliot and I don't see how he can remain with them long term.

House Remodel / Redecorate

Another week almost completed. A few updates to provide from my last post:

1. Front Door and Shutters have been primed and are ready for paint, which I will do on Sunday AM. YAH !!! Finally !!!

2. I have the supplies to work on the Wrought Iron furniture, but haven't started that project. May do that on Monday. Funny thing: I read there is some miracle stuff to put on the rusty furniture and it will not only get rid of rust but become a primer. It's called NAVAL JELLY.. How terrible of a name !!! I just hope it works !!

3. My Mom came out last Wednesday and she and I worked on taking down wallpaper in the kitchen. I was amazed how much we got down...but there's still quite a bit to be removed ! I'm not excited about moving the wallpaper behind the stove and refrigerator. UGH !!


There is so much to do inside, still. Once the wallpaper is removed from the kitchen, Wallpaper needs to be removed from 2 bathrooms. Afterwards, the kitchen, kitchen cabinets need painting, the hall and both baths. Jessica's bedroom and my bedroom need painting, as well !! I am getting there...slowly.

I act like I hate all of this work, but I really don't. I just feel like I've not been able to dedicate the time necessary to get any thing accomplished. However, with giving myself an extra day off from Pier One, during the week, I should begin tackling some of these projects.

Feeling a Little Over Ambitious

I just finished my work week. Here's the things on my list for the day with no specific order:

1. Make a Chicken Pie for Dinner (Jessica's request)

2. Lowe's Improvements for supplies

3. Wire Brush 2 pieces of Iron Furniture....Sand down..

4. Prime Outdoor Shutters.

5. Clean and Sand the designated Kitchen Cabinets.

There's no way this all will get accomplished being I worked all night. Additionally, these are no small projects !!!

I need to round up some recruits !!

Another Mile Stone

Yesterday, Saturday, March 8, my former wife married, after a 3 year seperation and almost 1 year divorced. How do I feel? What am I thinking? Her marriage has caused me to reflect over our years of marriage and the ending of it.

After almost 17 years of marriage, I left. I would have never left if there had been anything to cling too....Friendship....love on some level...but there was nothing between us but anomosity, bitterness and resentment. I was tired of living the lie. First, you may think the LIE was me being gay. Yes, that is part of the story. Finally, I had admitted to myself, I was really gay. However, the rest of the LIE, was our marriage. I had come to the place after several years, I no longer loved my former wife and honestly, she didn't love or like me, contrary to the act she displayed for the church and our little "world". Our closest of friends were aware of the deep troubles within our marriage. However, the church and most of our world saw the "happy" married couple. "The Curtain" came up and the show began anytime we were around most people, but as soon we were in private, "The Curtain" fell hard, the show over, revealing 2 miserable human beings.

Do I have any regrets? Well, only 1 regret. I regret the way our seperation occurred. I wish I had the courage to sit down and speak with her about our failed marriage, and then had left and dealt with the "gay" issue at a later time. Instead, I was "confronted" about being gay and given ultimatums about who I chose as friends, which caused me to immediately become defensive and leave. Due to the manner of the confrontation (which was done with others present; an intervention), I was unwilling to really address the accusations. In fact, opinions had already been formed and no one was really interested in "truth", but a total admittance of guilt. However, I'm not denying guilt, but I wasn't necessarily guilty for all that I was being accused. Additionally, I wasn't the only guilty party in the room. I think if I had left first, my former wife would have had to deal with her part in the failed marriage. Instead, she was more concerned about absolving herself of any responsibility of the failed marriage and keeping up the act of the "woman abandoned".

In no way, do I want to give the impression that all 17 years of our marriage was miserable. I, truly, attempted to make the "best" of a bad situation. Also, there were happy times in our marriage. Two incredibly, beautiful children were conceived from our union. As bad as the marriage was, my former wife and I have had the children in common. We, both, love (d) the children. We had many happy times with them. The kids truly brought joy to us, both.

I truly hope for happiness for she and her new husband. I hope this will allow a new beginning to our relationship. We are forever bound by our children and future grandchildren. I hope for more than a tolerable relationship with she and her new husband, but a relationship which can be amiable.

Pride & Prejudice

My 16 year old daughter, my 25 year old son, and I, absolutely love this movie ! Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley are just excellent. It's just a classy film !!!!!! We never get tired of it.....HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Squeezing More Time Out of My Busy Life

I knew buying my former house would require some significant work, being my ex wife had failed to provide any upkeep. However, I would have thought I would be much further along since moving in the home last August. To date, the family room is the only room completed.

Working full time / part time, and having 2 children still at home, has left little time for remodeling/redecorating. However, I now have the incentive to get the house completed. Really close friends are coming in May from Cleveland.

I am discovering the difficulty in finding the time and/or energy to complete the necessary projects. When home from work, I'm exhausted. When I do have the time, the children are home and I don't want to waste a moment with them. Therefore , I must prioritize the projects and plug away at them, no matter how slow I am. Slow is so much better than not accomplishing anything at all. So...Maybe, I will have an update soon !!!