8 to 13

Well, it seems that Nature is giving us in the Chicago area another "real winter," like we had last year.

We had a 6 inch snowfall on Tuesday, after an ice storm on Monday night, and tonight....??

Tonight, they're calling for a HUGE storm to start with ice, and then dump 8 to 13 inches of snow on us by noon tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my company's annual year end party. We can't call it a Christmas party, anymore, of course.
It's to be held at the newest location of "Morton's Steakhouse," located just a few miles from the office.

We used to have our office in a different town, and we always went to the Morton's in that area for our year end party. Then, when we moved out to our current location, we took the trek back to Morton's the first year, but it proved to be too arduous of a trip for many of us.

So, the boss started trying other places, located in the same town as the new office.

These other places were ok, but Morton's is his all time favorite, and nothing else quite measured up.

So, those of us who have been with the company long enough to remember the parties that used to be there are REALLY excited, and looking forward to what we know will be a luxurious and decadent meal tomorrow.

(the best steaks I have ever had have been served at our Morton's year end parties. This is a restaurant that I literally could not afford to even walk in to, were my boss not footing the bill!)

Given the weather forecast, and the penchant my condo association has taken for NOT having the lots plowed, I made arrangements for someone from work to pick me up tomorrow.

I am "sort of" on her way, and she has an SUV that has a garage to rest in. So...she said yes, and I am SOO relieved.

I was really stressing about how the heck I was going to get to work in the heavy snow tomorrow. She was very happy to accommodate me, and said "any time, honey!"

My car handles OK, but if the show is too deep, it's very scary for me to drive those 10 miles to get to work, or home from work.
Last year, there was also that one time that the lots here at home were simply not plowed, and the snow was 8 inches deep.

If a neighbor had not come along to help me, I would never have even gotten out of my parking space, much less, been able to go to work.

This past Monday, after the deluge of rain froze overnight, I was unable to get my car out of it's space to go to work.
A 2 inch deep puddle had frozen around my wheels, and the entire vehicle was coated in a thick covering of rippling ice.

It literally took me until 10:30 that morning to get my windows clear enough to see out, and to finally get my car to rock back out of the holes in the ice where the tires were.

The sun was shining, and that was what helped me the most.

It was 7 degrees out, and my defroster didn't touch the 1/4 inch thick ice that had encased my car entirely.
I scraped and scraped and scraped, and made NO progress. All that accomplished was that my arms were sore, and still are, afterward.

It was a nice bonus day off. I did laundry, and actually took a nap in the afternoon, and got to watch "Jeopardy!"

In other news:

My idiot neighbor below was in fine form last night.

Every once in a while, he gets up around 1 am, and knocks on the ceiling to wake me up.
The first time he did this was on a Christmas a few years ago. Charming.

Last night, there was first the distinctive sound of him rapping with his knuckles.
Then, there was a series of HUGE "thuds," like he was jumping on the floor, or something like that....and then, he took his fist and pounded where he had knocked before. For about a minute straight.

All of this, completely un-instigated, and he only does it for about 2 minutes, in short bursts, so that a call to the police would do no good.

I have not reported him to management for years (because, after fining him multiple times, and it not making any difference, they finally told me to stop bothering to contact them.)...and I have not called the cops on him since he vandalized my balcony, also years ago.

He just enjoys doing this once in a while, for no reason at all. (Like the time he called the cops on ME for no reason at all. I was not even home when he had to have called them, because when they got to my door, I had just gotten in.)

I was sound asleep, and he played his stupid ass little game, and got his stupid little rocks off....and then I was awake for 2 hours after that, and had a miserable day today.

He is an EFFING ASS HOLE.
There literally are no words strong enough to express what kind of person he is.

Oh, and not only is there another special assessment being charged here, but I also had a client write me a bad check, and my bank CHARGED ME for her bounce!!

She now owes me $100 that I didn't know wasn't in my bank account!!! Her $80, plus the $20 my bank charged me for her phuck up!!

I need an effing vacation .... permanently away from here!


I still do not understand why the "universe," or "the Gods," or what/who/however you want to call the driving force of things would bring me Dave, and then keep me separated from him like this.

In a building where it is so very unpleasant to live....in a climate of which I am growing increasingly tired....with a job that keeps me in a constant state of stress....

What have I done to deserve this ongoing punishment?

At least, in the midst of a horrible blizzard tomorrow, I will get to have filet mignon, and can have a cocktail or two, because I don't have to drive.