Maybe this isn't so off topic after all... My husband was a Mormon when we met and isn't one anymore, thank God. So we've been enjoying a very nice break in Ireland this week. I've been having some trouble relaxing on this trip, mainly due to all the stress November brings.

My dog was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor last week. My other dog also had one, so I was pretty upset about that. I'm getting older and the body is starting to feel the effects of aging. So even though I've been wanting to see Ireland for years now, actually relaxing and enjoying it has been a project.

Fortunately, I found us a nice cottage right next to the Atlantic Ocean and I can watch the waves and dream as the tide comes in and goes out. It's been wonderful to be with my husband and enjoy the peace of the place where his ancestors came from without having to worry about church stuff.

We've had a great fourteen years together, despite the fact that parental alienation ruined my husband's relationship with his very TBM daughters. We live in Germany, which is a great place to be right now. And I still get to sing for my husband, too.

This video is a few years old, but it pretty much sums up how I feel about him. Now that we've been in Ireland, it might be time to redo this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz5d8LCYZhs&t=20s

"Being in love with each other is the most fun two people can have!"
--Judic West,Assistant Lord of the Manor



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/2016 10:12AM by elderolddog.

Hearty congrats.
Have a Guinness or two to celebrate :)

LOL... we have the Guinness part covered. We toured both the Guinness and Smithwick's "experiences" and upgraded to advanced beer tastings!

I'm thinking it might be time to go to the bar next to our cottage and have some whiskey.

Is also good beer - from Dingle. So glad you are enjoying life - so sorry about all the alienation.

Well, at this point, they're adults... and at least they leave us alone.

It really sucked to go through the alienation because my husband loves his daughters and it broke his heart when they quit talking to him. But ultimately, it's their loss. He's a wonderful man. I am very happy to have him in my life.

I will keep my eyes peeled for other beers. I found one in Donegal the other day that was a really nice change of pace-- Atlantic Amber Ale by Donegal Brewing Company. Unfortunately, we're finding a lot of Bud and Coors here.

I'm glad that you are enjoying yourselves, Knotty. Happy Anniversary!

Thanks, Summer! It occurs to me that I started reading this board when we were engaged. Missionaries had stopped by and my husband was upset that I outed him. He had never been negative about the LDS church, so I went searching for the reason why he was upset. Fourteen years later, I still read here!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2016 01:52AM by knotheadusc.

Happy Anniversary to both of you, knotheadusc!!!

:) :) :)

Thank you!

Happy anniversary! Today is my anniversary to my hubby of 37 years.

We mormonism together 6 years ago. Life has only gotten better. It's sounding like it's the same for you. Enjoy your time in Ireland. It's a beautiful place.
Mad Alice

Happy anniversary to you, too!

Thank you! I am a big fan of Beth Nielsen Chapman's music.

knotheadusc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe this isn't so off topic after all... My
> husband was a Mormon when we met and isn't one
> anymore, thank God. So we've been enjoying a very
> nice break in Ireland this week. I've been having
> some trouble relaxing on this trip, mainly due to
> all the stress November brings.
>
> My dog was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor last
> week. My other dog also had one, so I was pretty
> upset about that. I'm getting older and the body
> is starting to feel the effects of aging. So even
> though I've been wanting to see Ireland for years
> now, actually relaxing and enjoying it has been a
> project.
>
> Fortunately, I found us a nice cottage right next
> to the Atlantic Ocean and I can watch the waves
> and dream as the tide comes in and goes out. It's
> been wonderful to be with my husband and enjoy the
> peace of the place where his ancestors came from
> without having to worry about church stuff.
>
> We've had a great fourteen years together, despite
> the fact that parental alienation ruined my
> husband's relationship with his very TBM
> daughters. We live in Germany, which is a great
> place to be right now. And I still get to sing
> for my husband, too.
>
> This video is a few years old, but it pretty much
> sums up how I feel about him. Now that we've been
> in Ireland, it might be time to redo this!
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz5d8LCYZhs&t=20s


The song is beautiful, as is your voice. It might be fun for you to try a few Irish love songs as well.

Congratulations on fourteen years of happy marriage, which is commendable these days.

Thanks so much! I will have to expand my repertoire. I'm sure my husband would love it if I learned more songs from the land of his people. ;)

I can't believe it's taken us so long to get to Ireland. It really is a lovely country. Also... quite a few people who follow my writing are Irish, which I take as a huge compliment. Since we've been here, we've noticed how clever the journalists are.

We're headed back to Dublin today because we have to fly back to Germany tomorrow. Unfortunately, last night, we had a little setback. My husband was on Facebook and he saw his extremely estranged TBM daughter listed under "People you may know". He hasn't seen or talked to her since 2004 because her mother turned her and her older sister into alienated zombies. She apparently recently got married.

My husband saw that picture and was temporarily gutted by it. I got very upset, because over fourteen years, we've been dealing with drama and pain surrounding those two ghost kids and their older brother (by a different father) he financially supported, but never had a chance to raise (despite his efforts). I'm pretty sure ex daughter has me blocked on Facebook. I'm not sure why she hasn't blocked my husband, since the last communication we got from her was a letter disowning him and demanding that he allow her and her older sister to be adopted by their mother's third husband.

Anyway... I don't care that she's married. I don't care to have any contact with her, actually. I just wish that particular part of my husband's history would stop popping up at inopportune moments. It always seems to be Christmas or a birthday or our anniversary that we get some sign from the world that they're still out there.

Ah well. I am mostly over it today. This vacation will go down as one of the best ones, even if we did spend several days cooped up in the house, simply watching the sea. :D