I was feeling quite pleased with myself that I had got through Christmas feeling relatively calm and unscathed. It went well - STBX had kids on Christmas Day and delievered them to me on Boxing Day. I spent Christmas day alone, wrapping my kids presents and generally just chilling out. Had a great day with them on Boxing Day, doing the presents and Christmas Dinner and all the usual stuff. Really enjoyed my time with them - more so than for some time, as it was just me and them - no family, no feuds, no sniping, no point scoring etc. Great! Didn't even get upset at STBX desperately

Had a good Christmas, but can't help feeling that there's someone missing. Kids are okay. They got the presents they wanted for Christmas - all paid for by me. Ex said he'd give them money so they could buy themselves something, but he turned up to visit on Christmas Day with nothing. And anyway, it should be me who's getting the money, as I bought their presents, and he doesn't pay anything towards their upkeep. I'll have to go to the CSA in the new year and try to get something that way. The problem is that I earn more than he does, and can just about manage on my pay to keep things

Goodbye 2007... boy, will I be glad to see the back of this year!!!!!

Never, in my wildest imagination did I think that this year would bring me such heartache... sorrow.... sadness.... confusion.... anger....

Now...I don't consider myself the brightest person in the world.... nor, do I consider myself the most stupid.... I'm an average, reasonably intelligent, reasonably articulate sort of person....

I thought I was happily married to a man I dearly loved.... and, strangely, I thought he was of the same mind....

We had been together over 20 years.... married for 17 of those.... we were