What A Week!

Where do I start? This has been one hell of a long week...I'm not even sure where to start. What day is it, anyway?

On Monday (I think it was Monday) Shawn and I went to Revenue Canada to see just how much they think he owes on back taxes. The first number that they gave us was pretty high...$15 grand, but, I thought, managable. I wasn't sweating like a whore in church just yet. I really thought we could deal with that amount. Well, as it turns out, that amount is WRONG. The nice lady that we spoke with thinks that a more accurate number is actually about $50 grand, which is what I have been saying all along. She informed us with a big smile on her face that she will from this point on be taking 50% of Shawns paychecks to recover the debt. Starting July 31st, if we haven't cleared it up, she will begin to "squeeze a little harder" and take 75%.

I think at this point that Shawns chin literally hit the floor. I had to pick it up for him. We had gone it come in with some kind of repayment plan, and this is what was offered to us. Of course, she knows what our total income is, because she works for Rev Can. She knows that my income is NIL, and that Shawn is the sole support of our household.

There is good news. Shawn is NOT going to jail. This is something that he was afraid of. It could have happened. The Canadian goverment has done it before. I think that the powers that be KNOW that by putting in the clink, they will never collect on this debt, or collect ANY tax money from him again. Thank God for that.

So, yesterday, on Friday the 13th, we went to see some Bankrupcy Trustees. NOW I was sweating like a whore in church, let me tell you. I had heard horror stories about claiming bankrupcy. The truth is, it's not that bad. We own NOTHING. Not one thing. Two nasty divorces wiped me out, and Shawn? He's got nada. I have a lot of paper work to get together, and Shawn has to get his tax information in order, but the bottom line is way less scary then the altrenative.

We will pay the trustees $160 a month for 9 months. If our income surpasses the $3787 a momth that we are allowed by the gov't (yeah, right), then we pay the trustess half of the surpluss. That's IT. By doing that, we will wipe out ALL of Shawns debt. We don't stand to lose anything. Our credit rating is shot, so starting over doesn't scare me. The day that the papers are filed, then NOBODY can come after him for any money owed. Not even RevCan.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I really don't care if money will be tight for nine months. Money is ALWAYS tight. The past few months have been awful, and we have been hiding from RevCan anyway. At least this way, we can clear it all up and start over.

My Aunt Kaddy passed away late on the 12th. I was relieved. She was in pain, and it was hard to see her like that. I spent her last 3 days at the hospital with her, and I am SO glad that managed to make it there. Sometimes, you just have to kick that anxiety in the ass.

Of course, this means that Betty, Stan, and TMOC are all on their way here from Nova Scotia. I think that I could deal with Betty much easier if TMOC weren't here. It isn't his fault, but his being here will make it even worse for me. She will spend every minute with him, and I will be the odd man out. I am not thick skinned enough to ignore it. I will try, but I know that she will get to me. The best that I can do is not to let her know it.

We got an eviction notice on Monday, too. It just keeps getting better, doesn't it? With the bankrupcy looming, there really isn't a way for Shawn to even work overtime and make up what we owe on the rent. I don't know what we'll do. I feel like we have been given a fresh start with the bankrupcy, and I practically floated home yesterday. I am really hoping for a miracle, here. Karma, maybe. I dunno.

Shawn and I had to pick up insulin and we missed the bus...We were at the bus stop, and had been there about 40 minutes...my ankle was killing me, Shawn was tired...crazy tired, when a taxi pulled up and offered us a ride. For FREE. After the week that I had, I thought it was a mirage. It wasn't, though, it was, it was my favourite cabbie that drives me home most Fridays from the grocery store. He drove us to the pharmacy for free because (he says) I always leave him a nice tip.
As I was leaving the taxi, I found a purse, kind of tucked in the seat. It might have been stuffed with money. I need money. Alot of it. Nobody would have known that I had the purse, and I could have gotten away scott free.

Well, nobody would have known but me. I gave the purse to cabbie, who told me that it belonged to a little old lady that had forgotten it earlier in the evening. And, yeah, it probably was stuffed with cash.

Karma, Baby.