The Hunt is on

Craigslists for rent section has become our bible.  I am constantly on it looking for updates of apartments that appeal to me.  I call for appointments.  I email for appointments.  Many never send an answer.  It is a frustrating process.

We started physically looking for an apartment on Tuesday.  The pickings are mighty slim.  The first place we asked to see the apartment that had just been listed that morning.  It was rented.  The person never saw it, just pictures.  They gave a credit card number and it was theirs.  Never saw it.  Who does that?

The guideline for the first day was how far south of Oakland will we go.  After one afternoon, we knew we were too far south.  It took too long to get to where we volunteer, go to church, and where Marty works.  Great apartments, just not for us. 

Next up was San Leandro.  We lived there several months during our remodel.  A nice little town with a great library, some good restaurants, and lots and lots of apartments.  There were two duplexes that we wanted to see.  We went to the property management company to get the key.  The only way we could get a key was to pay $25 per person for the privilege of filling out an application.  Now applications always cost money.  But that is for a place you know you want to live in.  We haven't seen the places, and no refund.  They also wanted to see our Social Security cards.  The number was not good enough.  No one wants the card, just the number.  Guess where our cards are.  Safely locked up in the safe in the storage unit. 

We went to Social Security and ordered replacement cards.  I have to say how the San Leandro office was.  Very very helpful.  And not the strange clients that Oakland has.  Not a bad experience

We saw some awful places.  And we saw a place I could be happy living in.  It is even a ground floor apartment.  It is at the upper limit of our budget.  But there is hope that picky spoiled me can find a new home.

Until I find that place we will stay with our incredible friends

Wedding, and stuff

Monday was a legal holiday, Martin Luther King Day, so the county building was closed.  That is how I got to go to the Fancy Food show with no guilt.  Anyway, Wednesday I went in ready to do lots marriage of ceremonies .  Almost as soon as I sat down they brought me a license.

It was for a very nice couple originally from India.  Their mothers were their witnesses.  And that is as exciting as my day was.  Not another couple came in.  I don't think we even sold a license after that.  I read, I talked to clerks on break.  I checked my email and facebook. I took a walk.  It was a long slow afternoon.

Thursday a friend and I went to lunch.  We both had things going on in our lives that have ticked us off and we needed some girl time to vent. I cheered her up so much that she let out a shriek that turned heads in the restaurant.  She got even, she told me something so funny I nearly spit tea everywhere. Thank goodness for cloth napkins. A successful cheer up session.

Update on the mess with Social Security:  last week after I talked to the Assistant District Manager they agreed to cut us an emergency check.  (Remember they sent our checks for December to a closed bank account.)  The emergency checks were only a percentage of the whole amount.  The rest would be deposited in our bank account in 5 business days.  Right.  Yesterday Marty received the rest of his money in the mail.  Not a deposit, a check.  My check, nothing.  Not in the mail, not in the bank. Guess who gets to start fighting with the idiots at Social Security again.  On a Monday.  That seems appropriate.

Why do they call it going Postal? It should be going all Social Security.

Back story:  We changed banks in early November.  We notified agencies that send us money, and agencies that we have automatic withdrawals.  Yet Social Security (SS) can't get it right.  Our November checks went to the old bank.  Marty went back to the SS office redid the paper work and the checks were sent to the correct bank a few days later.  December's checks didn't show up.  Marty went back down to SS last Thursday.  They had again sent the checks to the old bank and the checks had been returned.  (that last sentence is important, remember it) They said don't worry we will cut you emergency checks.  Oops the woman with power to do that has left for the day.  Come back on Monday. The checks are now 13 days late.

Today is Monday.  I drug myself out of my sick bed.  (I have a really bad cold and a serious cough.  So serious I cough until I throw up.  I have 8 hour pills that work for about 4 hours.  I have not been out of the house for a week.)  SS told Marty to bring his wife so she could get her emergency check.  The wife is there and checks in.  The clerk listens to the story, last week no one had put anything in the computer.  She is typing away. Well, she says this is irregular, but go sit down and we will cut your check.  Finally another clerk calls us and we have to tell the story again.  She is typing away.  She can't cut a check, no one can cut a check.  They don't do that. WTH?????  She tells us to sit down someone else will help us. 

Third clerk calls us up.  "What is the problem?" What the hell are they typing into the computer while we sit there?  Are they played Jewel Quest?  We tell the story again.  They have no record of the check being returned, so they can not give us an emergency check.  Marty told him he had seen the paper showing the checks were returned.  No, no such item.  So sorry and other BS.  In three to five business days the checks will be deposited in your account. Good bye.

I suggested they do a little training and get their stories the same.  Some would give us checks, some say it is against regulations. I have the last clerk's name and phone extension.  At least when they screw it up again we have someone to start with.