Splutter, Splutter, Cough, Cough, Shudder Part 2

Oh I am not in a happy mood. I touched base with the mechanic and my poor car needs the following

1) Oil Change-
2) Tune Up-causing the cough
3) Two new sensors
4) New exhaust system, including throttle plates and catalytic converter.-That is making splutter noise.
5) Front End Alignment-causing the shudder

Quoted repair price is: $1,000


Oh the things I'd like to say that are not really fit to print....................... I really wish I could head home for a very large whiskey right now.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

All I can say right now is GRRRR.

Got a call from my attorney's office, they got a letter from the Court Trustee. Not only does the Trustee want the jewelry appraisal (just waiting for that to come back, ring and watch has been dropped off), now they want a copy of my 2007 tax return (which is still just a future project) before they will approve the discharge. I think the Trustee wants to see what my tax refund will be. I can pretty much summize that it won't be much. I don't have the expenses this year that I had last year that I can write off, other than mortgage interest, some student loan, some medical, and some work related. It's going to be 1/3 of what I had last year in expenses. I won't even get all my tax documents until mid to late January and this pushes off the discharge until at least February.

Call me superstitious, but I wore that darned ring to work on Friday so I would remember to stop off at the jewelers and Friday is when my transmission blew and when the Trustees letter was dated. Each time I wear that ring something not good happens.

I'm telling ya, if I get to keep that ring, I'll never wear it again.

Oh well, not much I can do at this point until at least mid January 2008.

Frustration Factor 2

I called my attorney's office today and finally got a hold of the paralegal doing my filing. She now tells me that she can't accept my faxed copies of items I sent early last week and I need to give her all the originals. Two weeks ago, she told me faxed copies were fine, she never told me the copies did not scan well. Now I totally understand they moved offices last week and moving is difficult enough, but still, she has my home, work and mobile numbers, what the F&(C()?

UGUGHG

I am very frustrated for a couple reasons

1) I used this particular law firm because I have used them in the past. I used the other partner for both my personal real estate transactions and my office has used the firm. No complaints, very prompt, very efficient. Not the case with this attorney and his paralegal in the firm.

2) They were not cheap compared to other attorneys, but I was relying on my past experience with this firm for prompt professional service and telling me what I needed to do and when, that has not happened at all. I can't help myself unless I'm told things.

3) Time is of the essance and time is slipping away. I had the majority of my paperwork into them by the beginning of June. I was told at the end of June/beginning of July that the process was started, but both the attorney and paralegal would be on vacation for 10 days. No problem. I was told all I needed to get to them was my CMA on my house and a copy of my retirement account statement. It did take longer than anticipated to get the CMA, a freind of mine did it for me as a favor and that took a few weeks, but this is just making me crazy.

I feel like I am being stymied at every turn this week. I am desperaterly trying to move forward, make concrete plans and get my life back on track.

The realization here is the court could tell me I need to sell my house, or sell it out from under me (I hope not, I pay less in my mortgage for my small house than most people pay in rent and I can have my dogs), I could be ordered to dispose of my retirement account. I have no other asessts other than those two items.

These things scare me, scare me a lot. When I had my second consultation with said firm, they pretty much assured me that the court would probably let me keep my house as I've been able to afford it, was not behind on my mortgage and my income showed I could keep making the payments. The way this is being handled does not thrill me, impress me or instill any sort of confidence in this whole procedure.

I can't cry, I'm at work, I can't scream, I'm at work. I will probably go home and eat my way through this. No wonder I have to buy new pants.

I feel like it is three steps back and no steps forward this week.

Frustration Factor

Just to add to this mornings post. I logged on to a couple of the web sites that have financial/money mangement programs I'm supposed to complete prior to the whole bankruptcy being discharged. With the bank holiday coming up this weekend, I thought this would be a good time to get one or both of the courses done.

Of course, you can't take them until you have a case number, and I don't have a case number yet. It's two steps forward, one step back.

I also took a good look at my house this am. The clutter has taken over again! I think letting the clutter collect is a reflection of my frazzled state of mind. My desk is a mess, I had hoped to go through all the piles and do an organize session. Did not happen. I have a bunch of stuff in my file cabinet that can be brought here to work to be shredded in the shredder and then maybe I can clear off my desk. I need to stick to my weekly plan as I stated I would.

I live in a really small house and the decluttering will be good to also help me free up some space in my living space. I have to be more diligent in the 1) Do I love it? 2) Do I need it? 3) Is it useful questions when I look at my things. The upside is that E-bay is now has free insertion fees so I'll see what I can sell on E-Bay, see what I can sell on Half.com, and see if I can't clear out some space.

AND I have to REMEMBER to BREATHE.

Needs and Wants

I decided to post a Needs and Wants Post. I've spent half the evening trying to get online and to do some work/research. My computer and internet service provider are at odds with each other-again. As I work through this bankruptcy, what I find a kicker is that I'm at the stage where I need things, not want things, need things. Things that require loans and financing. UGH

1) I need a new computer. My laptop is five years old and starting to be un-useful. Plus I'm on dial up so any on line work or research takes forever! I have a goal to try to earn enough extra money to buy a new computer. Amount in that fund is really small.

2) I need new slippers. Ok, not quite a computer, but I realized my current pair are totally shot. At least I can afford a new pair from Target, maybe 2 pair if I find them on sale. My floors are cold and I don't keep the heat on very high in the winter.

3) I will need a new car sometime this fall. My poor baby has over 200,000 miles on it and owes me nothing. I think the time is coming to let it rest. I'm starting to have repairs on it and each repair has been around $500 to $600 each. That could be two months of car payments. Not sure (yet) how I am going to afford a new or new to me vehicle at this point, are there really car dealerships that will extend credit to someone fresh out of Bankruptcy? I've not researched that yet, I've only seen the ads on tv and in the paper.

4) I want a new TV. My current TV is a small 12 inch color portable tv, but it's really small. I don't have cable, I borrow a lot of movies from the local library and it would be nice to see a movie on a larger screen. My computer monitor at work is bigger than my TV.


I can live without the new TV and will live without the new TV until I reach very specific financial goals. I'm going to have to figure out how to finance a new to me vehicle.


The upside to all of this I posted on Freecycle, a desire for a bread maker. Low and behold, someone in the neighboring town has one she got as a gift and is giving to me. I love fresh bread, but buying a loaf at the bakery is expensive and I end up with too much bread and not enough space in my freezer to store it. I've used a bread maker before and I know that it will give me the perfect sized loaf of bread, good enough for a couple days. I'm looking forward to coming home to fresh bread for dinner.

Ah yes, and now time to go to bed and get some sleep.