It’s been an adventurous day so far at my house. It started with taking the kids to their new private school. They were simultaneously nervous and excited, but not one left in tears! My youngest, my baby, started kindie today. I thought I would feel nostalgic, some sense of sadness, or at the vary least sentimental. I mostly felt relieved - that a prayer had been answered. I know they will be happy there. I hope they will. I’m sure they will, right? We haven’t gotten a call from the principal yet...yep, yet. I’ve yet to put my kids in a school that didn’t call me at least once in the first two weeks. You can read my past posts if you need a laugh and a peek into my circus of a life!
After drop off, hubby and I went home to go our separate ways. With no kids at home, and this my day off, it was difficult for us both to not play hookie for the day.
Last night we flew in from FL (yay vacation) to discover that another round of medical bills came in while we were gone totaling $1000.00. This total wasn’t nearly as traumatic as the last (10k), so we were thankful for that for a brief moment before overwhelm and frustration set in again. I mean, I’m sure that you, like me, have a spare $1000.00 just laying around for a rainy day, right? I got a good chunk of them paid this morning before my brain shut down. The rest will have to go on payment plans since we’ve already borrowed from the Bank of Mom and Dad to help with the last round. Don’t worry, a phone call to find an attorney is on my list.
This post is long, so it might be a good time to get a glass of your favorite beverage and settle in for a good read.
Before I could do that, I had to take care of one little tiny - okay huge thing. Apparently, my driver’s license expired. I didn’t realize it until I was already in FL. I know that makes it sound like it expired while I was gone, but it actually expired before that. Okay, it expired a lot before that - as in last April (YIKES!). Hubby had to send my passport to FL so I could board the flight home with a valid ID. Prior to leaving for the DMV, I looked up the wait times for renewing. Mornings are the best time, and it was already 10:30. The wait time was 1 hour 18 minutes. I needed to GO!
So here I am, as we speak, banging away at my keys at the DMV. Its called the Department of Licensing here though. I had a bit of trouble finding the place. They’ve moved since the last time I renewed. I didn’t realize that until I pulled up to find Lisa’s Nails now inhabiting their space. Enter my iphone (thank you folks at APPLE!). Utilizing my map ap and GPS, I was able to pull up their new location and get directions from my current location. I drove to their new place - only it was Mike’s Auto Motors which is apparently also closed. Plan B - time to call OnStar. I don’t actually have OnStar, but once, a female car sales person tried to get me to buy a newer model of the car I wanted b/c the newer (ergo more expensive model) had OnStar. I laughed thinking of all the times I’ve called poor hubby at work demanding to know “WHERE AM I?”. He always responded, trying not to laugh “I don’t know. Where are you?”. Me “I don’t know!!!! That’s why I called you.”. He was always able to figure out my location and give me directions on where to go, so when she dangled OnStar in front of me, I laughed while patting hubby on the shoulder and said “I’ve already got OnStar”. Hubby started laughing too. Our car lady didn’t understand the joke though.
So there I was, sitting in Mike’s Auto Motor’s parking lot, calling hubby. He stayed on the phone with me until I was able to locate it for real this time. Third times the charm, right? Only now, it’s noon - the time they tell you NOT to come b/c wait times are longer. Thankfully I brought a lap top and a couple of magazines. Confession, I brought a bag of Sour Patch candy too. The sour taste overwhelms my irritation with this waste of time and allows me to keep going. Don’t judge ;)
I took a deep breath when I saw bodies standing near the windows as I pulled in the parking lot. This trip was indeed going to eat up my afternoon and what little time I have to get my To Do list done prior to picking up the kids from school.
There’s a nice lady at the counter who gives me a number and directs me to sit down. I turn, and in front of me is a sea of chairs all filled with irritated people who have been waiting....and waiting...and waiting some more.
I found a spot between a normal looking gentleman and a nice looking lady. There was a bonus three seats between them which allowed me to sit in the middle with the requisite chair left between strangers. I sat down, prepared to wait. You know how when you sit down, you sometimes put your hand on the chair to guide you? Yeah - I did too - and there was GUM!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWW! I was prepared to wait, but I was most definitely NOT prepared for gum. Thankfully I haven’t unpacked from the flight, and my hand sanitizer was still in my quart zip lock bag for carry on from yesterday’s flight home.
Hands sanitized, I took out my magazine to start entertaining myself. Then I realized why there were so many chairs in between the gentleman and lady - Mr. Man had restless leg syndrome - or maybe ADHD. I don’t know but he had both legs going like a jack hammer, and I didn’t last long sitting there while my head was vibrated. Thankfully a chair opened up on the front row, and since most of those people looked normal, I decided it was safe to move.
