Monday, April 16, 2007

I'm Back

Whew. It has been a long couple of weeks. I have missed everyone. Incredibly. Have you all missed me and my insane ramblings?
April 3rd I had my court date. It went very well actually. I have a cousin that works at the courthouse, and she made certain that I spoke with duty council and was bumped to the head of the line. I asked for something called Adult Diversion, and the judge approved it without even thinking twice. The general concensus was that the 2 security guards were a tad overzealous, and that maybe this didn't HAVE to go to court. As it turns out, the whole thing WAS a training exercise with the 2 security guards, and since nothing was found in my bags, but only in the cart, the judge was very lenient.
Adult Diversion is different for every client that it deals with. My workers name is Deb, and I've met with her once. This is how my rehabilitation works. I have to write a letter of apology to the grocery store. Deb feels that this is going to be helpful to ME, and it is an exercise only, the letter will never be sent to the grocery store. Deb feels that (in my case) the store has done enough, and there is no need for me to have any more contact with them.
I have to see my family doctor, and get a referral to a shrink. I have already done this, but my family doctor wasn't terribly helpful. In fact, he was confused as to WHY I needed to see a shrink. I'm not holding my breath on that referral.
I have to pick up an application for disability. Just get one, and show it to her.
I have to walk the dog, or TRY to leave the house every day.
That's it, folks. If I do these things, (and I will) then the charges will be withdrawn.
My record will be clean.
Crap, what a relief that is.
Shawn goes back to work full time this week, with the company that laid him off a few months back. We are SO happy. This is the company that loaned us the money to pay our crazy gas bill in December.
Our fridge sprung (sprang?) a freon leak last Wednesday (right in the middle of Jericho, no less). We are now without a fridge, again. It sucks. I can't buy milk, or keep any leftovers, or enjoy a cold drink. It sucks, big time. Our microwave died, too. April has been a crappy month for appliances in our little house.
We did have several days with the Pug, though. The girls were sad to see him go. We're already planning next years Juno awards, when I'm sure that Jethro will be a winner again.
Imagine that. Our own Jethro a Juno award winner. I couldn't be more proud.
I missed everyone so much. Cindy actually phoned me last week. I gotta say, she has the cutest voice. I'll be back tomorrow. The kids are waiting for their turns on the computer, and I have about 100 emails to read. Thanks for waiting.
Biddie

24 comments:

Heidi the Hick said...

the world is right again...you're back

CindyDianne said...

WUHOO! Thank God. I was about to have to call again to get my Biddie fix! lol

Welcome back!

Biddie said...

I'm BACK!!! I knew that you all missed me!

dilling said...

Whew...thank GAWD!!!!
I was getting frantic!

whimsical brainpan said...

Welcome back! I was starting to get worried.

I'm glad the court date went well and I like this Deb person. It sounds like she might be a big help.

Congratulations on your husband going back to work!

Why is it that when appliances die it's never just one? It's like they make a suicide pact or something.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad everything went well :) I'm happy that the judge saw the charges for the bullcrap they were.
Check out this website. You might find a fridge here really cheap. http://kitchener.kijiji.ca/
It's kind of like a cross between Ebay and the classifieds.

katy said...

yeah she's back, she's back phew so glad of the outcome from the court and it's great to hear that shaun has got full time work again.
its annoying that things seem to break down at the same time isn't it!!! had just wrote you a proper letter but no need send it now!!!

Marni said...

YAY! I'm dancing with happiness that you are back... my coworkers think I've officially lost my mind. :)

captain corky said...

Welcome back Biddie! I'm glad things worked out for you, and it seems like Deb really wants to be helpful, but I still want blood. I want to burn that grocery store down to the ground.

Molly said...

Wow, welcome back Biddie, I have been worried. The court thing seems to be all right. The bottom line is the best part; the charges will be withdrawn as well they should be. Their training exercise indeed caused you some pain.

Have you read my news? See my blog enrty for April 10th.

Biddie said...

Dilling - I was getting frantic, too! It was the longest 2+ weeks ever. I missed everyone so much, and I was worried about you all were doing. It's good to be back!

Whimsical - Whew. I think that you're right about the suicide pact.Really. The fridge didn't last long after the nuker went...
I can finally breathe a sigh of relief over the whole cheese incident. Deb couldn't believe that I was charged after the security guards found stuff in my cart, just sitting there. In fact, the female security guard even wrote in her evidence that I made no effort to hide the crap in my cart, and that I just paid for my other stuff and left. That says something, as far as I'm concerned. If I play my cards right, I don't even have to go back to court again.
Whoo hoo!

Catherine - I found a cheap fridge on the site that you gave me, but I have to wait for an email. I'll let you know if it pans out. Thanks fro the info.
When are you going to start blogging? I'd love to hear what you're thinking!

Her indoors - A proper letter you say? Please send it anyway. There's nothing like getting snail mail on a bad day. Lifts your spirits and makes you smile.
You could not imagine how much I missed everyone.

Marni - I am SO glad to be back! I wish that I could see you dancing!

Corky - I'm still pretty pissed, too. I read the evidence that the security had against me, and it wasn't even accurate. I am SO happy that this isn't going to trial, tho. I can jump through a few hoops to make this go away, but I still feel like it never should have happened.
The whole thing was a training exercise, which just pisses me off more. Deb seems ok, it could be worse. I could have gotten community service. I have no problem serving my community, it's just that if I could do THAT, that I would be working, serving the Shawn/Bridget/kids community. I could hav egotten a fine, too, which was freaking me out. We are so far behind right now. I think that this is the best possible outcome for me.

mjd - That is fabulous news! When is the little one due? You must be so excited. Let me know the details!

