I discovered tonight that it’s really no big deal to be charged with possession of marijuana. Really, in Hazelwood, it’s only a $150 fine.

Not obeying a police officer is even better - $75.

Not having an occupancy permit comes in at a whopping $500.

Rock on. I love living in Hazelwood. /sarcasm

Tonight I had to appear in Municipal Court to explain why I hadn’t: 1) painted the entire house, 2) stained the entirety of both decks, 3) painted the poles on the carport, 4) repainted the utility shed, and 5) painted the foundation of my house (!) by April 9th. Good times.

My lovely friend in the Code Enforcement department gave me three weeks to do this. Three weeks in which I experienced the joys of tax season, and my shower wall caved in. Three weeks in which it rained more than half the time. Yeah, okay.

ARGH!

So Justin and I sat through people pleading guilty for driving without a license, driving without insurance, running red lights, disobeying police officers, possession of various illegal substances, and other inanities. And here I am, pleading “guilty with explanation” on a code infraction.

Justin kept asking questions about what the people were saying. They had to speak into a microphone as they stepped one by one to the judge. His questions cracked me up. “Why is she mad?” “What’s that guy doing?” “What’s the judge saying?” I tried to whisper the answers and then shush him again, but the ornery critter in me didn’t have any conviction in my voice.

I guess I was just aggravated at being there in the first place.

When our turn finally came, the judge said my friendly neighborhood Code Enforcement Officer said the place was half-done. Half? Hardly. It’s 90% if it’s anything. Luckily for me, he stayed a decision until June 22, but I was still aggravated. Aggravated enough, in fact, to hunt down Officer Unfriendly.

After much phoney-friendly banter, he told me that if I just get the deck done he’ll be happy. That’s nice, because that’s the last thing we have to do.

Gah.

I’m happy tonight, though, because Justin was amazingly sweet to me when we got home. I mean, incredibly. He offered to carry things from the car into the house, he turned on all the lights and closed all the blinds, and then told me he was doing it all because “you work too much, Mom.” Awwww. I nearly started to cry.

My pool exploded this evening. It was ugly. I switched the pump on, and the intake hose to the pool blew off the filter. It shot gallons of water all over until I could make it down the stairs (much like Superman - head first) and (literally) pull the plug. I stood with the hose above the water level (read: above my head) talking to Stephen on my cell phone. I was stressy and crabby, and my mood didn’t improve when I had to tie the hose to my deck in order for it not to leak until Stephen could get to it.

Little did I know he would show up at my house at 10p (after driving 1 1/2 hours from Rolla) with a new fitting in hand to fix the connection. ::sigh:: I am very spoiled by this man, I tell ya. I can only hope I spoil him back.

Now I get to cuddle with him a little before he leaves. One more final and he’s back in StL for good. I’m counting it down!

Yes, your honor,
michelle