Hello Hello!

It is the time of year that Texans stay inside ALL the time because it’s so damn hot! It’s in fact so hot there is nary a flower nor tomato to be seen in the backyard… it’s a hellscape really, is what it is.

And we lost a chicken. Pretty sure that was to a possum and not the heat though, you know, owing to the gnawed off bits and feathers everywhere. (People say possums get a bad rap and don’t kill chickens, but we’ve caught them in the act before- so like, first hand experience over here that yeah, they freaking DO.) I am… more annoyed than cut up about it, as you can see, please don’t judge. The chickens are well cared for and are let out of their run multiple times a week and get lots of treats. I just can’t tell them apart and regularly forget their names.

In other news: I’m being sued. Or to be more exact… I’m being threatened with being sued.

My former employer sent me a very strongly worded letter accusing me of ethical violations (the fucking gall!) and breach of contract… and advising of the fact they they will pursue damages due to the loss of income I am causing their company. The nerve of these people! They won’t win, but still. I worked there for 8 years and the owner used to (annoyingly) call me his sister- and here we are.

The facts:

My contract that included my noncompete is invalid due to not being updated when I was given more responsibilities (that are in OTHER people’s contracts that they reported to me… so UH OH SPAGHETTI-O for them if they try to say otherwise!)

They didn’t match my current job’s offer, and so I am fully released from every constraint in my contract (thanks to “Right to Work” laws in Texas- this state did ONE thing right at least)… though I doubt the Canadians know it works like that.

They’re claiming I stole customers from them- but if it goes to court I can prove I have set up no new customers at the new company nor sold more than said company did in those same months last year to those account that there is some overlap on. Basically- those customers my former employer is claiming I stole were already long time customers of my current employer and I haven’t grown their business beyond historic levels. So they lost business ENTIRELY on their own!

Non-competes are invalid if you have an ethical complaint that wasn’t being addressed- and in fact I had TWO that are in writing and yes I saved hard copies of those emails… so if they want to dance I say let’s dance, motherfuckers.

Also- they met with my current employer to discuss and said they had no hard feelings. They met with me and told me they released me with no hard feelings. When I gave notice and told them where I was going- they let me work out my full notice period. All of that would have a judge frowning… and non-competes have the winds against them in court anyway.

And even, all that being said, they should really know me better as I worked there for 8 years. Because I will fight, and I mean UNTIL THE END OF THE EARTH if they continue to come after me. You know that Tom Petty song “I Won’t Back Down”? Is like that.

But even though they WILL lose if it goes to court… it may end up causing me some significant expense in lawyer fees if it continues. And I sure did NOT need that shit right now but it is what it is and will absolutely pay if it is required.

I have not (as of yet) looped in a lawyer though, for a couple of reasons.

One: the Cease and Desist letter they sent… didn’t come from their lawyer, they wrote it themselves… on a blank piece of paper, even. Do you know how hard to resist replying to their email with “I saved the blank letterhead document in the Sales folder on OneDrive if you can’t find it.” They also listed an address for me at the top I haven’t lived at for 8 years… so I hope they wasted a huge amount of money sending a certified letter to that address from Canada. God I hope that happened.

Two: while they requested “prompt response in writing that I will promise to end all activities that are preventing them from providing shelter and food to their employees”… they didn’t require a response by any set date. So they can die of oxygen deprivation as they hold their breath waiting for my response while I sort out what to do. Also, yes- that unprofessional turn of phrase is word for word what they wrote and is highly out of the norm for these sort of things.

Third: they actually accused me of “Beach of Contact” and not Breach of Contract. My friend is making me a T-shirt that says Beach of Contact on it for my birthday- after laughing her ass of for about 5 minutes when I told her about that bit.

So that’s been going on.

BUT! This week I sold a truly massive project, so my new bosses are pretty thrilled with me right now. And it isn’t even in a product my former employer carried, so those jokers can’t say ANYTHING about it being at their expense! Because see, I’m a good salesman (both ethically and in relation to my skillsets) and I was in this industry a long time before I ever worked for them. They didn’t make me (which is the undertone to their threat that annoys me the most), I made THEM when I worked there and I guess they are finding that out, or will find that out very soon.

SO! Grrrrr…. amiright? I will accept any and all righteous indignation yall want to send up into the ether for me!

In other news: I’ve been harvesting grapes and making wild mustang grape jelly with my neighbor again! Reselling is going well! The children are good, my husband is good, and I am (I promise, even with all the bullshit) doing good- even in spite of the fact I had Covid, AGAIN, recently!

This is not the Summer of Our Discontent… even if it is also not one long party and the Summer of the Discothèque either. It’s just summer, and as every Texan knows… you just have to get through it day by day as there is no other way to make that blasted calendar turn!

Till next time!