Momentary Madness said...

Welcome back I never knew you were gone. Boy,how can I get as speedy as you seem. Sincerely yours. Make three wishes, and there yours!

Bunny said...

WELCOME BACK!!!
GLAD TO HEAR SOME THINGS ARE LOOKING UP!!!

katy said...

ok letter will be in the post tomorrow

Biddie said...

Paddy - you mean that I can make ANY three wishes and they will come true? I was actually gone for a little more than 2 weeks, but it felt like forever.

Bunny - Some things are looking up indeed! I am hoping that as the temperature rises, so will my spirits, and my luck will change with it. I can hope, right?

Her indoors - Yay! (clapping hands)

Michael Colvin said...

Yay, you are back! It has been a long long wait for us here Biddie. I am glad the cheese Nazis seem to have been dealt with. And if your community whatsit gets you out and about more then I guess there could be an upside. Welcome back!

Biddie said...

Tod - I feel pretty good about the whole thing, all in all. I wish that it hadn't happened, but I am happy with the outcome. If I can get some mental health issues worked out, then all the better.
I missed you SO much! I thought about sending a letter, but I figured that it would take 2 weeks to get there anyway....It is GOOD to be back!

Momentary Madness said...

PS: biddie but if you look away from the comments box without making the wishes you've forfeited I'm afraid. Now you know how tiresome we wee folk are. Cheers!!

Ann said...

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so glad you're back and that everything worked out. You have completely restored my faith in the Canadian justice system. (Although I personally think that the over-zealous rent-a-cops should have to pay restitution to the court and police for wasting their freaking time with this stupidity).
I'm so happy for you, though!! Hopefully this is just the beginning of things going in the right direction for you.

Biddie said...

ann - I am SO glad to be back! I feel pretty good about the outcome, too. The letter that I got from the grocery store saying that I had to pay restution to them...do you remember me telling you about that? It's illegal. They want me to pay more than 6 times the amount of the items that I "stole" and yet, I didn't actually take anything. Everything that was in my cart was resellable (?) and there was no loss to them. It amounts to extortion.
My faith has been restored (somewhat), too. Yay me!

* (asterisk) said...

Good to see you back. Somehow I missed all the stuff about the cheese, so I went back and gave it a read. What a crack! I mean, girl, you were a patsy! Glad it's all sorted now, though, and you can move past it.

DJ Andi said...

I have been a slacker and haven't posted or read much of anything. I was opening up your blog and was wondering if you had your court date yet.

I am so glad to hear that things have gone so much better than you thought. Those a$$holes for putting you through that. And a training exercise? Give me a friggin break. They are lucky you didn't sue their butts.

Glad you're back. Glad Shaun's going back to work too. Will work for appliances.

SkippyMom said...

...it is nice to see that the courts had the temerity to show you 'the way' to what your friend kept suggesting all along. you primary doctor is making a mistake tho' - and we all know it.

i hope you keep up with walking the dog. simply getting out of the house is a good thing.

i am suprised this ever wnet to court, considering.

i am happy it worked out for you - i hope you follow their guidelines and they help.

btw. swiss ain't cheddar. yours was the swiss, mine was the cheddar.

hug for you....skip.

Biddie said...

asterisk - YOu missed all of the drama? Oh well...There's always something happening around here.
The whole cheese fiasco turned out fine. Sort of. I don't mind jumpinhg through a few hoops, and in the end, I may actually get some help for my mental health issues.
As of June 5th, th ebook will be closed on this whole chapter. Thank goodness. The charges will be withdrawn, and I will get to keep my PSW lisence.

dj andi - Why didn't we think of that? Will work for appliances! I love it! Actually, Shawn spent most of yesterday ot and about, and we found a fridge and a microwave for $25. Not bad. They aren't new, but they are both newer than the ones we had before. I think that we got the fridge from the Flintstones. This fridge has a REAL freezer, not just an icebox, and wonder of wonders, you don't have to defrost it!!
I am super pissed at the grocery store, but I'm not going poke at a sleeping bear. I'm just going to do my little tasks, and close the book on this chapter of my life. I won't, howevr, be paying any of the 'fine' that the store had imposed upon me. Turns out, it's illegal. Go figure. They're sucking wind on this one!

skippymom - My family doctor is indeed making a mistake. Our health care is free here, but we have a huge doctor shortage, so you take what you can get. I hav ebeen on a waiting list for a new doctor for about 10 months now.
I'll phone him once a week or so and remind him that I am here, waiting, and ask if I have an appointment to a head doctor yet. Short of freaking out and landing in the hospital, it's my only option.
I am doing my best to get out of the house. I was outside for most of the day yesterday. I still haven't worked up to walking the dog alone, tho.
I'm not surprised that this went to court. Once the police laid the charges, they had to be dealt with. If I had a high priced lawyer, then maybe I could have gotten this dropped. The day in court wasn't that bad, actually. I only stood before the judge for about 2 minutes. He accepted the recommondation of duty council, and was very kind to me. I don't even have to go back when I finish my Adult Diversion. This will take more time, and effort, than if the charges had been dropped before hand, but this is free to me, no cost involved what so ever. I can follow the guidelines set out for me, no problem. I think that this is a good program. It deals with people as induviduals, and not as a number or a statistic.
Works for me.
Swiss and cheddar. Umm...ok. Not getting the joke here, but ok.
I hop ethat things are working our for you, too.