Today's Adventure

Edited because John insists even though we are in a big tearing hurry. But I had to rest first from my adventurous morning, and thought to myself, as long as I'm sitting, I may as well tell all my blogger family aaaaaaall about it. It started a couple of weeks ago;
We moved. Y'all know that already. We moved to a different state, and our licence plates on one car expired this month, and the next car expires next month, so it's time to switch over and get registered in our new state. In Illinois, this is no big deal. Go to the Secretary of State's office, give them some money, maybe fill out a form, and you're done. Not so in my new state. You need your car title, proof of insurance, proof of residency, a property waiver from your county, an emissions test and a safety inspection, and an up-to-date licence. So a couple of weeks ago, I tried to get a safety inspection for the car that is expired. It failed. A new windshield and $200 later, I went again today. We passed, hallelujah. So after a quick lunch, I gathered all the stuff I needed, for the car and a new licence since I'm up for renewal next month anyway, and I need a licence with my married name on it, so in addition to all the car stuff, I need my original ss card, my marriage licence, and my original birth certificate. I really felt like a walking filing cabinet going into this place. I left Erik at home with John over John's lunch hour, hoping to get it all done before he had to go back, and not have to watch a three year old while I was there. I took John's car, and not the car I'd been driving around all day. I got to the Licence Bureau, and settled down with my number to wait. Only ten minutes, though, not bad. I stepped up to the counter. Let me just insert here that everyone working in the office looked uber grouchy. I told the lady that I had a couple of things to do. First, I needed a new licence. She immediately asked if I had my birth certificate. I answered in the affirmative (let it be known here that I called the office before I even started a few weeks ago, because I was NOT going to go and not have some crucial document they needed), and she was disappointed, but returned with 'Well, do you have your ss card?', to which, again, I answered in the affirmative. Again, she was disappointed, but told me she couldn't help me, I'd have to go stand in line in another part of the office. That cheered her up a little. 'But,' I said, 'I just moved and need to register my car and get new licence plates.' Again with the round of inquiries into my possession of proper documents, to which I answered in the affirmative to all, and was greeted with depression, until we got to the car safety inspection, to which I remembered, to my dismay, that although I had gotten the inspection, I had left the document in the other car! The lady was positively gleeful in telling me that she couldn't do a thing without it, and called 'next!' to the line standing behind me. I refrained from glaring at her with much difficulty, and went to stand in the line for my licence. I went through much of the same battery of questions and complete gloom when I had everything in order, and this lady had to issue me a licence. On the plus side, I now have legal representation with my proper name. No more hassles because of that, yay!
So I ran home to get the car safety inspection form, and Erik since John now needed to get back to work. Off to the Bureau with my three year old after all, but at least I only had the one thing to do now. Got my number and waited. Only eight minutes this time, and Erik was only slightly bored with their pamphlet display. Step up to the counter, and again the Spanish Inquisition, but I had everything this time! Total depression on the part of lady #3 helping me, and we got started, only to come to an abrupt halt when she saw that the title to the car was only in John's name, not mine. She told me ecstatically that he would have to sign me onto the title, or come in himself. 'I guess you can't get this done today', she sang, but I glared and said that my husband worked in town, so I was going right then to get him to sign the needed papers, and I'd be back in twenty minutes. Out to the car I went, loaded up my very patient three year old, and whizzed off to John's office. I called him on the way, so he met me in the parking lot, signed at the X, and I was on my way back to the Bureau in under five minutes. Almost exactly twenty minutes later, I got myself yet another number and sat to wait. 11 minutes this time. (all in all, not bad for a government run office) I was greeted by lady #4 by the usual, and I swear she will not be able to recover from her sadness in having to help me at any time today. 15 minutes and a VERY sqirrelly Erik later, I had my plates in my hot little hand, and I beat it out of there with no regrets to go home to put Erik in bed for a belated, but much needed nap. The good news is that this state is much cheaper than the last, and I won't have to do this again for two more years, huzzah!!! Except when the other car expires next month. But maybe I can just get a new car before that happens....
The Almighty Liz