The Government at Work - NOT!!
Warrick is going to Nicaragua in July so needs his passport. His US passport had expired so he needed to renew. He got his passport when he was 12, and it was only valid for a year, but it was a valid passport. Anyway, he filled out all the paperwork, got the photos taken, and armed with everything he needed we went to the post office yesterday.
We get to the counter and the man said, "Where's his birth certificate?"
"Don't need it." I said. "The passport is a valid form of proof of citizenship."
"Where's his birth certificate?"
"Don't need it, this is valid."
"How old was he when this was issued?"
"Twelve," I say, trying to remain calm, but my ire was rising, I HATE dealing with petty people!
"Well, he was too young."
"Too young? Too young for what?"
"Where's his birth certificate?"
"Sir, if you look at the paperwork it says nothing about using a birth certificate, he has his passport, that is enough."
"How many passports do you process a day?"
"Well, none."
"I do 20 to 30 a day and he needs his birth certificate."
"Show me in this paperwork where he needs his birth certificate," I said shoving the paper back at him.
He just gave a supercilious smirk, and refused to answer, motioning for the next person in line.
I returned to the van and looked more closely at the paperwork, I then even downloaded it from the Internet and this is what it tells the applicant to do:
APPLICANTS WHO HAVE HAD A PREVIOUS US PASSPORT
Need the following:
1. PROOF OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP
2. PROOF OF IDENTITY
3. TWO RECENT, COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS, AND
4. FEES (As explained on reverse of form.)
1. PROOF OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP
APPLICANTS BORN IN THE UNITED STATES: Submit a previous U.S. passport or certified birth certificate.
2. PROOF OF IDENTITY
You must establish your identity to the satisfaction of the acceptance agent.
You may submit items such as the following containing your signature AND physical description or photograph that is a good likeness of you:
• Previous U.S. passport,
• Certificate of Naturalization,
• Certificate of Citizenship,
• Driver's license (not temporary or learner's license),
• Government (Federal, State, municipal) employee identification card or pass.
So, he can use a US passport OR a birth certificate!! The man also tried telling me that the paperwork (handed to us by the USA post office no less) is outdated - but the revision date was 08/2005.
Nope, this man was blowing smoke because he can! He refused to answer any questions, and just made silly statements. How can Warrick be too young for his first passport? It was issued by the US Government, and he used it to travel to Europe in 2002. He refused to take the passport for identification purposes, and instead used the birth certificate that I had to return home to get because as much as I wanted to fight him on principle and refuse to get it, Warrick needs his passport.
BUT, the pen is indeed mightier, and I shall be writing to the US Postmaster General, to man's direct supervisor and also the office where the passport information was sent. This man is obviously a little demagogue and takes great joy in making people's lives as miserable as possible!
Labels: Passport
What's a gal to do??
OK, so this weekend my one daughter tells me about this little cat she saw in the neighbourhood with these incredible golden eyes. Two days later I see her scrounging around the neighbour's garbage cans. She came up to me meowing and rubbing against my legs - total patsy that I am, I start to stroke her but left her because I promised Terry on pain of death that I would not bring any more pets home - the last 4 additions to our house have been strays!
Well on Wednesday my girls were playing in the yard and riding their bikes up and down the street when this cat appears again - now we have played outside almost every day since we moved and have never seen this cat until she suddenly showed up on the street over the weekend.
The cat followed Hayley home, then jumped into my lap and snuggled there until Terry came home. he looked at me, looked at her, she jumped down and went over to him, he picked her up and she began purring immediately! We brought her into the house! I have made flyers for her, and we have tentatively called her "Natalia" - the female lead from the movie 'Golden Eye'. As you can see by the picture she has the most striking eyes! Now we are kind of half hoping no one calls to claim her! But she is such a sweet kitty that I would hate to think there is a family out there somewhere mourning the loss of a cat.
Labels: cat, Hayley
Pets Are People Too
I belong to a forum of great gals (some guys too!) and one of the boards is "Pets Are People Too" and people post photos of their pets. Seeing I had just blogged about our brat-cat Chloe, who behaves more like a child than a cat, I thought I would put photos of the remaining pets on the blog. Chloe, our calico was abandoned at a very young age, 4 weeks I think and really bonded with us as a result. But sometimes she really does act like a kid with us, and even backchats when we tell her no!
Serena is our 'old lady' - sedate, queenly and tells us when she wants attention.
Joshua our little dog is also known as the dog of little brain - nice to look at, but not the brightest bulb in the fixture.
And Monty is a python (hence the name). We put him in a cardboard box when it is time to eat, normally he is in a large cage, or around our necks!
Labels: Chloe, Joshua, Serena, snake
Introducing one of Terry's Colleagues
Terry works at a really cool company, filled with really interesting people. For instance, one guy painted a couple of paintings (really good by the way) and on Friday was taking them to an auction and all the proceeds were going to a children's home in the area.
But one of Terry's colleagues is in the midst of 'social experiments' and his blog is really fascinating. If you get a minute head on over to his blog
Kevin NationsI think you will be impressed!
Like Some Water?
Visitors to the Smelker house beware! Tonight Terry poured a glass of water for himself, and then went upstairs to help Carson with a game. I came into the kitchen and looked over into the living room to see Chloe, our Calico dipping her paw into the glass and licking the water off her pads. I grabbed the camera from the office and took several shots until I got the one where her paw was in the glass.
I called her name and she looked up at me with this expression that clearly said, "What?? I am busy here!" No guilt, no, "Oops! Busted, better get off the table!" Nope she was a cool cat and just looked at me with this affronted expression on her face because I dared to disturb her.
Well, I was tempted to let Terry return downstairs and drink from the glass, but I took pity on him - this time at least...
Labels: Carson, Chloe, Terry
Warrick Changes School
Well Warrick decided that the drive to school in the morning, and trying to catch public transportation to Terry's office in the afternoon was just too hard. San Antonio, like Detroit, does not have great public transportation, and a couple of times he was left in the lurch as the buses ran late, and he would miss his connection and Terry would have to pick him up in the evening once he was done with work.
The high school he was to attend here, Madison initially told us that he could not enroll as a senior because he was missing a credit that he was insistent he had. Once we sorted that out, and once we enrolled him in English 4 (thanks Grandma and Grandad Lennon for contributing the funds for the class) he was able to enroll. Today was his first day at the new high school. He has 37 school days left before graduating...
He came home this afternoon and told me that 5 minutes into his first class a girl asked him out!
Labels: Madison, Marshall, Warrick
