I just had to share this…

As most of you know, I am a legal secretary. One of the areas of law we practice is Social Security Disability, which is where we help people get their disability started.

It has become almost impossible to deal with the Social Security Administration.  I had to call them today, and after pushing this button, entering this information, pushing that button, talking to the animated woman, that I hate, and holding for 28 minutes to get a REAL person, the call went something like this…

Me:  I need to get some information regarding a client of ours.

SSA:  Okay, we have to get six pieces of information from you first.

Me:  Okay.

(I give them my clients name, SSN, DOB, address, mothers maiden name, current address and where they were born.  Yeah, I ain’t even lyin’).

SSA:  Okay, now what can we help you with.

Me:  I need a copy of the Notice of Award.

SSA:  Is the client there with you?

Me:   Noooooooo.

SSA:  I can’t help you.

Me:  Why not?

SSA:  Because you are not them.

Me:  We are their attorney/personal representative.

SSA:  Oh, okay.  I will need the attorneys name, firm name, address, phone number.

(I give them all of this)

SSA:  Okay, now what did you need?

Me:  A copy of the Notice of Award.

SSA:  Is the claimant with you?

Me:  No, she is still not here.

SSA:  I can’t help you.

Me:  Why not?

SSA:  Because the claimant has to be with you in order for us to speak with you.

Me:  Okay, they have never had to be with me before, but let me get this straight.  You have the information showing that we are her attorney right?

SSA:  Yes.

Me:  And you still can’t talk to me…

SSA:  Right.

Me:  Okay, sooooooo…..we can get their medical records, send them to you, fill out all the paperwork to show that we are their attorney, file the appeal, set up a hearing with the Judge, go to the hearing, get a copy of everything that you send to the claimant, I can tell you everything about them including their mother’s maiden name and where they were born, but I can’t get a copy of the Notice of Award?

SSA:  That is correct.

Me:  This has gotten to the point that it is comical!!!

SSA:  ***silence***

Me:  helloooo?

SSA:  Well, since 9/11 we have had to implement certain procedures…

Me:  Honey, I have never had a problem getting any information I needed in order to be able to assist our client….until today! 9/11 was quite a few years ago and last time I checked I was NOT a terrorist

SSA:  Well, is the claimant there with you?

Me:  You have got to be kidding me!  No, she has still not turned up since the other two times you asked me if she was here! 

SSA:  You are going to have to tell the claimant to call us themselves.

Me:  Okie dokie.  Well, can you tell me if you even have the Notice of Award before I call and have her go through all of this trauma before she actually gets to a person?

SSA:  No, I can’t tell you that.

Me:  OH MY GOSH!!!!!

I call my client, I tell her to get some kind of a sedative or maybe an alcoholic beverage ready, cos’ she is going to need one or both!  She calls SSA and calls me back and says, I got a man and he said there is no such thing as a Notice of Award!!!!

SHUT UP!!!!!!!!  How much do these people get paid???  That is what I want to know!!!!

Now, any of you that work for SSA, I do not mean to offend…however, I am about to LOSE IT!!

So, I leave work to go home, still twitching from the conversation I had with SSA.  I stop at a red light, a woman in front of me is going to turn left.  No problem.  We sit there through THREE lights!  Yes, THREE!!  She never moves an INCH!!  I gently honk my horn at her after light number TWO and she flipped me the bird. 

I very nearly had a COMPLETE come apart!  I COULD NOT believe that she flipped me the bird!!!  I can’t get over because traffic is backed up a flippin mile because of her, and everyone else is getting over so I am stuck!  We sit through ANOTHER light!  She only has about, I don’t know, 15 opportunities to turn!  She does not move!  I FINALLY got over and went on…she was still sitting there…

A day….in my life…..

NIFTY THRIFTY FINDS

I wanted to participate in Nifty Thrifty finds Tuesdays with Linda at Coastal Charm, however, I didn’t find anything thrifty this past week…

SO…I decided to share some thrifty finds I have found in the past…

This is the entry to my house…almost everything on this table was a thrifty find of some sort….

