FAMILY

Yesterday, a Christmas card came for Jack from Becky. I found the card and decided that I needed to resolve this card issue. I had a choice of hiding this card with the others she has sent, or, discussing this with Pam. I see these cards as Becky's attempt to make her point. The cards come addressed to Jack or Pam with no mention of my name. It is Becky's way of saying that our family does not exist.

Jack has two extended families. There is the Olroyd/Boone family, manipulated by Becky. Some of these family members have been accepting of us. Others are walking the fence unsure about us and unwilling to defy Becky. Jack's other family are the May's. These are a loose collection of independent people who share antisocial traits and a fondness for outburst and drinking. Of the two, Jack fits much better among the May's.

A year ago we went to Swansea to visit the Olroyd/Boone family for Thanksgiving. It was awful. Becky did not want us there and clearly she had gossiped about us with most of the other participants. We were treated like lepers. People either believed we were "bad" or they did not want to cross Becky for fear of her talking about them. Regardless, we were not welcome.

This year we spent Thanksgiving in California. My ex-wife Julie and my daughters, Meredith and Colleen, came to dinner. Meredith brought her boyfriend Shawn. It was almost the best Thanksgiving I can remember going back to living on Russell. The food was fair; I tried to make Skinny Margaritas that turned out watery...nobody made fun of me. We did have drinks and talked about our common history. Jack calls my ex-wife, Aunt Julie and likes having older sisters.

Does it seem crazy that Jack knows and likes the May extended family better than the so called Olroyd/Boone family? For all of our faults and disagreements over the years, I would not trade anyone from the May family. My ex-wife is more supportive of Pam and me then Pam's mother. This is a great lesson for Jack and better then a stupid Card from a so called Grandmother who gossips about us. Turns out Aunt Julie is a better person than Becky.