I'm back from a trip to see my father...and his wife...with my two preschoolers. They live in a child-free zone, or as my 4 year old noted "Wow, this place is fancy." The wife of their grandpa, technically my stepmother, wishes to be called "Grandma Sue." Well, that's not her first name, but we'll pretend. I have an issue with this. She has never been a mother to me (my parents divorced while I was in college), so to be a grandmother seems like skipping over a necessary step...She's always been referred to, by me, as "My dad's wife" or "Sue". I don't like Sue. It has some to do with the fact she was my dad's mistress while he was still married to my mom. But it has more to do with the fact she's a bossy, righteous know-it-all. She will insist she's right--and take another turn--even if the Trivial Pursuit card says her answer is incorrect. She's never had children (one of the only things I respect about her, since she's not a nurturing type gal) yet she felt free to share her breastfeeding tips with me when I had a preemie. Oh, yeah, and she's rude too...I don't think she necessarily is trying to be rude and hurt feelings, but she is really rude. An itty bitty example is how she said--to my dad and me--that my grandma (Dad's mom) "used to be really lucid a year ago, but now she's just stupid and looney." Anyone else think that's a little out of place??

Anyway, she signs cards "Grandpa John and Grandma Sue" and they refer to themselves/each other in those ways. I had to cough out the word "grandma" every time I said it this past weekend. Of course, my children have no problems with it...they don't know the history. But my eldest found out that "Grandma Sue" might have a niceness deficit when she got even a little bit close to stepping on the flowerbeds...

They'll learn...then they can just call her "Grandpa John's wife" if they want...