I glance down at my number, R421. It's noon. I glance up at the screen, R 381. Hmmmm... this doesn’t look good.
It’s now 1:15 and they are on R396. Not even half way there. I’m putting my renewal in my calendar next time.
While I’m waiting, a pleasant voice comes on the PA, all heads look up at once, hopeful that she will call their number. One lucky person stands up, while the others look down in disappointment...again.
“Now serving R395 at counter number 5”. Another 10 minutes or more goes by and they have not called a new R number. Twenty minutes pass, and still no new numbers. Thirty minutes now, and she comes on the PA again “Now serving R396 at counter 11”. I’m not sure what R395’s problem was that she required THIRTY minutes to renew her license, but I can’t help but be irritated with her.
Now serving R397". They also have A numbers, E numbers, and F numbers in addition to the R numbers. The pleasant voice calls them out like some sort of sad BINGO game. “Now serving A117 at counter 2” “Now serving F99 at counter 5”. Just to mix it up, one of the random license people will yell out and actual name “JILL McMURPHY? JILL McMURPHY”. A random person from the sea of many arises and walks to the counter. I can’t help but think that someone should yell out “B-I-N-G-O!” at some point, or that Drew Carrey’s voice should announce us by name. “Kelly Smith, you’re the NEXT contestant on DOL” - that’s Dept. of Licensing in case you glossed over it earlier.
“Now serving R399 at counter 3” c’mon on 400!!!
It would certainly make this process more fun. I think they should also have door prizes - you would get a 'Chance card (like Monopoly) and it would say “WINDFALL” and you would get $10 off your license fee or “Move up 2 spaces” and you would get to jump ahead of the people who aren’t paying attention when the voice comes on the PA.
“Now serving R400 at counter 8” half way there!!!
Sitting here bored has left me thinking of ways the Dept. of Licensing could make this process more fun. I’m pretty sure if they had large bouncy houses like what you find at Jump Planet, none of us would really care WHAT number we were.
“Bradly Webber?” Bradly gets up and walks to the counter. Good luck Bradly. I hope that’s your ticket out of here.
“Now serving R401” only 20 more to go and it’s 1:30 already. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m actually going to pick my kids up today.
“Now serving R 402”...I’ve run out of things to say, so I’m signing off. Today’s lesson
‘Renew your license ON TIME, ONLINE, so you don’t have to wait at the DoL!’
Blog Update - a total of 2 hours and 15 minutes at the DoL, and I am the proud owner of the WORST picture I have ever had taken at the DMV - or in my life for that matter. She told me to tilt my chin down - and since tilting my chin down leads to a double chin, I look like I'm Jabba the Hut's sister. Nice! Ugh!
After drop off, hubby and I went home to go our separate ways. With no kids at home, and this my day off, it was difficult for us both to not play hookie for the day.
Last night we flew in from FL (yay vacation) to discover that another round of medical bills came in while we were gone totaling $1000.00. This total wasn’t nearly as traumatic as the last (10k), so we were thankful for that for a brief moment before overwhelm and frustration set in again. I mean, I’m sure that you, like me, have a spare $1000.00 just laying around for a rainy day, right? I got a good chunk of them paid this morning before my brain shut down. The rest will have to go on payment plans since we’ve already borrowed from the Bank of Mom and Dad to help with the last round. Don’t worry, a phone call to find an attorney is on my list.
This post is long, so it might be a good time to get a glass of your favorite beverage and settle in for a good read.
Before I could do that, I had to take care of one little tiny - okay huge thing. Apparently, my driver’s license expired. I didn’t realize it until I was already in FL. I know that makes it sound like it expired while I was gone, but it actually expired before that. Okay, it expired a lot before that - as in last April (YIKES!). Hubby had to send my passport to FL so I could board the flight home with a valid ID. Prior to leaving for the DMV, I looked up the wait times for renewing. Mornings are the best time, and it was already 10:30. The wait time was 1 hour 18 minutes. I needed to GO!
So here I am, as we speak, banging away at my keys at the DMV. Its called the Department of Licensing here though. I had a bit of trouble finding the place. They’ve moved since the last time I renewed. I didn’t realize that until I pulled up to find Lisa’s Nails now inhabiting their space. Enter my iphone (thank you folks at APPLE!). Utilizing my map ap and GPS, I was able to pull up their new location and get directions from my current location. I drove to their new place - only it was Mike’s Auto Motors which is apparently also closed. Plan B - time to call OnStar. I don’t actually have OnStar, but once, a female car sales person tried to get me to buy a newer model of the car I wanted b/c the newer (ergo more expensive model) had OnStar. I laughed thinking of all the times I’ve called poor hubby at work demanding to know “WHERE AM I?”. He always responded, trying not to laugh “I don’t know. Where are you?”. Me “I don’t know!!!! That’s why I called you.”. He was always able to figure out my location and give me directions on where to go, so when she dangled OnStar in front of me, I laughed while patting hubby on the shoulder and said “I’ve already got OnStar”. Hubby started laughing too. Our car lady didn’t understand the joke though.
