The little Inn by the wayside

[Zyx]

I've also said it would make a good book and movie!

Not to mention a freeware game.

That might be interesting. Wonder how it would work though? Maybe a puzzle type game, where one must solve mysteries or do some task to proceed to the next level, or the game could take a few liberties, and a Super Mario Bros clone could be made. I could just imagine: Maria is trapped in the bus garage with the manager (Bowser). Steve (My real name), must play Mario and go through various levels to rescue her!

I think a beat'em up similar to Double Dragon with the evil P.A.C.E as the enemy might work as well. I'd imagine a level happening on the top of a moving train, for example...

[Chroelle]

And the Victory screen being you, Maria and Skoda riding off in a leased train!

[Railwaymodeler]

A beat-em-up would be loads of fun! Told Maria about it just now and she laughed pretty good.

One of my neighbors is actually a very good artist, mostly with pencil drawing. I'm fixing to ask if he can do a set of posters that parody the WWII posters found all across the USA back then. The twist would be portraying Pace as the axis!

[Tormuse]

And the Victory screen being you, Maria and Skoda riding off in a leased train!

This is full of win... literally as well as figuratively!

Of course, if you're really thinking of making this, you would probably have to change Pace's name to avoid lawsuits.

[Chroelle]

So... a ..*pmf*....change *giggle* ...a change of PACE. ROFL HAHAHAHA

[Railwaymodeler]

Pretty much. Thinking of calling it "Ace" in any books or anything else.

Someone long ago, suggested that it is an acronym for Paranoia And Confusion Everywhere. Just shows the worker morale there.

One of the drivers part of the class action suit, just was here and bought a laptop from me. As she said, why go anywhere else, when they can get it from someone that understands their struggle. That made me feel real good!

[Chroelle]

Btw: I BOUGHT A HOUSE YESTERDAY!

Now I only have to wait until wednesday for all the bank stuff and lawyer stuff to get completed and then I am a homeowner from July 1st.

[Tormuse]

Okay, *now* congrats on getting the house!

WOOO!

[Railwaymodeler]

Congrats, C! Must be real exciting!

Tomorrow morning, we'll all be in Chicago for round two of this whole mess around here. By this time tomorrow, we should have another victory!

Maria and I are very excited, can't wait to see the look on Pace management and lawyers' faces after they are defeated again!

[Chroelle]

*WAiting anxiously to hear next chapter of story about Ace - I mean Pace. *

[Railwaymodeler]

Pace was resoundingly crushed in round two today! So far the score is Pace 0, everyone else 2.

Maria had brought the paperwork from our case earlier this year, and the judge in Chicago was interested in reading our judge's comments. Of course, the management kept trying to defend their actions, which made them actually look much worse!

We've already talked to a couple news reporters, who are also interested in how this is progressing. Public opinion of Pace is pretty low nowadays, and about to get lower.

We all went to a nice late lunch after the case was decided. Got the biggest steak on the menu, and was a cheerful, lively lunch. Came back home, and went to the bus terminal to spread the good word!

[Tormuse]

Are the reporters publishing a story on it? I periodically have been doing a Google search of "Pace bus news" to see what the media is saying about it and nothing is coming up about your case. Are they waiting until the case is over before publishing or is Google just failing me for some reason?

[Railwaymodeler]

Asked my contact at the newspaper, she said they plan to do a big front page article when the whole thing is over. One more round to go!

On the other hand, a couple small Hispanic-oriented local newspapers have been covering Maria's experiences extensively. One of the papers does not have much of a web presence, the other, I can't find their articles online either. Of course, that they are printed in Spanish might explain it too!

[Tormuse]

Front page! Wow! This, I've got to see! Post a link when it's up!

[Railwaymodeler]

Absolutely, but not sure how soon this whole thing will finally be over. The only unfinished business, is for the State of Illinois to finish their criminal investigation on Pace's mangement. As it is, Pace is known for bullying the mass media. Some years ago, two men who worked in upper management at system headquarters, were caught using company vehicles (Easily spotted - even ones without a company logo or fleet number, will have municipal license plates, and are also a certain make/model in a dull gray color), and on company time to frequent strip clubs and casinos. The press published articles about the wrongdoing, and Pace's lawyers constantly bullied the papers, expecting a retraction AND apology! Of course, no news outlet did either!

