Joe said he needs money to pay for the escort service for R to fly to Texas to see his mother for Christmas. WTF? If you want to see YOUR child, wouldn't you come up with the money yourself?

escort service? I didn't know that the airlines charged extra for that. And $300? that's the price of a ticket.

I'm seething with anger that he put me in this spot. I already do a lot for Joe and R. I've given him money, bought clothes for R and other things. But this is just too much.

Yes, it is. Bank of Cashmere is closed.

Cash, I can totes see why it would bug.

I apologize as this is probably inappropriate of me, but I'm having a visceral reaction to the kid's mom. She's letting someone who isn't even related to her child, let alone someone who has issues of his own to cope with, raise her kid?! I am having a failure of empathy here.

Why can't she pay to have her own child come visit her? I assume she's in financial straits?

Oh Cashmere - the things your family asks of you, it makes me angry/sad/sorry for you. You are helpfula nd supportive and have lots to do on your own. This is too much.

mac has learned flipping me off, so I got that recently, but the cursing also followed "f'in mf'er bitch/bastard" is the combo he seems to have latched on to. His therapist and I bonded today over how that is so much better than physically lashing out, but the cursing is sometimes done in public, so it brings new complications. Ahh kids.

I didn't know that the airlines charged extra for that. And $300? that's the price of a ticket.

They do charge extra, but for a ticket we just bought my niecphew, it was $100 fee.

I'm sorry he's put you in this position, Cash.

Orangutan takes photos, shares them on Facebook

If they had a screen to display the photos to the orangutan and raisins were dispensed near the screen I’d be a lot more interested in the results.

I was up all night with an evil stomach flu. Am home from work today and laying around like a lump.

I woke up like that yesterday. The good news is that I don’t feel like death today so maybe yours will be short-lived, too.

H₂0 in solid form is precipitating out of gaseous clouds suspended in the atmosphere.

Shut yo' mouth. I don't have any windows and prefer to live in ignorance.

Sorry, but I can verify that this is true.

I apologize as this is probably inappropriate of me, but I'm having a visceral reaction to the kid's mom. She's letting someone who isn't even related to her child, let alone someone who has issues of his own to cope with, raise her kid?! I am having a failure of empathy here.

It's not inappropriate. It's totally INSANE! This woman is not raising her own child! I feel so badly for R. His father lives near my parents (less than 5 miles away) and has only seen him ONCE in two years. The kid is a throw away. If it weren't for my family, I don't know where he would be. I hate her.

Why can't she pay to have her own child come visit her? I assume she's in financial straits?

Financial straits = refuses to work

My brother can't work because of his illness. He collects less than $1000 a month SSDI and he gets no support for R. R gets Medicaid, free lunches and his school fees are paid by the state but my family feeds and clothes him.

He's a bright, well-behaved kid and I love him. I just resent being guilted into providing something for his pathetic excuse for a mother.

And $300? that's the price of a ticket.

I think that's the idea.

Does anyone have more info on the airplane escort thing? My bf's son is coming for Xmas, and even though his ex got married and moved to Penn. in the last month, she's asking for him to help pay for an extra ticket, so she can fly with him to KC and back. Even though she agreed, when she brought up moving, which was not in their divorce agreement, that they would take care of travel.

And she's putting him in a private school that's $1100 a month. And asking for extra money for tuition. Above the $700 a month child support. And private prep school was not in the divorce agreement, either.

Er. So. Escort info?

Erin, here's SW's policy: [link]

Each airline might be a bit different. If his son is very young, it might be reasonable to buy the extra ticket. Airline attendants can't be with the child every minute, you don't know who he'll be sitting next to, and there are sometimes problems.

And she's putting him in a private school that's $1100 a month. And asking for extra money for tuition. Above the $700 a month child support. And private prep school was not in the divorce agreement, either.

If she wants more money, then she can go to court and have the agreement modified. I presume that the custody agreement spells out when he is entitled to visits? If so, then it is her reponsibility to get the kid there if she agreed. How old is the kid?

oh noes, msbelle. You're right, it's way better than physically lashing out, but still... not looking forward to that one.

On Monday, Isaac tried to bite my face. I know he's just been wound up and overtired lately, but I found it pretty disturbing. I was holding him and he got mad and tried to bite me, so I put him down and DH picked him up. Then Isaac started crying and wanting me to hug him.