Kensington

We're working on our London itinerary so I went to the websites of Kew Gardens and Kensington Palace to be sure what we'd planned would work.  The Kensington Palace website warned that tickets are selling out - there is a Diana Exhibit and it's winding down so the month of October is super booked.  Luckily, our day (October 17th) is 'low availability' but we got tickets.  That's technically spending thirty five pounds that we wouldn't normally need to - we're buying the London Pass and tickets to the palace are included.  But I can't risk that we get there and we can't get in - because Kensington is on my 'must see' list and seeing the Diana exhibit will be the icing on the cake.

AND....drumroll.....I received an email from our Disney credit card offering special rates at select Disneyworld resorts.  Sadly, the one we chose wasn't included.  We/I (it was mostly me, vs. J.) selected the Contemporary resort because it has monorail service.  The only hotels included in the special pricing were only those with bus or boat service to the parks.  Huge increase to walking.

I checked it out, though...and just moved us to the Old Key West resort - which will save us $1,900! SCORE!  That's a HUGE, significant savings in exchange for some walking and will more than cover our meals for that trip - so it was well worth the switch.  Just like that, a 33% savings - and walking more won't hurt us a bit.  We'll be eating delicious food daily so good thing we will walk some of it off.

I'm making lists like crazy and come home nightly and work on checking things off.  I'm moving the shredder in next to my desk so I can start working on the shred bin.  J. went to the bank and obtained some currency for London and Paris - just pocket money since we'll use our foreign transaction free credit card on the trip for most expenses.

And I'm making lists like crazy at work, too - trying to get things staged and ready for folks to work on during the two weeks I'm gone.  I'm sure everyone will have plenty to do - our payroll person starts maternity leave on October 25th so there will be 'extra' work added to other people's plates to help offset for that 'loss'.  And...she's not sure she's coming back - her husband doesn't want her to work.  But I'm hoping (fingers crossed big time) that she will be like I was - love her baby and love being a Mom but also realize that adult conversation is important.  So we'll see.

Haven't heard from H. in over a week - no responses from either him or R. to texts.  He's been in touch with J. occasionally but he is (in typical fashion) not replying to most communications with any urgency.  I don't know what to make of it - I don't understand the dis-courteousness of just plain not replying.  My therapist says that type of behavior is abusive - and that's how it feels. 

It's those feelings - the ones of being ignored and disregarded - and so out of touch - that are the hardest for me to handle...and it's mostly because my instinct is to say 'fine.  Just don't pop back into our lives anytime soon, then, OK?  'cuz I don't like being jerked around'.  That's how it feels.  Constant state of feeling jerked. Only I don't much, most of the time, 'cuz I'm getting to the point where I honestly don't give a crap anymore.

And then I feel my heart breaking a bit.  Worried about H. being in a relationship that is so abnormal.  Worried about us as a family - because it's hard to pretend things are 'ok'...when you're working really hard at not giving a damn.

J. is making our last Hello Fresh meal for the next month.  It's so easy to 'suspend' and reinstate and I'm looking forward to coming home from our Europe trip and picking our meals again.  Easy, quick to prepare, super delicious.  We LOVE the service.