My New Office

This is my new office:When I arrived at work yesterday afternoon, the Chief told me that my car was ready, and that I could start taking it home. Yippee! This is what it looks like sitting in my driveway, with oak tree stuff on it. I went straight to the car wash on my way to work.
I spend the better part of my morning, before work, getting my stuff into the car and hooking up my laptop and my printer. I spent the rest of it dealing with the woman that backed into me at the Target this morning. All I can say is, at least I was in my personal car, and not my patrol car. And that she's gonna get to pay for part of the paint job I am having done while I'm on vacation.

Every officer in our department has their own assigned vehicle, and they can take it home if they live within a certain radius. This cuts down on wear-and-tear, and also lets you get everything like you want it and not have to swap it out each shift. That way, if you get a call right at shift change, you are ready to go.

I knew I was going to be getting it soon, but I figured it would be after I get back from vacation. It has a dent in the driver's side front fender, and the body-shop guy is supposed to fix it while I'm gone. They decided to go ahead and let me have it, and he will still fix it while I'm gone. This pleases me to no end, as I now get to burn the City's gas going to and from work. Not that I live very far - just outside the city limits - but it will save me some money.

I've been driving for nearly two weeks. I was driving Mike's car - his is a 2008, mine is a 2001 - (low man on the totem pole and all) and he's been scared to death that I'm gonna wreck his. So as far as that goes, he was able to relax tonight, as we drove mine. And will continue to do so, as it drives differently and I need to get used to it. He is a control-freak when it comes to driving, so he doesn't do well in the passenger seat. He tries to chill, but is largely unsuccessful. Tonight, we ran "code" for the first time since I've been on the street with him. And since I was driving.... Well, you can just imagine the claw marks on the passenger side of my car.! He sounds like my dad, "Don't brake in the curve!" Got it. I know I need some work in that area. "Code" is running lights and sirens, petal to the metal. At least we all got there in one piece.

Here is the particularly amusing part of the whole car story. When this car was brand new, it was assigned to.... my ex-husband Jeff. The irony is not lost!

Otherwise, this has been a pretty slow week. I hope I'm not jinxing myself for tomorrow night, which is my "Friday." And then, except for some admin stuff, I'll be off for the next 11 days.

Art & Soul, here we come!