These are the reports I wrote as I lived through the worst and best year of my life so far. In August 2000 we moved as a family to Delft Netherlands but on September 30, my husband told me he was divorcing me and in late November I found his sex letter to my best friend and he moved to his own bedroom in the attic and in early December we told the boys that we were divorcing. Peter was 9 and Arthur was 6. We lived the rest of the year doing “shared custody” but living under one roof in Delft. I knew it might be coming; he hadn’t spoken to me in 2 years but I wanted my gravy of living in Europe after waiting in line to get his attention for 14 years. There were no loud fights but there was strain and high pressure throughout the house and there were times of uncontrollable sobbing by me in “private”, but not really. It was a fantastic opportunity and beautiful place to live and travel and it was the worst.

2 mom moment (Sept 2000) “Monster Mom Moment” adapting to living in Delft, don’t expect divorce

3 family of 4 france (Sept 2000) “Last Sort Of Happy Family of Four Trip”

4 Ambassador’s party (Sept 2000)  “Ambassador’s Fancy Party Requires Shoes” (still don’t know he wants a divorce)

5 zoodinnerdogdo (Oct 2000) “Life Continues After He Asks For Divorce: Harriet’s Report on zoo, dinner, do, tub, storm, museums, taxi, phew”

6 life before Paris (Oct 2000) “I Felt Settled”

7 paris with Cyn (Oct 2000) “I Can Travel Without Grief: Paris with Cynthia” (travel with kind single friend from USA)

8 london with boys (Oct 2000) “They Don’t Know About Divorce, But I Do” (took boys to London to see the sights)

8.5 art adventure (Nov 2000) “New Kind of Social Life” (I don’t know about husband’s sexing it up with my best friend yet)

9 helsinki (Nov 2000) (still don’t know about best friend cuckolding me; took a trip to meet a friend from USA)

10.5 holiday letter (Dec 2000) (can’t tell anyone in the Christmas letter, need to be honest but secretive, ug! The boys know about divorce by now and Daddy has moved to the attic)

11 crete (Jan 2001) “Buggy and Doghead Undo Crete” (by now I’ve created my alternate self: Buggy, a completely wigging out creature and my husband is Doghead with a very bad aura)

11.5 misbehaving pagan (Jan 2001) (everyday life adapting and some decisions)

12 spa (Jan 2001) (solo travel test)

13 whirlwind steph (Feb 2001) “Six Days seeing Amsterdam, Delft, Paris, and Florence” (My sister came with her daughters to see Europe and pretend nothing is wrong)

14 italyswrewup (feb 2001) “Big Screwup in Italy: Pompeii, Rome, and Amalfi” (more travel alone with boys only this time I get deathly ill with sepsis and have to go to hospital)

15 ceci german ride (Mar 2001) “Ceci Takes Me For a German Ride” (a distant USA friend comes to visit)

16 robbed! finally (Mar 2001) (everyday life in Delft, don’t beat me down baby!)

18 switzerland (Apr 2001) “Love Switzerland – Sometimes; with Boys”

19 beach losing (May 2001) “Mother’s Day Is Full of Bliss: Lost at the Beach” (a very very bad time)