Monday, November 19, 2007

Check #8742

It's a day of tasks required to disentangle my life from Dave's. This morning I wrote check #8742, closing a bank account we've had for 21 years and opening a new account in my name only. A forensic accountant could track a whole adult life with those cancelled checks. Back in the early days of that account, we paid for everything with checks. (Remember those days?) There are checks for the diaper service and baby food, and ballet lessons and hockey sessions and harp lessons and college tuition and family vacations. The next-to-last check was to the divorce lawyer, and the last one was closing out the account. So, that story ends.

But the next story begins, I suppose. I have my big-girl bank account, and a credit card in my own name, and we talked about a home equity loan to buy Dave out of his part of the house and to purchase a new furnace. I could feel almost grown up and independent. That's not the primary feeling, God knows, but there's a little glimmer of strength and pride, way down deep somewhere.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

YEAH!! This is your sister Patrice,blowing on that spark with all my breath! That's the spirit that will carry you through this thing. Maybe you never wanted to HAVE to do this stuff, but in the end, as Daddy would have said, it does "build character." Not that you (or Daddy god knows) lack character. But this kind of thing is the stuff that makes you stronger, and chips away at fear. Congratulations on taking charge, and a BIG REBEL YELL in your direction!

Anonymous said...

Hurrah for you! So just part of the story ends and big new exciting story begins. Wow diaper service...you must have been living large!

Renee said...

One foot in front of the other...

breadchick said...

Congrats on this "HUGE" hurdle. It is a tough hurdle but you cleared it wonderfully.

Jen R said...

A big and painful step--recalling the history of the checking account must have been rough.

Very hard, but it's done. Those steps are behind you. Your strength isn't buried at all.

Lisa :-] said...

Hurrah for you, for knowing that "glimmer" is there. Wishing you strength to continue dealing with the past and the future.

Andrea Rusin said...

THanks, dear ones!

behaha said...

I'm proud of you!

Kimberly said...

Wow. It's really neat to see how you're growing through this awful situation. Not that you needed to, but it's pretty cool that you are.

I know your strength and pride will continue to grow. You deserve that.

Anonymous said...

another supportive sibling lighting a candle to keep your spark burning.

Sharon Frost said...

Andrea, you sound so strong here -- of course not everything is fixed but you're moving ahead. Makes me feel strong myself to read this.