Seeing things differently

Someone said to me recently, actually, ‘someone’ would be James Davies. That I did nothing for him, didn’t try to help him in any way, am just a prick.

Well, since he walked out on this family and his son I have had a chance to recall some of the things I ‘did’ do for him even though many, I am sorry to say, were misguided and based upon his lies.

  • Because he said he was in trouble and had no where else to go, I drove 260 miles down to Folkestone to pick him up.
  • I brought him into my home, I fed him, clothed him and loved him as a member of this family
  • I paid for him to go on holiday with us to France
  • I bought him his glasses
  • I allowed him to repay me some of what he owed by effectively NOT paying me any rent for several weeks, in short, he never repaid me at all.
  • When he was ill I sat with him day and night
  • I took him to the hospital with his panic attacks
  • I drove him to visit his mother in Folkestone more than once
  • I moved our office not once but twice costing me money each time
  • I dealt with aggravation from his family and abuse at times
  • I really did try everything I could to mediate between him and Daisy
  • I adjusted my own values to allow him virtually free say in my home.
  • I was there at his flat when he said he was ill
  • I spent ages trying to negotiate with his parents when he said he wanted to marry my daughter
  • I allowed him the luxury of options when they told me they were expecting a baby
  • I taught him to cook, to generally look after a home
  • I didn’t kill him or punish him when he damaged my new car
  • I went against my entire family because I was trying to help him be a better person
  • I put in a complaint to social services because of the way I think they mishandled his case
  • I visited his grandparents with him
  • I negotiated so that he could be practically all the way through the birth of Josh and arranged things so he could have his name on Josh’s birth certificate
  • I still supported him after his father barged into my house on my birthday this year threatening me in James name … Mr £40!
  • I have loaned him money countless time and no, I don’t get it back.
  • I have made myself ill with worry over him
  • I drove him to college when he said he was too ill, I was not to know he just didn’t want to go.
  • I helped him with a CV, not once but twice
  • I helped him look for a job
  • I collected him from all over the place, even recently from his girlfriends house
  • When he called very late at night from Emily’s, I was there for him

Oh, I could go on, I can’t be though because, with James, he doesn’t care. It simply doesn’t matter what the truth is because, it would seem, to him life is all one big lie. Because he lies to get what he wants then he seems to presume that everyone else is a liar too, that no one can be doing anything just because they care.

Well, I did and still do care greatly but, with what he has now done, my hands are tied, I cannot do any more without going that bit too far with the rest of the family and I am not prepared to do that especially knowing, as I do from bitter experience, that James will just throw it all back in my face. He will use the excuse that he didn’t ask me to do anything for him (actually he did. several times). That I did nothing for him, I am a dick-head and a prick, that I am shit under his Adios.

Where we go from here I don’t really know. All I can really do now is to continue to support those people who value my support and my love. The most annoying thing is, if a similar situation arose again, I’d probably do all the same things. It is not fair on others to allow James actions to change me as a person.

James said I am a control freak. There is some truth in that. I don’t dictate though. I have ideas and, quite often, those ideas make sense so people follow them. That may give the impression I am controlling everything. It’s really not the same thing. The only area where I am controlling is in my need to have my home a safe space for everyone. Those living here and guests are expected to behave in a respectful manner and not be prejudiced against anyone else. I don’t like hats worn in the house, it makes me feel as though that person feels uncomfortable here and, I have it in my head it is disrespectful. I dislike gum, it smells and I find trying to talk to someone chewing is off putting. I am cool with anyone wandering around the house in their underwear if they are sleeping here yet, strangely, I don’t much like people not quite wearing their clothes such as ‘sagging’. I expect those who lives here to pull their weight according to their abilities. That teaches everyone how to live with others and not take the piss by being a lazy git who sits on their arse all day whilst those around them keep things clean and tidy, provide food and drink and generally contributes.

James also said I am a money grabber … there is zero truth in that, it is classic transference. I have never owed James anything, he has owed me loads (and still does). I have always been generous to him and paid out for him way more than he ever contributed financially to this household. It should be remembered, James was a stranger to me prior to October 2008, I didn’t owe him anything. There is simply no evidence to support any claim I am a money grabber. If there is a confusion it is in this … if I loan someone money, I do expect, at some point when it is obvious they can do so, that they repay me. This is ‘my’ money, I am not grabbing anything from them just trying to teach that it is very bad form to borrow with no intent to repay.

I’d love to know what other rubbish James spoke about anyone else here. With the amount of lies, no doubt many would love to know some of the lies he’s said about them too!

When I was critical of the guys in Newton some time ago, who do you think told me what I thought I knew?

Back then I was still living in hope that James told me the truth at all, now I just have no idea what was true and what wasn’t. It is the old story of the girl who cried wolf who was ultimately eaten by wolves … keep lying about something often enough and, eventually, we just stop believing anything. I cannot help anyone who lies to me, there are just too many variables. Perhaps if more people were open and honest about what is really true, life would be so much easier!

Seeing things differently

Someone said to me recently, actually, ‘someone’ would be James Davies. That I did nothing for him, didn’t try to help him in any way, am just a prick.

