I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. Goodness, things have been busy around here. Thanks for all your comments and interest. It took Larry's DIL to get Larry's daughter to spend the night...(no surprise there). LW, Larry's younger son, showed up with a new tent and camping equipment and camped in the woods behind our house. Larry was going to the store and asked if anyone needed anything...LW said he needed a toothbrush...Larry came back with one and gave it to LW...LW didn't say anything...I looked at LW and said, "say, thank you, dad." Another act of kindness by Larry...another act of kindness ignored by one of his kids. See what I mean? then he didn't even use it and left it on the counter unopened. They act like they are owed everything and don't act grateful for anything...it was a small thing...a tooth brush, but can't you even say thank you?
The rest of the visit went well...D (Larry's daughter) went up to bed early and LW went out to his tent. That left G (Larry's older son), G's wife, M and me and Larry. We spent a couple of hours playing Cranium and having a really good time. LW and G left after breakfast (they did help me which was nice...I had to ask them, though). Larry and I spent the rest of the day with G and M and the grandbabies playing in a wading pool. It was nice. Will D and LW ever 'get it'? I doubt it. They live with the person they're turning out to be just like...their Mother.
LW received his enlistment bonus from the Navy (he got it after he left active duty and went Reserve). Instead of saving it for an apartment he's blowing it on things like his tent, etc. Also, he's not looking for a job. He's content to sit in his sister's one-room apartment playing on his computer until sometime in September when supposedly a plumbing job become available. No ambition to do anything now.
I was right in my belief that LW would not be interested in looking for a job and that's why I did not want him moving in with us...he's not interested in working and wants to sit on his butt. I was a single mom, worked hard and have no sympathy when an able-bodied 25 year old who wants to make excuses for not working. So, I don't feel badly for my decision.
Was it gutsy? I guess...as a step-mom anything negative I say to them comes with a risk of rejection...but, in the end the only one who matters is Larry. As long as he's happy, I'm happy...and I know as long as I'm gutsy enough when needbe, his kids won't walk all over him like they used to.