The pink wreath is a boa wrapped around a styrofoam wreath form…definitely thrifty…

These lambs I bought for my mother because she loved them….after she passed away, I got them…every time I look at them…I smile….and think of her…

The silver tray I found in a consignment shop for a few dollars….

This is one of my favorite things…the egg and bird I found in a little antique store and paid $5 for it.  I keep it out year round….

pot of flowers, yard sale find….$2

You have probably seen this candlestick before…I found it at my favorite consignment shop called Esther's.  Just a few dollars for this too.

Well, that is all I got tonight!  Please hop over and check out Linda’s party and visit everyone!  Hope you are all having a great week!!

Lou Cinda

HEEEELLLLLOOOOOO???

I am still here!!  Barely……

I have been busy doing some things around the house.  I made this wreath from hydrangeas….since that is my favorite flower!

It was messy as the dickens to make….hydrangea flowers were everywhere!

But I do love it!  Just don’t move it!  It will shed….

I made the bow out of the stuff you use for upholstery webbing.

My birdcage, ready for spring….

I found the little rocking chair at the GW and painted it black…added the bird and a couple of nests.  The little eggs I found out in the yard the other day…

A key and tag finish her off!

This is the bedroom carpet before…ugly, UGLY green…..

AFTER!!  Fresh neutral carpet!  This is the only room in our house that has carpet….

It looks soooooo much bigger and brighter in here now!  I will say though, it was a BEAR getting all the furniture and everything out to get the carpet installed….a pain….but worth it!

A little update!

We found another car for Seth!  He is mobile again, and that is a good thing…I guess…I wish he was two years old and in a stroller!  However, that is not the case….

He is 20 years old and apparently termed “High Risk” now…

According to Alfa Insurance anyway….and they call the shots…

They are cancelling his insurance in August when our policy renews…isn’t that just ducky??

No…it isn’t.   We pay insurance for flippin EVER!  Then, heaven forbid you have to use it….

We are sorry but he is “high risk”….cancelled…

Hey Seth!

Welcome to reality sweetie…..

 

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Friday, Mandy and I went to a couple of Estate Sales.  On our lunch hour of course!  I bought a few things that I really was excited about!

I didn’t take a “before” of this table, but it had a terrible paint treatment…something with spots!  I don’t know WHAT they were thinking! lol  But I saw potential!  I am going to paint my patio furniture too!  I have got to get busy!!

I loved this frame and map.  Really BIG map!  Not so fond of the most unhappy lady though…she’s gonna go!

The frame is chippy(definitely chipped)!  But I only paid $5 for it, so I can deal!

The table in the bedroom.  We needed another bedside table in here and I think this works!  Steve had this bedroom suit when we married and I do love it!  BUT the ex got the other bedside table!  Who DOES that???  Just sayin’

Of course Bella!  I still need to get the trim on the other lamp shade.

The frame painted black…

LOVE!!!

I am linking up with Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday!  Please be sure and visit her blog and check out the participants!!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

 

Blessed….

This beautiful Easter weekend I had so many reasons to be thankful….

Thankful that Christ died on the cross for my sins…

Thankful that he arose…

I had other reasons to be thankful this weekend….

This is Seth, my oldest son’s car…

He was on his way home Saturday when a cat ran out in front of him….

He veered to miss the cat….lost control of the car….started flipping….hit a deep ditch and a brick column at the end of a driveway…the column looked like it had exploded…

I got the call that we, as parents are TERRIFIED to receive….thankfully, the call was from Seth.

“Mom, I had a wreck.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I am fine, just scared.”

“I am on my way.”

He was only TWO blocks from home.  When we got in the car I could see the flashing lights from my house!  They say most accidents happen within 5 miles from your own home.

I was very calm…I didn’t look at the car too  much Saturday…

I knew better…

Seth was shaking when we got to him…I can’t imagine the fear he felt, being so helpless in a car out of control…

I saw the car the next day and I remained calm, until I was all alone, then…I lost it….

I know a mother whose son had the SAME thing happen to her son two months ago…he veered, over compensated, lost control, flipped and hit a tree….he died…

I am so thankful that Seth was wearing his seatbelt…
I am so thankful that God was in that car with him and kept him from harm….

I am thankful that Easter morning, I had both of my boys with me in church….

Thank you God…..so much….