Poor B

Wherever he travels, people often give my husband, B, grief about my blog -- which, by the way, he never reads.  The latest push-back he is enduring is taking place in Houston, where he is visiting his grandchildren.  A while back, I wrote a blog about the financial toll it takes on us (see 'Debtors' Prison', March 8/17).  Afterall, we are merely pensioners and thus don't have extra money lying around.  We have to save and do without to pay for his visits and at times it pisses me off because I am a firm believer in the critical importance of grandparents in the lives of their offspring's children and I sometimes resent the reduction it causes in our own recreation. 

So I insist he go, even though I don't. 

In my earlier blog, I may have confused before- versus after-tax dollars and this was pounced upon as false and objectionable.  Never mind that the blog is true and honestly depicts our dilemma.  No, it's all about the dollar error -- which, by the way, is the one quoted by B himself whenever we discuss finances. 

I have also learned that at least one of his ex's cousins (initials A.A.) secretly reads my blog and makes it a point to call everyone up to alert them and complain about my latest opinions.  Hundreds of thousands of people read my blog because I make it freely available on the web.  Readers know it's my personal blog -- as I always say -- and unless I am slandering or maligning you, shut up and write your own.  Or better still, write a comment which I will gladly publish.

But no, these people never have the nerve to put their thoughts and objections "out there".  Recently I went to a party and a complete stranger approached and said, "I read your blog all the time and I have to say I don't agree with a lot of what you say."  Whaaaat??!!  Like I care, lady!  Were it not for the regard I had for our hostess, this broad would have received an earful.

"You're only as sick as your secrets" is a saying with which I wholeheartedly agree.  Apparently, B's ex and her family have a lot of secrets and tend to whitewash the truth.  Unfortunately for them, I occasionally write about these "secrets" because they aren't secrets to me; I have none.  I'm into truth. 

So to this ex-cousin I say, the next time you cause B trouble, I won't just use your initials, I'll write out your name.