Let me tell you about my last day and a half. It has been quite exciting. Yesterday we had to get up early and go into the US Embassy to get Sammi’s paperwork squared away. We tried to do it the day before, but I didn’t bring in any paperwork showing physical evidence that I had ever lived in the States between the ages of 14 and before she was born. Great. So yesterday we were prepared with Army records, university transcripts – even vet records.
The guy at the window was in training so it took us 2 hours to get her CRBA (consulate record of birth abroad), passport application, and SSN application turned in. All the guy had to do was look at our paperwork, make copies of our supporting documents, staple them together, then stamp each page with 2 stamps. It took him that long to do that. Then, his boss came over to check out his handiwork. She is going over everything saying, “OMG, this is great. Ohhhh, this is so good. You have outdone yourself. This is wonderful. OMG! My heart has stopped beating it is so wonderful.” (I’m not making that up. She really said that.) And on and on. I’m thinking, “Does this guy ride the short bus to work or what?” He made copies, stapled some papers together, and then stamped each page with 2 stamps. Did it rate such extravagant praise from his boss? Perhaps. Perhaps getting everything in the right pile, the staple aligned just right, and the stamp strategically and carefully stamped each time did merit such a reaction. Me – I’d be just making copies, stapling willy-nilly, and stamping haphazardly. Of course, then it would only take 15 minutes and then what would the people waiting in line behind the ONE window do without all that wait time on their hands?
I went ahead and put in my passport renewal, too. My name change is just stamped in the back. After 9/11 they decided that wasn’t good enough and now issue a new passport for name changes. I decided it is just too annoying to travel with it stamped in the back. The boss lady was all like, “This passport is still good for 2 years.” I explained how it was annoying and had she tried travelling with a passport like that in the post-9/11 world? Since I was handing in so much other paperwork they decided to make an exception and let me do it. Yay!
Then, I dropped Jack off at work and went back out to get my hair cut. There wasn’t enough time to go all the way home then to the hair place so I just went there early to wait. I changed and fed Sammi while I was waiting. Luckily, she was good the whole time because I know all those ladies were thinking “what kind of insane person brings a baby to a spa?” Yea, the last thing you want to hear when getting a massage is someone’s kid screaming its head off. Luckily, we made it out of there with her being all smiley and cooey the whole time.
After that it was to the bank to pick up the new credit cards before Jack left today and for me to reset my PIN on my bankcard. At this point it was about 3, which is when I was supposed to meet Jack at the bar. I know he is always late so it would have been perfect timing once I got back into town. Sammi was crying so I stopped at the Tim Horton’s to change her real quick like before we left. She was changed and still happy and I was ready for a beer so we hop back in the car and NOTHING.
That’s right. The car was completely dead. I figured it was one of those electrical cylinoid things or something. So, I go back into the Tim’s and call the pub. Jack wasn’t there yet, but our friend Dan was. He said he would finish his beer and go back to the office to find Jack. They finally linked up and Jack borrowed his car to come out to pick me up. He showed up a little after 4. We transferred everything into the other car (fun with a baby seat) and went to rent a car and call a tow truck. It is the beginning of the long weekend here so our usual garage was already closed. We had to take it to the thieves at Canadian Tire instead.
To make a long story short, the tow truck guy shows up and gives Jack some fuses. It seems to work so he tries to come home. The car died halfway here again. Jack walks home; we call the tow truck place and have to wait another hour. We got the car to Canadian Tire just before 9 and that is when they close. Then, we had to go back into town to give Dan his car back before 10. Finally, at 1030 pm we make it to a restaurant here for the much needed and long awaited beer. Keep in mind; it was raining this whole time.
That also ruined our last night before Jack left for a week this morning. I dropped him off at the airport then came home and called a friend to go with me to pick up the other car and drop off the rental car. Once again all kinds of fun in the continuing rain and with the car seat switching. Now we are home and I am taking a break before I start tidying up for the property management guy. He is coming over tomorrow morning to take pictures for when he puts the house on the market for rental on Monday.
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