Tuffgirl, you
are doing a stereotypical Alaska thing: You're steaming and being pd off more than usual because it's breakup time. Trust me. I'm a raving lunatic at current moment. I've cursed and yelled and cried at work. And I never do that. It's just crazifying with this on again, off again, maybe springlike weather.
Not to diminish the fact that being a single parent
when there is another person who ought to be parenting with you is infuriating.
It's sort of like... my thing with cleaning. I love cleaning my house now that there's not a drunk guy sitting downstairs in front of the TV while I'm doing it. I'm not doing any LESS cleaning, and it's not really any more FUN, but somehow, it's easier when I know from the get-go it's just me. I think you're right, that that awareness makes me set my expectations at a better level...