JOURNAL

My youngest, second of two children I've been single parenting for over 18 years now, celebrates their 19th birthday today. We are celebrating, as a family, on the 23rd, next Sunday. Most of their friends and some of their fellow employees and all but 3/4 of their immediate family wished them a happy birthday. As one does.

1/4 of their immediate family did not. And for no good reason. Mentioned more than once in these journal entries - the absolute pile of shit that is their grandma - my mother, did not wish a happy birthday or otherwise acknowledge it in the slightest. My youngest, myself, my brother (their uncle) and my mom (their grandmother) all live together. We do not have an extended family and my kids have zero family on their mom's side (at no fault of my own, I repeatedly tried). To have someone who has a bedroom directly upstairs from you and who also happens to be your grandma not wish you a happy birthday... FUCK.

I think I was able to soften the blow, but why should I even have to do that? I can't wait for our lease to be up. Everyone is going somewhere else, and not together.

Tomorrow, my youngest and I are going out to eat at the local burger joint down the block to shrug it all off - but also probably bitch about it some, as well. Stay tuned for pics of amazing homecooked burgers.