Well, since he walked out on this family and his son I have had a chance to recall some of the things I ‘did’ do for him even though many, I am sorry to say, were misguided and based upon his lies.

  • Because he said he was in trouble and had no where else to go, I drove 260 miles down to Folkestone to pick him up.
  • I brought him into my home, I fed him, clothed him and loved him as a member of this family
  • I paid for him to go on holiday with us to France
  • I bought him his glasses
  • I allowed him to repay me some of what he owed by effectively NOT paying me any rent for several weeks, in short, he never repaid me at all.
  • When he was ill I sat with him day and night
  • I took him to the hospital with his panic attacks
  • I drove him to visit his mother in Folkestone more than once
  • I moved our office not once but twice costing me money each time
  • I dealt with aggravation from his family and abuse at times
  • I really did try everything I could to mediate between him and Daisy
  • I adjusted my own values to allow him virtually free say in my home.
  • I was there at his flat when he said he was ill
  • I spent ages trying to negotiate with his parents when he said he wanted to marry my daughter
  • I allowed him the luxury of options when they told me they were expecting a baby
  • I taught him to cook, to generally look after a home
  • I didn’t kill him or punish him when he damaged my new car
  • I went against my entire family because I was trying to help him be a better person
  • I put in a complaint to social services because of the way I think they mishandled his case
  • I visited his grandparents with him
  • I negotiated so that he could be practically all the way through the birth of Josh and arranged things so he could have his name on Josh’s birth certificate
  • I still supported him after his father barged into my house on my birthday this year threatening me in James name … Mr £40!
  • I have loaned him money countless time and no, I don’t get it back.
  • I have made myself ill with worry over him
  • I drove him to college when he said he was too ill, I was not to know he just didn’t want to go.
  • I helped him with a CV, not once but twice
  • I helped him look for a job
  • I collected him from all over the place, even recently from his girlfriends house
  • When he called very late at night from Emily’s, I was there for him

Oh, I could go on, I can’t be though because, with James, he doesn’t care. It simply doesn’t matter what the truth is because, it would seem, to him life is all one big lie. Because he lies to get what he wants then he seems to presume that everyone else is a liar too, that no one can be doing anything just because they care.

Well, I did and still do care greatly but, with what he has now done, my hands are tied, I cannot do any more without going that bit too far with the rest of the family and I am not prepared to do that especially knowing, as I do from bitter experience, that James will just throw it all back in my face. He will use the excuse that he didn’t ask me to do anything for him (actually he did. several times). That I did nothing for him, I am a dick-head and a prick, that I am shit under his Adios.

Where we go from here I don’t really know. All I can really do now is to continue to support those people who value my support and my love. The most annoying thing is, if a similar situation arose again, I’d probably do all the same things. It is not fair on others to allow James actions to change me as a person.

James said I am a control freak. There is some truth in that. I don’t dictate though. I have ideas and, quite often, those ideas make sense so people follow them. That may give the impression I am controlling everything. It’s really not the same thing. The only area where I am controlling is in my need to have my home a safe space for everyone. Those living here and guests are expected to behave in a respectful manner and not be prejudiced against anyone else. I don’t like hats worn in the house, it makes me feel as though that person feels uncomfortable here and, I have it in my head it is disrespectful. I dislike gum, it smells and I find trying to talk to someone chewing is off putting. I am cool with anyone wandering around the house in their underwear if they are sleeping here yet, strangely, I don’t much like people not quite wearing their clothes such as ‘sagging’. I expect those who lives here to pull their weight according to their abilities. That teaches everyone how to live with others and not take the piss by being a lazy git who sits on their arse all day whilst those around them keep things clean and tidy, provide food and drink and generally contributes.

James also said I am a money grabber … there is zero truth in that, it is classic transference. I have never owed James anything, he has owed me loads (and still does). I have always been generous to him and paid out for him way more than he ever contributed financially to this household. It should be remembered, James was a stranger to me prior to October 2008, I didn’t owe him anything. There is simply no evidence to support any claim I am a money grabber. If there is a confusion it is in this … if I loan someone money, I do expect, at some point when it is obvious they can do so, that they repay me. This is ‘my’ money, I am not grabbing anything from them just trying to teach that it is very bad form to borrow with no intent to repay.

I’d love to know what other rubbish James spoke about anyone else here. With the amount of lies, no doubt many would love to know some of the lies he’s said about them too!

When I was critical of the guys in Newton some time ago, who do you think told me what I thought I knew?

Back then I was still living in hope that James told me the truth at all, now I just have no idea what was true and what wasn’t. It is the old story of the girl who cried wolf who was ultimately eaten by wolves … keep lying about something often enough and, eventually, we just stop believing anything. I cannot help anyone who lies to me, there are just too many variables. Perhaps if more people were open and honest about what is really true, life would be so much easier!

A Better Day

Much of today was spent on the phone getting legal advice about the future, about residency and access, that sort of thing. If we are lucky, it should all be sorted by March and we can all get back to normal. Shame it takes so long to process but there has to be the solicitors writing letters, the caffcass people doing their assessments for the court, all the history to go into, interviews … hell, loads of stuff which was totally avoidable but which now, we just have to get on with.

