When it Rains... it Pours

So, where do I even begin?

Last week I found out that my husband has, once again, been laid off. Only this time, since it is his own doing we do not get unemployment. No, he did not get fired, and he did not quit. Someone, who should be taken out into the street and publicly flogged, let him drive a company vehicle.

For any of you who have ever had the misfortune of riding with Jake or even being behind him, or in front of him... hell anywhere near him on any road I would like to publicly apologize. He is, without a doubt, one of the worst drivers I've ever seen. He has gotten MARGIONALLY better in the past few months, but it is a slim margin.

Anyhow, he was backing this vehicle up and apparently was not watching where he was going. (Perhaps talking on the cell phone, trying to adjust the radio, looking for something under the passenger seat. You laugh, but I have seen him do all of these things while driving forward, why not reverse) I have not gotten the whole story, it's like pulling teeth with him, but he either hit something or the side mirror hit something. Either way, it is considered an accident. AND standard company procedure is that when any employee is in an accident they are automatically put on unpaid leave while the accident is investigated and drug tests are done, yadda, yadda, yadda.

So... this whole process has taken a few days. It happened on a Friday afternoon so of course you have to wait until Monday and then appointments have to be made and paperwork has to be filed... you get the point. So, LUCKILY he was able to go work for his dad this week so we at least have SOME source of income while they get the paperwork shuffle done and hopefully he will be back there on Monday.

Which brings me to the next in a long line of things for this week. Yesterday, while working for his father, Jake took a trailer to be loaded with tile and some other things. The people loaded the trailer incorrectly. Instead of distributing the weight evenly (It's an enclosed two wheel trailer) they put all of the weight in the back.

You can see where this is going can't you? While pulling on to the on ramp going 30 mph (we have a witness to this so I know he wasn't speeding) the trailer started to swerve and weave. Instead of just letting off the gas and coasting to a stop Jake hit the breaks. He knows now that this was a bad idea. A VERY bad idea.

Since all the weight was in the back of the trailer the front was sort of lifted up off the ball that was hooked to his truck. So when he went to stop; the truck stopped, but the trailer didn't. Instead it got worse. It whipped to the side and the vehicle and trailer jackknifed. When it whipped back, luckily the trailer came off the ball of the truck because it rolled end over end into the ditch. If it would not have come unhooked it would have taken Jake's jeep with it.

Now before you get too excited, his jeep did not escape unscathed. In the whipping back and forth process it ripped off the bumper of his jeep and bent the axle. He claims the frame is still straight, but the rear end (??) will need to be replaced as well as some other innards. I know nothing about vehicles so bare with me here.

Since the witness says that Jake was not speeding he was not given any tickets. Well, that is not entirely true. The insurance card he had in his wallet expired January 7, 2006 and his new insurance card was somewhere in his vehicle among all the things that had been jostled around. Either way, he couldn't find it. So, the officer, being the lovely guy that he is, issued Jake a ticket for failing to have proof of insurance. Wasn't that pleasant of him? Nothing like giving a guy just in an accident a break huh?

This ticket, issued to us by our wonderful highway patrolman, is for $690.00. No, that is not a misprint. SIX-HUNDRED AND NINTY F***** Dollars!! Now of course, since we have insurance, and we can prove it all we have to pay is $30 worth of court costs. But we do have to take one more day out of our lives to go to the court house on July 7th and show them this insurance card.

But wait, it gets better. Oh how you ask... just trust me. This accident happened at 1:00 in the afternoon. By 4:00 when I talked to Jake he had still not mentioned it to me. He and his dad had decided that they would tell me when I was done with work because they didn't want to upset me when there was nothing I could do. A noble idea except for the fact that he called the insurance people to report the accident and MY NAME is the one on the policy.

So, at 5:00 they called me to ask about the accident. LUCKILY, and I use that term lightly, I was in my bosses office finding out some more bad news so I didn't answer the phone and once Jake found out that they called me first before they called him his dad thought it a better idea to call me and tell me rather than let me listen to the message. Always considerate aren't they?

Oh wait, before I finish, here is the one... and ONLY piece of good news... we don't have to pay the deductible to have the jeep fixed. Since the company loaded the trailer incorrectly our insurance company is going to try to make them pay for it. Although, with my luck it will probably still come back to us... but I'm trying to find the silver lining here people!!

Now, back to the rest of the news. Yesterday afternoon, when I wasn't answering my phone, I was in my bosses office discussing a co-worker who they had just fired. Now you have to understand, in my company job security is almost guaranteed. They NEVER fire anyone. They normally give them a little raise and then hope that is enough of a push to make them look for something new.

When someone gets fired, it sort of sends people into a frenzy. Luckily this guy was really not all that upset about it. He didn't really want to be here and his performance had shown it. I can't really say more... you know that whole not talking about your work on the internet thing.

SO... today, I have decided the duck and cover method is the one for me. I will only leave my desk when absolutely necessary and will only drive places that are necessary. Like at 4:00 I must go to the mall to get my hair cut. Yes, this is a necessity. I also must look for clothes while I am at this mall as I have two pairs of pants that fit me. Five days in a week, two pairs of pants... doesn't quite add up does it?

Beyond that, all I can do is cross my fingers and pray to make it to the weekend. However, in case you were wondering, the hair cut will be the standard cut with my usual stylist. No highlights, or changes for me. I wouldn't want to tempt fate!!