WHAT, a fiasco!

This past weekend was just about ridiculous. I mean seriously internets, it was just crazy!

We moved which by itself is always a mess but it was also Easter Sunday weekend and I was running around coordinating Easter outfits and what not. As well as packing up and taking care of my girls of course.

Let's start with the 31st... Poor Mark had to get up before 5am to work and get ready for the airport. He left at 6:45 and flew down to Orange County. He flew down there because most of our things were in storage and needed to be moved up here to NorCal. So our friend Mark picked him up and dropped him at the Budget Truck rental. He then went to the storage unit and loaded everything into the truck. By himself. Hence the previous poor guy comment. I mean, we're talking a washer, dryer, refrigerator, freezer, 2 huge cabinets, you name it!! He said it was like doing origami fitting everything in the truck. And then he got to hop in and drive home. Half way home, he texted me and said he was tired. I demanded that he pull over and rest because I do really like him and want him to live for a long time.

So I wake up to my mother in law knocking on the door, asking me where my car is. Um, haha good April Fool's Day joke. No, really she says - Your car is not in the driveway!


WHAT! WHAT?!!? WHAT!!!!

Oh my word. I rushed out there and yep, no car. And we only have one car so this is just all kinds of bad! I mean, what the heck! Was it stolen? Where is my car!!!!??? So I call Mark who has woken up and is on his way home. He says to call Toyota and ask them if they've repossessed it. I ask him why would they reposes it if we paid them off? He says the refinance we did took a really long time and just to double check. That's just great! So I do call them and after being on hold for an hour, I'm told that yes, they took my car. Even though we just paid them off in full! So now Toyota has my car AND my money. Uggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh!


So Mark calls our buddy who did our refinance and he says "I'll take care of it". He and Mark do conference calling all day with toyota and the new lender. They fax proof of payment and all kinds of things and Toyota is still not satisfied. So no car that day because the tow yard closes at 4pm. Hopefully, we will get it tomorrow but my hopes aren't really all that high. Mark keeps moving. I keep packing. The girls are stir crazy!

The next day, my MIL has off for Good Friday and we go to the new place to unpack and organize things. Our plan was to unpack and then around 2pm go to at least get our belongings from the tow yard (car seats, stroller, tons of other miscellaneous stuff). We just needed $25 bucks and my driver's license. As we are headed to the yard which is 35 minutes away, Mark calls and says GOOD NEWS! They've released the car. Oh thank heavens. So... now what?

He tells me that I need to go to the Martinez Sherrif's department and get a receipt from them. Then he says actually, I think you can go to any Sherrif's department to get the receipt. So I call 411 for the town we are closest to and ask them. Nope. You've gotta go to Martinez which is another 15 minutes down the road. Okay, we've got to hurry because remember the tow yard closes at 4. Okay so we make our way to the Sherrif's. I remember that Mark said I need to pay $15 for this receipt, in cash. So we drive around frantically looking for an ATM. We finally get the cash and I run into the Records office. I wait. and wait. and wait. and well, you get the picture. Finally a very bored lady comes waltzing out and asks what I need. (I'm clearly bothering her). I say my car was repossessed and that I need the release receipt. She asks me for my VIN number. Umm... sorry don't have that, ma'am. SHE ROLLS HER EYES and SIGHS! Then she asks for my license plate number. Sorry, don't know that either. Then she asks make, model, address, and name. She tells me she can not find it. Because I'm lying. My car WASN'T repossessed. So I call Mark to get my license plate number - he knows it. She finds the car and says $15 dollars. I have her a 20 dollar bill. No, I need exact change. I tell her to keep the change. No, I said EXACT change only. Go down the street to McDonald's.

Heaven help me!!! So I schlep down there and come back with a sweet tea and $15, exactly. She hands me a handwritten receipt and finally we head to the tow yard! Finally!

Keep in mind, it is raining and the kids have been cooped up all day and in the car for going on 2 hours now. Fun times!

We head back and we are looking for the exit and it turns out that the exit is only on the northbound side of the freeway. We have to exit and it's now 3:15 and rush hour traffic. I make the stupid mistake of saying, really how much worse could this day get! 1 minute later we turn and the truck in front of us spins out and almost hits us head on! I KID YOU NOT!! I apologized to the universe and luckily no one was hurt. We made it to the tow yard with no more snafus and when I got to the tow yard, they gave me my car and Toyota had paid all of the fees (~$600). And all of my stuff was there.

It felt so good driving my prius home! So so good.

Saturday was more moving and more unpacking fun. So tiring and the kids were climbing the walls from boredom but it was kind of fun sleeping in our new place :)

Sunday morning was so stressful! Getting myself and the girls dressed and coordinated when everything was in boxes proved to be a very hard task early in the morning! The cable guy was scheduled to come out between 8 and 10. I was doubtful that he could come on Easter Sunday but he did! We were very excited to get our internet and TV set up because it had already been 2 days and Mark and I were both jonesing. 10 minutes after arriving he informs us that he can't access the cable room though and we will have to reschedule! UGH. Mark skipped church and worked and I went to church alone. We called Comcast and they made an appointment for THURSDAY! What?! We will be dead by then...

Luckily, things are starting to look up because it is Tuesday and I'VE GOT INTERNET!!!


P.S. Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband and the father of my babies, Mark. I love you very much.