So there I was, sitting in Mike’s Auto Motor’s parking lot, calling hubby. He stayed on the phone with me until I was able to locate it for real this time. Third times the charm, right? Only now, it’s noon - the time they tell you NOT to come b/c wait times are longer. Thankfully I brought a lap top and a couple of magazines. Confession, I brought a bag of Sour Patch candy too. The sour taste overwhelms my irritation with this waste of time and allows me to keep going. Don’t judge ;)
I took a deep breath when I saw bodies standing near the windows as I pulled in the parking lot. This trip was indeed going to eat up my afternoon and what little time I have to get my To Do list done prior to picking up the kids from school.
There’s a nice lady at the counter who gives me a number and directs me to sit down. I turn, and in front of me is a sea of chairs all filled with irritated people who have been waiting....and waiting...and waiting some more.
I found a spot between a normal looking gentleman and a nice looking lady. There was a bonus three seats between them which allowed me to sit in the middle with the requisite chair left between strangers. I sat down, prepared to wait. You know how when you sit down, you sometimes put your hand on the chair to guide you? Yeah - I did too - and there was GUM!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWW! I was prepared to wait, but I was most definitely NOT prepared for gum. Thankfully I haven’t unpacked from the flight, and my hand sanitizer was still in my quart zip lock bag for carry on from yesterday’s flight home.
Hands sanitized, I took out my magazine to start entertaining myself. Then I realized why there were so many chairs in between the gentleman and lady - Mr. Man had restless leg syndrome - or maybe ADHD. I don’t know but he had both legs going like a jack hammer, and I didn’t last long sitting there while my head was vibrated. Thankfully a chair opened up on the front row, and since most of those people looked normal, I decided it was safe to move.
I glance down at my number, R421. It's noon. I glance up at the screen, R 381. Hmmmm... this doesn’t look good.
It’s now 1:15 and they are on R396. Not even half way there. I’m putting my renewal in my calendar next time.
While I’m waiting, a pleasant voice comes on the PA, all heads look up at once, hopeful that she will call their number. One lucky person stands up, while the others look down in disappointment...again.
“Now serving R395 at counter number 5”. Another 10 minutes or more goes by and they have not called a new R number. Twenty minutes pass, and still no new numbers. Thirty minutes now, and she comes on the PA again “Now serving R396 at counter 11”. I’m not sure what R395’s problem was that she required THIRTY minutes to renew her license, but I can’t help but be irritated with her.
Now serving R397". They also have A numbers, E numbers, and F numbers in addition to the R numbers. The pleasant voice calls them out like some sort of sad BINGO game. “Now serving A117 at counter 2” “Now serving F99 at counter 5”. Just to mix it up, one of the random license people will yell out and actual name “JILL McMURPHY? JILL McMURPHY”. A random person from the sea of many arises and walks to the counter. I can’t help but think that someone should yell out “B-I-N-G-O!” at some point, or that Drew Carrey’s voice should announce us by name. “Kelly Smith, you’re the NEXT contestant on DOL” - that’s Dept. of Licensing in case you glossed over it earlier.
“Now serving R399 at counter 3” c’mon on 400!!!
It would certainly make this process more fun. I think they should also have door prizes - you would get a 'Chance card (like Monopoly) and it would say “WINDFALL” and you would get $10 off your license fee or “Move up 2 spaces” and you would get to jump ahead of the people who aren’t paying attention when the voice comes on the PA.
“Now serving R400 at counter 8” half way there!!!
Sitting here bored has left me thinking of ways the Dept. of Licensing could make this process more fun. I’m pretty sure if they had large bouncy houses like what you find at Jump Planet, none of us would really care WHAT number we were.
“Bradly Webber?” Bradly gets up and walks to the counter. Good luck Bradly. I hope that’s your ticket out of here.
“Now serving R401” only 20 more to go and it’s 1:30 already. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m actually going to pick my kids up today.
“Now serving R 402”...I’ve run out of things to say, so I’m signing off. Today’s lesson
‘Renew your license ON TIME, ONLINE, so you don’t have to wait at the DoL!’
Blog Update - a total of 2 hours and 15 minutes at the DoL, and I am the proud owner of the WORST picture I have ever had taken at the DMV - or in my life for that matter. She told me to tilt my chin down - and since tilting my chin down leads to a double chin, I look like I'm Jabba the Hut's sister. Nice! Ugh!