Overall employee morale has improved greatly lately. As Maria and I pretty much were the ones to originally blow the whistle on the massive corruption of the system, and as such, had to bear the worst of their bullying, we've become known lately as a pair of Davids that slayed Goliath. Now all we want to do is live the rest of our lives in peace, raise Skoda and any other kids we may have, and settle down once and for all.

[Railwaymodeler]

Maria's birthday was on the 21st. We went to a very nice dinner in Milwaukee, at an Italian restaurant she and I both like. We spent part of the evening walking around downtown there along the Lake Michigan waterfront, holding hands, and talking. Skoda came with us to dinner, and a friend of mine that lived in Milwaukee offered to babysit her for a few hours so Maria and I could spend some alone time. Was pure bliss for both of us. The evening was peaceful, and somehow we still felt as though we were young teenagers in love for the first time. Given that we've been in our relationship for about six years now, this is something that is very rare anymore, and we cherish it.

Had to make an overnight trip to the Boy Scout camp I work with up north and make some emergency repairs to the computer network. Maria and I figured it best she stay home with Skoda, as I heard that the bus garage manager would also be there, as he is a volunteer with the boy scouts (and darn near being booted out of scouting too!). Maria and I decided that it was best to just have her stay back, as it was only an overnight trip. On the other hand, I would have just loved making sure the manager saw Maria and I, preferrably with Skoda, and see Maria and I kiss in front of him! I'm sure his blood would just boil!

So home through next Thursday, then Maria, Skoda and I are all making a five day trip to camp again.

[Chroelle]

Great to hear about your romantic night out. Me and Tanja make a big deal about having those, as it keeps the butterflies in the stomach around. HAving time to be someting other than just parents is a great thing.

On a completely different note - we are slowly beginning to pack up here so we can move as soon as the painter, who hasn't begun yet, and the carpenter, who hasn't begun yet, are done with their work. I am looking so much forward to leaving this place behind and having a garden to send Anna out and playing in, and a deck to sit and drink a cup of coffee or a cold beer (depending on the weather) on. I am pretty sure this is gonna be great.
One of the great things about packing and moving is that you get to look at every single piece of crap that you have taken wth you for years, and now you offer yourself the choice once more of "keeping or ditching". Last summer during the rainstorms I got rid of a LOT, and now I get to go over some of it again, and also all the stuff in the apartment. It is such a cleansing feeling to throw crap out.

A week from today we get the key, and hopefully a week from there the workers are done, and we can move in, but lets see...

[eMTe]

the painter

You don't paint yourself? It's fun, especially when it's warm.

One of the great things about packing and moving is that you get to look at every single piece of crap that you have taken wth you for years, and now you offer yourself the choice once more of "keeping or ditching". Last summer during the rainstorms I got rid of a LOT, and now I get to go over some of it again, and also all the stuff in the apartment. It is such a cleansing feeling to throw crap out.

Can I request a list of the future garbage? Just in case something useful could be find on it.

[Chroelle]

FEel free to drop by and do an inventory.

Only reason I dont paint myself this time around is getting the kids looked after and getting it done while I am also packing and doing repairs on the house. Its the whole house that needs to be painted so it is quite timeconsuming, and my wife is rather tedious about the quality of the painting, so it shouldn't be done by someone with other things on their mind that needs to be done.

When we get the key we are both off from work monday and tuesday and then Tanja is going on a festival with 60 kids from her work for 3 days, so I will be quite a busy man those days - all 5 of them. The first with getting everything planned and packed, and the last with cleaning and repairing in 2 apartments, and taking care of the household and kids.

[Railwaymodeler]

I know what you mean about moving, C. When I moved back in 2010, packing up several work tables of model train parts (Not to mention having about six or eight boxes of model trains, to every one box of everything else!), gave me a chance to figure out what truly is scrap or junk. Of course, there wasn't too many parts that were truly useless, but instead, parts that would only have a small chance of ever being useful, though still perfectly workable. Those I had listed on eBay, so made some money while moving!

While I overall look forward to moving North soon-ish, the logistics of all the train stuff now will be interesting, at least. On the other hand, much of the spare parts and unassembled vintage kits are already packed away in boxes (Got two big closets full as it is!), as they are out of the way, and unlikely to have an unhappy encounter with Skoda!