a nightmare day

I have been dealing with a horrible car repair shop that damaged my transmission in the process of attempting to fix it (A+ Transmission in Kingwood - don't go there!). I am now having my credit card company dispute the charge and thank God for consumer protection laws! A+ has threatened to repossess my car if I dispute the charge, but according to what I have gathered, the Texas Debt Collection Practices Act prevents them from threatening or doing repo if the charge is in dispute. Which it is. But according to at least one attorney they have done this to other people - repossess their cars and then bill you for the service, and holding your car. However my credit card company says that if that happens, to contact them right away and they will involve their fraud department and the local police. So who knows what will happen the next few days and weeks, but it's bound to be exciting. And stressful.

I am heading off to spend a day on the Gulf of Mexico with some coastal fisheries people to report on the Gulf Dead Zone. I hope I don't get sea sick. I am leaving now for a 2-hour drive to port Arthur and then will be back tomorow, if we don't get washed to sea in a freak storm. The Perfect Storm. I never saw that movie, and I hope not to live it!! Ciao and Godspeed.