And I was ready to break out the bubbly...

Well, at the very least, the ruling stands.

Matt and I spent an hour and a half of our afternoon yesterday in Small Claims trying to conclude what has turned into a 14-month legal battle with an ex-landlord over pro-rated rent and unauthorized use of security deposits. (See here for the full, and dare I say, dramatic backstory.)

In April, Matt and I won a judgment against her for approx. $1,500, after which she promptly appealed. Once our next court date rolled around, she applied for and was granted a continuance.

Five months later, Matt and I are back in small claims, waiting to hear what this woman could possibly say that could possibly change a judge's mind. There's tension in the air. Both of our moods are in the gutter, from the simple thought of having to face this neurotic, cross-eyed ball of hostility.

But she never came.

...All this anxiety. All this worry. I mean, I was expecting a lawyer! ...And she doesn't show.

...What's this bitch's angle? Where's the strategy here? I'm perplexed.

Is she just trying to piss us off? Because I'm way past her ever getting close to under my skin again. All this means is we will be associated with her for that much longer. But to be fair, it will be the same for her. And if I get the opportunity, I won't be an easy associate to be dealt with.

So I guess our next step is to wait on the official letter from the judge. I did ask him to take into account the time "we" spent away from work, only to be stood up by someone who initiated the hearing. "We".

What? Maybe we can rattle a little more money out of this piggy.