Youngest's 16th brirthday. Ruined already. Wife makes a great scene at breakfast about my having wrapped the wrong presents for my youngest daughter. Eldest has just re-appeared, after she and youngest went to get dressed, to say that youngest has decided that only she and eldest will go out today for youngest's birthday lunch. Obviously being around warring parents is too much. Whilst they were dressing, Wife gave me yet another lecture about how I ruin everything, how I must leave the family, how I am mentally ill and she recommends that I should iimmediately jump off the

Merry Christmas to everyone who does that. My cousin and family came round for dinner tonight. Mt wife ends up giving a weird spiel about how my late mother was engaged to some man as a means to get my uncle an apprenticeship when they were young! Not a story that I've heard before but my wife always chatted with my late mother in far greater depth than I was ever able to. My wife's aim seems to have been to cast aspersions on my family background- was my mother a bit mad? She was definitely a bit paranoid but then she grew up in Ireland around the time of partition and the Civil

Today's strangeness. Wife asked me to get sausage and a ready cooked chicken- also cut price sandwiches.  I had asked if anything was wanted.  Once downstairs and various other things done, Wife asks me to get some 15p loaves too.  No sandwiches.  All others bought and brought home. Wife starts on about chicken was supposed to be cut price.  Sausages were supposed to be sausage meat and cost less than £1.   But then tirade, in front of both children, about how this is because I am sick; she can't stand it any longer; I argue with her;  she will leave if I do not get out; etc.  I