**Balrog rises from the depths of Middle Earth**

It was inevitable that he would emerge as a topic in this blog. Ex-husbands don't die, they just fade in the murky and firey depths only to emerge again when money becomes an issue.



And so it is. Balrog arises again.




In a couple of weeks I head to Colorado to go head-to-head with a demon who now claims he does not see any value in higher education, and has stayed unemployed for over a year to present to the court a miserably low income in order to eviserate his support for two amazing, talented hardworking kids who have done nothing to this man.

Efforts to reach an agreement continue to fail. Lawyers are making the better part of a year's tuition and there is no end in sight.

I remain astounded that my best hope might be to salvage some measely amount of college support. After ten years time to save and plan, I managed - on one income and raising these kids alone - to put away enough money to cover half their college costs. Balrog meandered from job to job, took a year off to hang out in Italy, and saved nothing. Well except, apparently enough to pay $100,000 cash for a house in the italian riviera. Now he claims he has no money to help his kids with their education in spite of his written promise.



Where is the Gandalf when you need him?