I’m gwenchana, I have some travel planned and a concert with my bestie and BD19.  Other than that, its work as usual and trying to keep up with all the never ending changing bullshit, it changes daily at this point and we get multiple updates throughout the day so that’s fun.

I'm generally doing good! I have a new client I devote 24 hours a week to (I do consulting) and I LOVE the work. Recently dumped a bad client and have pulled back quite a bit from another that is self-sabotaging (paying someone to improve or fix things is futile if you resist improving or fixing things). 
After a really busy January (working), I'm back to the gym quite a bit and feeling good. Reading a great book (if you like history and crime stories), "The Sinners All Bow" by Kate Winkler Dawson.
Also planning a trip to New England when spring arrives! 

I have walking pneumonia and it's preventing me from doing things that I need to do! *diablo*

I love these quiet months after the holidays so I'm doing well.  DH and I have NO doctor appts this month so I'm able to tackle some other tasks.  It feels good to get caught up with everything.  Life is good!

My handsome, charming and dynamic son-in-law died, suddenly, yesterday morning. Literally ‘dropped dead’, with a massive heart attack. He was 60. Sure got me thinking how, at 80, I’m living on borrowed time (good genetics doesn’t always save you).

I’ve resolved to start doing something every day to make it just a little special. Today, I gave myself a manicure, 3 coats of Revlon ‘Romantique’ and made the best lemon chicken that the kitchen of Chez grannyd has yet produced. DH was swooning..

From late January to now has not been kind to us. My cousin-in-law passed away Monday.  He had multiple health issues but we believe that negligence on the part of the hospital caused the problems that killed him.  I won't go into detail out of respect for him.  He was a private person and wouldn't want me telling about all that he's been through.  I'll just say that he might still be here and probably at his house right now had he been taken to another hospital.  Anyway, he and my husband grew up together.  They were like peas and carrots as Forrest Gump would say.  They were like brothers and were best friends.  They used to get into all kinds of mischief together.  He was also my favorite of my inlaws.  An all around great man.  I don't know if he knew just how loved he was until maybe when he passed and was surrounded by so many of us.   I worry so much about my husband.  He's not coping well, which is understandable.  His cousin was about the only one in his family who showed that he truly cared, outside of MIL.  The rest of them, well, not so much.  Some we've actively cut out, some think they're better than us and didn't even care enough to come and see CIL.  Still there are some that are just bad about keeping in touch, so my husband is just not close with them. 

CIL was the one who my husband would call with his issues, for help with projects around here, and when CIL was still able to get around, they were fishing buddies.  It's not fair.  He was the best friend my husband ever had and I don't know how he's going to go on without him.  My husband was the same for him.  They were there for each other as best friends are.  

I'm hurting but not like my husband is.  I'm going to miss my favorite inlaw.  I've been busy with the guinea pigs. We lost Princess Popcorn back in August, leaving us with the Stinkeye Queen and Princess Not-as-Chunky.  The Stinkeye Queen has been chewing her own fur since we lost Princess Popcorn and Princess Chunky has lost weight.  I had Princess Chunky checked out and the vet didn't find anything wrong physically.  We both believe that she is stressed from losing her cage mate.  I didn't have the Queen checked because at the time I wasn't aware of what she was doing.  It wasn't obvious at the time.  I probably will get her checked out but I think she's stressed and the vet won't be able to do anything.  We got another little princess in September because my daughter said the cage looked empty with only two brats in there. (I call them the Brats because they are spoiled little brats) So now we have Princess Two Face, or Door Hinge.  I haven't decided what pseudonym to give her yet.  Chunky is being horrible to her so I haven't moved the little princess in with them yet.  She's in another cage next to them.  I've been getting them out pretty much every day for an hour so they can interact and get used to each other.  Things are slowly getting better with them.  The Stinkeye Queen has mostly accepted Princess Two Face so I think those two will live together just fine.  My daughter wants to put them together next week since it appears that Chunky will not try to eat Two Face, that they will work out their differences, and maybe it will help the Stink Eye Queen with her issues.  So that's where we are with that.  I plan to buy them new beds with two different entrances so Princess Two Face can get away from Princess Chunky if needed, and I'll deep clean the cage, and move them in together.  Hopefully it works out.  

We will probably start planning our garden soon.  I'm sure my husband will want to plant watermelon.  I haven't been able to look at watermelon the same since Princess Popcorn died.  She loved it and would scream for it when my husband would cut into a fresh one.  We weren't able to feed her one from the garden last summer because of deer. *sad*  I know we should plant it because Princess Popcorn would want that and Princess Two Face has never had it.  It just makes me sad.  Princess Two Face looks a lot like Princess Popcorn too.  She was at the pet store for a couple of months at least and I believe that God knew I needed her.  That's why she was there for so long.  Her personality is different and there are a lot of physical differences, but she looks enough like her to be comforting without feeling like we're replacing Popcorn.  That's all from me I guess. 

My culinary repertoire is expanding.  Which makes my sugar mama bride happy.

I hate doing laundry and sitting on my ass is getting old.

So I dusted off the Hydrow and am groaning my way through getting back into some semblance of fitness.

Thanks for asking. 

I hope all is well for everyone in STalker land.

The Cruel (to DH), Merciful (to me, the SM) God of Parental Alienation Syndrome has finally smiled upon this humble stepmother—the skids are gone.

Hallelujah.

The skids are gone.

Gone.

Out of my life.

Hallelujah.

I'd pop a bottle of champagne if I hadn’t already used up my celebratory stash on the last time YSD abused and ghosted DH months ago.

Meanwhile, in the background…

My narcissistic MIL runs amok, keeping tabs on the skids like some deranged intelligence operative, reporting back to DH every other damn day.

When she’s not conducting unsolicited surveillance, she’s off somewhere torturing another unfortunate family member, probably with the same relentless enthusiasm.

As for me?
I keep a low profile—real low.
Like witness protection low.

My MIL’s in her 80s… and I’m absolutely devastated. Because, as we all know, truly evil people can live to be 120. Yug!

I've turned a corner with my health and make it a priority every day.

Now, I'm finally diving into the projects I've always wanted to tackle since retiring.

Doing good. SD and hubby are good, Stepgrands are 2 and 3mos.  Bio kids are good; last one in college!! Hubby and I both are working; the sun is shining and it's warming up!