Tag: <span>virginia</span>

Commonwealth of Virginia
Commonwealth of Virginia

As many of our frequent visitors (visitors => More Than Two) may remember, back in December and January I posted about a problem with our local DMV.  It seemed that the various DMV officials were making stuff up in increasingly new and original ways, to prevent Winnie from obtaining her driver’s license (and by default, proof of Virginia residency).  My breaking point was when, on our fifth trip over a period of 7 weeks, they denied her license on basis that she could not prove how she made the jump from her maiden name “Wei Fang Li” to married name “Wei Fang Li Charest.”

Opinions & Commentary

…and another Ugly Example of Anti-Immigration Hysteria

Bad Nurse
Bad Nurse

Winnie and I are currently in the process of buying some additional life insurance.  Not a big deal or at least it shouldn’t be.  Part of the process now-a-days to buy life insurance is take a medical exam, and the insurance companies actually make this part easy by sending a nurse-practitioner to the prospective client’s home for administering the forms and lab work.

Yesterday, we had our home visit.  As part of the nurse’s visit, she subjected me to some of the ugliest anti-immigration crap I’ve been personally subjected to.  As a side bonus, she performed what at best would be the sloppiest blood sample draw, on Winnie, I’ve ever experienced or witnessed.  Ever.

Family Stories

This And That
This And That

I just wanted to wish all mothers reading this website, and even those who don’t read it, a very happy and belated Mother’s day. Here’s hoping that everyone had a lovely day and was able to spend at least a short while with family and close friends.

I also wanted to say a few words after a very long and busy month.

Family Stories

A Preview of Things to Come?

an approaching storm over lake Michigan
The Gathering Storm

We’ve been having what local news stations are referring to as “nor’easter.” Loosely translated, this appears to mean a major storm affecting the entire North Eastern part of the United States. Had I not read this in the local newspapers, I’d of thought we were brushed by a hurricane even larger than Katrina.

Family Stories

Family Stories

Typical Big Box Store
An Empty Big Box Store

All we wanted to do was return a vacuum cleaner.  We had purchased it 5 days earlier, broken it after 20 minutes total use, and decided to get a different model.  By the time we were successful we had involved most of the Wal-Mart’s night shift, provided entertainment for other shoppers, yelled at the store manager and received personal guidance on choosing a vacuum cleaner from the housewares department manager.

All of this only took about one hour.  What a night.

Family Stories

Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home

We’re still moving stuff into our new house, but now we’re actually living there.  Last Friday we had the cable guy hook up our television and Internet service.  We moved our venerable futon bed, set it up in the downstairs bedroom, and that was it.

Time to move in!

Family Stories

Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home

Winnie and I have been spending the past week cleaning, fixing, and repainting our new house. You’d think that after a year’s worth of rebuilding our Mississippi house, a little painting would be simple.

But I must say, the painting and relatively minor repairs we’re doing feels like “Deja Vou all over again.”

Family Stories

Home Sweet Home - image of a house
Home Sweet Home

We took a big step towards settling down in Virginia.  Wednesday morning, Feb 28, 2007, we closed on the purchase of a house here in Dale City.

For me, the closing was a typical event of crossed signals, missed connections and general confusion.  For our realtor and the other professionals it was an embarrassment of chaos.  So I’d have to guess they’re just not used to doing business the “Charest way.”

Family Stories

Commonwealth of Virginia
Commonwealth of Virginia

We have just received a written response from the Governor’s office regarding my complaint with the Dale City DMV.

Once again, the response is a long-winded acknowledgment of nothing.

Opinions & Commentary