Most of you know that the last year or two has been pretty stressful for me with the ex and his girlfriend being less than responsible when it comes to the kids at times. I'd been majorly holding a grudge and being downright stubborn, whether it was good for me or not. (Must be the German in me. )

Now, when you don't have to deal with the ex for long periods or because of important things, he's tolerable. It's when you have to live with his "I'm smarter, better, wiser, blah blah blah" that really tears you down.

His girlfriend is actually nice, as long as you don't have to live with her and her mood swings (which the kids have said have really tapered off since shortly after her "I can't wait to get to a therapist and be fixed because you kids make me crazy" tantrum). Now she just has her PMS moments. As a woman myself, I can't fault her for that. LOL (and the kids really CAN cause you to feel like you're losing it. The bickering between them, oy vay).

So anyway, my son forget his cell phone at his dad's, so on Saturday after bowling and errands we stopped over there to pick it up. The ex had a bunch of friends over and they were cleaning up the feed yard because the insurance company wants the silo and barns brought down. The barns I can see, they're getting pretty lopsided and could easily fall over during a storm. I don't understand their reasoning for the silo. It's perfectly fine, but I digress.

My son, of course, has to go hang with the guys for a while. I'm scratching Cookie's ears because she was outside on the leash (she hates to be inside if the temperature is above freezing). The girlfriend comes to the patio door with not one, not two, but THREE more dogs - her sister's and two of the guy friend's dogs. I was in doggie heaven. A golden retriever, a black lab/rottweiler mix, and a pit bull/great dane mix. They were all so sweeeeeet. The golden had to give me hugs and kisses.

So the g/f says "you don't have to wait outside, come on in." OK, this is weird since this is my old house and I haven't set foot in it in over a year since she moved in.

She's getting chips and dips set up for the guys when they take a break. She's offering me drinks and snacks and we're sitting there talking like two - gasp, I hate to say it - friends.

It was so nice to be able to talk to another female. The women in town are so cliquey since they've all known each other since grade school, and the women who go to bowling to watch their kids live in an affluent town and are also very cliquey, so I never have anyone to talk to. I just don't have the confidence to try and break in. Besides, who wants to be a member of some group that you have to claw and scratch your way into, just to snub other people?

I had to turn the snacks and soda down since I've been watching my weight and have almost entirely cut out the nasty carbs and sugar. She was a little flustered, but then remembered she had some diet Pepsi in the back hallway. (I turned down an alcoholic drink because they hit me too fast and I had to drive again really soon).

Anyway, it was nice. My kids were absolutely SHOCKED to hear that we were actually talking.

Still, it was a bit strange. I actually dropped the grudge and enjoyed myself. Damn dogs are what started it. How can you be *****y when you're scratching fluffy ears and getting doggie kisses.