Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Adventures at the DMV

For the first time since I began the challenge, I am writing this blog with both kids and a husband here at home with me. Don't expect it to be particularly profound. Don't even expect it to make much sense. I have all sorts of things going on around me. Noises. Questions. Demands. Not the quiet, creative home that I am usually writing in. Not total chaos, but not complete peace either. Today is a day like that.

The plan for today was for Chris and I to take the kids to school and then go get our Ontario Drivers Licenses. However, nothing ever goes as planned, does it? Five minutes before it was time to head out the door, Janelle announced that her belly hurt and she needed to go back to bed. If this had been Connor I would have questioned him on it, but Janelle loves school and only asks to stay home if she really isn't feeling well. So I sent her back to bed and left her home with Daddy while I took Connor to school. She almost instantly fell asleep, and stayed that way for a couple of hours. When she woke up, she felt "great", so we all got ready and I took her to school. Then Chris and I headed off for our adventure at the Drivers License office.

The first place we went was right around the corner from our home. The sign above the door said "Drivers Licenses", so we walked in and said "We just moved from out of province and need new drivers licenses". The reply, of course, was "We don't do that here". Of course not. Why would an office that said "Drivers Licenses" above the door actually issue drivers licenses? That would be too simple. So off we went a few km away to the "Drive Test" office. At reception we were told that we needed two forms of ID: our NB drivers licenses and one other, preferably a passport. I don't usually carry my passport, so I asked if a birth certificate would do. "Only if the name on it matches your drivers license." Hmmmmm.... if only I had been born Leanne Haines. An Ontario Health card would do. Hmmmmm.... what about an NB Medicare card? Nope. Well, is there anything that will work besides a passport? Hmmmmm.... nope, you're going to need your passport. Chris decided he might as well get his done, since the name on his birth certificate does match his drivers license, and then he said "If there is going to be a wait you might have time to run back and get your passport", and the receptionist piped up "Yes, there WILL be a wait". No kidding. I hurried home, grabbed my passport, arrived back 10 minutes later to find Chris seated in a room full of people. The line had barely moved since I had left. We were in for a wait. Why didn't I bring a book to read? At least I had my husband to talk to. My husband, who had his IPod to play with. Hmmmm..... Just over an hour later, and $150 poorer, we left with our official temporary Ontario licenses.

After we had lunch together I hurried off in the pouring rain to finish the other errands I had planned to get done today. I didn't have a minute to spare before it was time to pick the kids up at school.

I tell you this boring story to explain why I have not had time to write a real blog today. And why I'm not going to try now that homework time and supper prep time is upon us. We've entered the crazy hours of my day. Sorry! I'll try again tomorrow.

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