I have no idea what brought this post to mind...

I am looking for a thread; Murphy’s Law and Law of Averages.

A couple of years ago my brother in law committed Suicide on August 31^st, my ex husbands birthday. As my husband was out of town I took care of the litany of paperwork that comes with an untimely death. The whole thing was quite an ordeal as the hospital was hand pumping his heart even though he was brain dead. All of his family was in California so my Father in Law told me to make the call. I said to stop pumping and let him go. John’s (my brother in law) girl friend Amelia was at the hospital and accused me of murdering John for making the call.

I flew out to California to see my in- laws and my husband who still there. I had never met his family before, but they seemed really nice even though they were going through this horrible death situation. I flew out Friday September 7, 2001 and was due back in New Orleans Tuesday September 11. The evening of September 9, 2001 I got this overwhelming feeling that I had to leave on the 10^th. When I told my husband’s family that I was moving up my reservations I think that they just assumed that I did not like them. All I can say is that I am glad I was not stuck somewhere between San Diego and New Orleans the morning of 9-11-01

When my husband returned to New Orleans his brother’s girlfriend Amelia decided that she needed to start calling him 24/7. Some sort of issue about needing to “comfort” him and herself because they were going through the same “thing”. Hmmm yes well calling led to going to drinks which led to going to dinner which led to the ultimate form of “comfort”. I think that I was fully aware of what was going on, but was so tired of living a lie with a controlling bastard that I let the affair go. If he was out with her he at least was not in my house driving me slowly insane.

On January 2 of 2002 I slipped off the attic stairs at my gallery and did a compound fracture to my ankle. I was in the hospital for 4 days and underwent 2 surgeries. I remember before the first operation the doctor saying “where’s your husband- this is a serious operation and you need a family member here.” I was too embarrassed to call my family because I did not want to admit that my husband was such an ass hole. I checked my self out of the hospital on the 4^th day, but they would not release me unless I had someone pick me up and stay with me in my house. The cast came up over my knee and it was on my right leg which made driving difficult. I told my husband that he better come and get me or I was going to tell his parents who are very devout Christians what he was up to. He came and picked me up. Dropped me off at the front door of the house and promptly left.

Looking back at the situation it was probably a “blessing in disguise” that I broke my ankle because it prohibited me from being able to get in my truck and make a Public Scene in front of my husband and Amelia who were now living together. It also kept me away from having to hear all the gossip and unsolicited comments from friends and acquaintances.

The day after I got my cast off of my leg I was soundly asleep when my phone kept ringing and ringing. I finally picked up the phone and as it was 3am I thought – shit someone better be dead or my gallery better have been burglarized – something important better have happened. Be afraid of what you wish for. The Fire Chief in the other end of the phone said you better get over here now; your gallery is on fire.

The fire was a 6 alarm affair and destroyed 90% of my artists work. My husband’s computer business was in the same building – and was also completely destroyed.

I had very good insurance and after 7 months of negotiations was able to settle a claim and pay the artists. The claim also allowed me in part to pay off my bank note.

I think this came to mind as I attending a company Thanksgiving Lunch this afternoon. I am the CPA for the company and my EX is their IT person. He brought along his 26 year old new wife. It was all a bit awkward, but personally I am really happy that we are not married anymore and feel bad for his new wife. All of my co- workers were really concerned about how I felt about the new wife’s presence. I found this concern to be rather annoying, though well placed.

My thought is anything that can go wrong will, but everything evens out in the end and there in lays the thread.