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Well the custody hearing ended as I suspected it might. My son Jim lost the case. Damion will remain with ex-mother-in-law Sheila for the time being. Next time I hope he'll be better prepared and HIRE A LAWYER.

My position remains unchanged. I have no plans to ever contact Shelia as I truly believe it condones her actions. The long suffering wife is under no constraint from me in this manner. I find this soap opera to have gone on much too long and I desire to keep my hands clean from the slime and the mud slinging as best I may. Not sure what the basis of the decision was -- neither here nor there. Truthfully I believe there is much left undone by all parties before this can be worked out. I myself would prefer that Jim and Gina share custody but Sheila is convinced Jim would leave her out if possible (as Gina as threatened me and Ruth in the past--surprise--that doesn't work with me.) I'll go the whole 18 years if I have to. Principle before feelings. Tough on Ruth though. We have access (reasonably) I have always resented being left out of the loop by all parties concerned. I'm waiting for Damion to realize someday what a pawn his grand-mother has made of him (though I still cling to the idea that this was NOT the original intent just morphed downward as all spiral paths go when set upon.

Mary Ann is now in Florida so I made that last visit pretty much just in time.

Cat Trixie is visibly better but still has trouble with the hind legs. Spends a lot of time in the bathtub. Ruth thinks it's the closest she can get the crawl space area (reached by way of the washer thru the kitchen wall if you jump high enough and she can't do that anymore) but I no longer think she's dying.

There is a slight chance second son Dan might NOT deploy back to Iraq in January. Will find out Monday.

Nephew still living quite well without clues--and a wife -- and almost without electricity -- and a grip on reality. I'm almost ready to wash hands of him. He still thinks he can wean himself off alcohol. I have almost no patience for someone who doesn't learn painful lessons BUT CONTINUES TO WHINE ABOUT LIFE IS UNFAIR. I have reevaluated where I thought he would hit rock bottom and have decided maybe when he does jail time for the DUIs and drunk and disorderly that was the straw that cost him a wife. I do not think Julie is coming back. She wants him to agree to a legal separation. I sense a plot to get her own declaration of intent to file personal bankruptcy approved and shove some costs his way. It's always fascinated me that in my many years of observations of couples that the ones that protest their GREAT love and devotion to each other to any and all willing to listen are the very ones that give sharks and tigers a bad name in court when the rose color glasses come off. Such a waste. I'm about to retire that phrase "They're a keeper" from my vocabulary. Seems everytime I say it the couple are done in two years. Now if I could sell this unexpected misdianosis of relationships my Avengers recollecting would get some major impetus.

Next blog I promise will be merrier.