This weekend I am driving up to my parents' house in NJ. The purpose of the trip is to see Goose perform in Little Shop of Horrors. (Yay for high school musicals! I did Annie.) I have not been up there since Christmas of 2004. This is because seeing my father stresses me out. Anything and everything can set him off into a rage, and he takes everything personally.

I'm starting out behind the ball, because he is upset that we are going to see Bud's girlfriends' final recital on Sunday. (We are not telling him that I am then spending the night at her house. I am doing that because she is in Newark, DE. I would have to drive back through there the very next day if I returned to my parents'.) Since Bud is Persona non Grata in my father's eyes, he sees it as us choosing Bud over him. Which, yea, but Bud isn't the one forcing the choice.

So, I am excited to see Goose perform. I am looking forward to getting to know Bud's girlfriend better, since it looks like she will be family eventually. But I am very nervous about spending time with my father.