Not a lot shall be happening this side of Christmas so at least we can make plans knowing for sure now who is involved and, probably more important, who isn’t.

What we are doing now is probably what we should have done back in May or whenever it was that Daisy split from James, leaving it to the experts. Daisy will have her legal team and James will have whoever he has. We’ll go to the social services meeting but Daisy’s actions will be governed by her lawyer not anything that James, social services or anyone except a court judgement may want. It’s a shame to have to go that route in so many ways but … James chose not to work with us but against us, we just carried on being generous like we have been just about most of the time he has known us despite some of the most awful treatment from him.

I don’t know why he has chosen this way of working, and, you know what, I really don’t care any longer. I did for a year, I really did care but, everyone has to reach that point where enough is enough and I finally got there. How things will pan out in the future I don’t know, I can’t imagine, feeling as I do right at this moment, he’ll ever be able to earn any sort of respect from any of us in this family.

What I shall not do is ever tell his son the negatives about him. I don’t think that serves a purpose in any way unless there happens to be a safety aspect. But, as things stand, I shall try and find the good in James to share with Josh. I have to be honest, as I feel now, that’s going to be difficult but, thankfully, I have plenty of time to come up with something. If I stick to home movies and holidays, maybe that will do. Maybe James himself will share his current thinking with Josh when he’s old enough. I just so hope he matures enough not to tell Josh stuff he doesn’t need to know in an attempt to point score or create bad feeling. This isn’t about me, James or Daisy, it’s about Josh 100%. It’s about allowing him to have as happy a life as it is possible to have. Any one of us slagging off someone else is going to cause all sort of emotional damage to him, it has to be avoided. On the plus side, he’s incredibly young right now, there are a few years yet for people to calm down and work out what is important, for him.

One thing to 100% make clear here is … I am not driving this. I am supporting most certainly but I would support equally whether Daisy chose to go to court or have another friendly chat with James, it is entirely her decision. I hate it when I am accused of controlling Daisy. She’s a mum and quite capable of making decisions. At worst I try to present all her options exactly as I did when I was first told about the pregnancy.

On another note but loosely connected … I am starting to seriously think about Christmas. But, with all the cost of grandchildren to consider the latter part of this year, Christmas 2009 is going to be very trimmed indeed. No one will be getting gifts of the three figure variety, I really just can’t do that and keep the plans we have for next year as well.

A Better Day

Much of today was spent on the phone getting legal advice about the future, about residency and access, that sort of thing. If we are lucky, it should all be sorted by March and we can all get back to normal. Shame it takes so long to process but there has to be the solicitors writing letters, the caffcass people doing their assessments for the court, all the history to go into, interviews … hell, loads of stuff which was totally avoidable but which now, we just have to get on with.

Not a lot shall be happening this side of Christmas so at least we can make plans knowing for sure now who is involved and, probably more important, who isn’t.

What we are doing now is probably what we should have done back in May or whenever it was that Daisy split from James, leaving it to the experts. Daisy will have her legal team and James will have whoever he has. We’ll go to the social services meeting but Daisy’s actions will be governed by her lawyer not anything that James, social services or anyone except a court judgement may want. It’s a shame to have to go that route in so many ways but … James chose not to work with us but against us, we just carried on being generous like we have been just about most of the time he has known us despite some of the most awful treatment from him.

I don’t know why he has chosen this way of working, and, you know what, I really don’t care any longer. I did for a year, I really did care but, everyone has to reach that point where enough is enough and I finally got there. How things will pan out in the future I don’t know, I can’t imagine, feeling as I do right at this moment, he’ll ever be able to earn any sort of respect from any of us in this family.

What I shall not do is ever tell his son the negatives about him. I don’t think that serves a purpose in any way unless there happens to be a safety aspect. But, as things stand, I shall try and find the good in James to share with Josh. I have to be honest, as I feel now, that’s going to be difficult but, thankfully, I have plenty of time to come up with something. If I stick to home movies and holidays, maybe that will do. Maybe James himself will share his current thinking with Josh when he’s old enough. I just so hope he matures enough not to tell Josh stuff he doesn’t need to know in an attempt to point score or create bad feeling. This isn’t about me, James or Daisy, it’s about Josh 100%. It’s about allowing him to have as happy a life as it is possible to have. Any one of us slagging off someone else is going to cause all sort of emotional damage to him, it has to be avoided. On the plus side, he’s incredibly young right now, there are a few years yet for people to calm down and work out what is important, for him.

One thing to 100% make clear here is … I am not driving this. I am supporting most certainly but I would support equally whether Daisy chose to go to court or have another friendly chat with James, it is entirely her decision. I hate it when I am accused of controlling Daisy. She’s a mum and quite capable of making decisions. At worst I try to present all her options exactly as I did when I was first told about the pregnancy.

On another note but loosely connected … I am starting to seriously think about Christmas. But, with all the cost of grandchildren to consider the latter part of this year, Christmas 2009 is going to be very trimmed indeed. No one will be getting gifts of the three figure variety, I really just can’t do that and keep the plans we have for next year as well.