Loca Grande is on an upswing. She got money from somewhere. I reported that 2 weeks ago, Lazy Boye told us she bought a new car. That sent PITA over the edge. She'd promised him a car, and bailed out. She promised to pay for his braces, and bailed out. Each time, it was because she "didn't have any money."

Well, she shows up here, unannounced yesterday. I had JUST pulled into the driveway, when this cute little candy apple red Mustang convertible pulls in behind me. Over on the other side of the circle drive, where PITA was chopping firewood, I see his best friend's car pull up, and they start to walk to the house. I'm thinking, "who is this red car?" when Gullible, her husband, steps out of the car.

He asks if I got their message, and I remind him there is no service between my work and my house. At that moment, the phone vibrates, and I look down, and it's her message. He says they had to run into the nearby town for something, and wanted to take the boys shopping and for dinner. Which is weird, since they live in the state capitol, so there is more there than here, but whatever. He follows me in the house (I can tolerate him- he's never done anything wrong) and we find out what boys are up to. Lazy boye gets ready to go, but PITA yells up that he is working on a class project. I walk out to the car with Gullible and Lazy Boye to say hello. I am polite to Loca Grande. It makes things easier, and I know in the big scheme of life, we still have many of events we will have to suffer through together. Plus, it's fun to see her confused when I am so nice to her, even after all of the horrible things she has done...

She steps out of the car slowly to let Lazy Boye in the back seat. She's still recovering from disk surgery in her neck, and I can see that she's crying. I don;'t say anything. She says she has to run to town, and would like to buy the boys some winter clothes. She says she called PITA on his phone since he didn't even walk over to say hi. "He's being an ass. If he doesn't want to go, fine. More money to spend on Lazy boye."

Nice.

So inside, I ask PITA what happened. He says he told her he had a project to do and that's why his friend came over. He says he told her if she'd made plans with more notice he maybe could have gone. Loca Grande asked if he was mad at her, or mad about the car. he says he stayed calm and simply said he didn't have energy to play games with her. He told me he told her "if that's how you want to live your life, fine, but it seems like you don't have room for me in it."

I am sad for him, but so proud. He stood his ground, and he was willing to let her buy his affection.

So for the time being Lazy boye will gain from this. She'll focus her money and attention on him. She bought him several new shirts and jeans, and gave him money to order his letterman's jacket. I wonder about this money, since I know she's been out of work since June. Her disability doesn't pay that much. And I know she'll blow it all now, and then whine at Christmas that she has no money for presents for the kids. In most cases, she always wants to change the Christmas visitation schedule because she doesn't have money for the kids' presents... And that messes me up, since we make different holiday plans when they are not around.

And she must have a new phone. She called me three times today and texted me twice. I didn't recognize the new number, so she left messages. I guess Lazy Boye decided he didn't like the new jeans she bought, so she is coming back tonight to take him to go exchange them. I admit, I am curious as to what she would be doing in this town almost an hour and half from where she lives... She also wants to stop by school and add money into the boys' lunch accounts! In 13 years she has never paid a penny to help with school! When Loghead lost his job last winter, and he asked her to help with lunch money, she told him that was just too bad, and he'd have to figure something out. Not to help her kids, but to screw it to Loghead.

When she gets like this, it all seems fine and dandy for awhile, but it never ends well. Someone always gets hurt... And I'm left to pick up the pieces.