"Keep a Journal: How else are you going to get a good look at who you were?"

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Is this a monthly journal or a quarterly?

Okay, here's how the divorce is going:

First, some background; I have tried on several occasions to get my Ex 'round the table to hammer out an agreement about property and custody that we could take to court.  No success.

I contacted an Internet-based divorce mill and had them draw up the papers for a simple, no-fault claim based on separation.  I figured a good start date would be when I moved into my own basement: March, 2008.  I was ready to file in March of 2010, or shortly thereafter, but the Ex asked me to hold off until after October of 2010; until she could finish up her college courses at VCC. After thinking about it a bit, I agreed.  Final decision on filing the papers was set for last quarter 2010, or first quarter 2011.  I filed at the Vancouver Court Registry on February 2nd, 2011.  She was served her copy of the claim nine days later on Friday the 11th of February.  She didn't speak to me for the next three days...

Then she hired a Lawyer.  Then she invited me to sit down with the Lawyer and hammer out an agreement about property and custody that we could take to court. Success!...at least as far as she is concerned.

BC law states that the respondent to a claim has 30 days in which to file a response, after which the claimant is free to file for a Bench Decree in the matter.  The 30 days ended on Sunday, March 13.  I was told the Lawyer filed the challenge to my claim on March 1st, but I went down to the courts on Wednesday the 16th to discover that they had filed on day 31: Monday, March 14th.  I was too late to file my request for a Decree.  Should have planned that one better.  It is now March 20th.  I have yet to be served with my copy of the counter-claim.

I have, however, got a pretty good idea what form our property agreement is going to take.  It's a good deal - for my Ex.  I will likely have to hire a Lawyer of my own before this is all done.  The only advantage I have in this situation is knowing exactly what my Ex's expectations are...and how much she may be willing to give up if I let her have them.  My own needs are far more modest.

On to the work front; I finally signed up for our new online payroll accounting.  HBC stopped giving out printed pay statements sometime last year and I waited until now to sign up for them online.  I was dismayed to discover that I have not been paid for a full pay period for the last three months.  I have missed a number of days with my neck injury, but it seems all those days were paid out consecutively as Sick Days.  I have no Sick Days left.  Still, I haven't taken any days off recently and I am fully expecting my next pay statement to be a full hours one.  Watch this space for further bulletins - or flying fur.  I don't want to have to ask our HR department to audit ALL of my pay statements for the past year, but I'll do it if my next statement comes up short.

On the Automotive front: I have decided to fix up my beater VW.  In part because I don't have the money to replace it outright (yet), and in part because I've already sunk so much money into it just to keep it on the road that if I simply fix all of its issues, that puppy's going to be with me for another 10 years or more.

Or until I do find that suitable replacement.

I've been getting chummy with Lorne Kintrea lately.  He's been trying to get his mobile auto-mechanic business up and running.  What he really needs is a bigger vehicle.  He ought to sell his Land Cruiser and buy a van.  He could get a van for a song...I got TWO of them that way!  I've been looking on Craig's List and something like a Caravan or some such would be pretty reasonable.  I'll be buying an engine stand for the VW soon, and I've already told Lorne he can use it if he needs to.