Thursday, March 18, 2010

Dogwood house - Christmas Present?

November 30th - Finally we get good news! The house has been passed from its current stage to the final stage "negotiation". This is where the bank will decide a closing date and life is good. We are told that chances of us closing in two weeks (day before Christmas) are looking very very good.
Christmas day is also the day I will find out if I am pregnant that month. A house and a positive test? Now that is an awesome Christmas!
Well, Christmas day comes and goes, negative on the pregnancy, and the bank "needs more time".
At this point VA is thrust into the worst snow storm we've had since I can remember. I'll tell you a little about that.
It is Saturday morning. We all wake up to a bit of snow falling outside. Scott calls his job and they inform him that if he doesn't come in they will consider it his resignation. He goes in and we all pray he gets home safely. He left at 10am, just during the beginning. By 1pm there is at least 5" of snow outside. The dog is loving it, and the Governor has already declared a state of emergency. All people are advised to stay inside no matter what, because blizzard conditions will be closing major roadways. Does his job close? No, they do not. He works retail by the way.
At 5pm I get the text that he is on his way home. I look outside and the snow is at least 21" outside. 45 minutes later ( his job is usually 15 minutes away) I get the phone call "My $@# car is stuck in the snow".
Luckily he got stuck on the exit ramp to our street. It was still about two miles walking distance. Knowing him he only has his work clothes (dress pants and a button down shirt) and his work jacket. I throw on my coat, grab his coat and start walking.
Our street looks and feels like the day after the end of the world. There are two utility trucks trying to pull into parking spots at the complex, and my feet are sinking into the 6" snow that has already been plowed. The banks on the side of the road are up to 21" in some places, 30+" in others. The cold brings bright color to my cheeks and I huddle deeper inside my coat. I walk onto the main road and it looks even more devastating. Cars parked on the side of the road are completely buried under snow, and people are walking in the center of the road to go only they know where.
I go about half a mile down the main road and see my poor husband walking my way. His dress shoes are sliding across the road and he is soaking wet with sweat.
We get home and call the Va state police to report his car. We then call a tow truck and are informed that no trucks can get out due to the snow. His car will be towed in the morning for $80.
Around 9pm we get a phone call from the state police "You're car has been hit by a tractor trailer and was towed to XX lot." Oh lovely...The next morning we call them. Final tally for Scott going to work on a snow day? Income for the day $250, towing fee $650. Apparently they charge $200 for an "accident tow", $200 for a towing fee, and $100 a day. $100 a day? But it was there less than 12 hours? Yeah, a day changes at midnight. So even though it was only there for about 12 hour it was there for Saturday and Sunday, $200. Bastards.
Oh, and we find out 4 months later that the accident damaged his car more seriously than we original realized, to the tune of $1300 in repairs.

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