A Day at the License Branch Anyone?

Today has been one of those days I wouldn’t want to have to go back and do over. It all started out with my decision to make applesauce. Last weekend, I went to Hainlen’s apple orchard with my grandparents and bough about a bushel or so of apples to eat and make applesauce with. I knew I needed to do it soon since it has been so warm here. (I’m sitting on my front porch in short sleeves and quite comfortable)

So, around 9:30, Katy and I got started making applesauce. The process goes something like this:
1) Clean out the dirty dishes from the sink
2) Dry and put away the clean dishes
3) Clear space on the counter
4) Get the Apple Peeler Corer Slicer from the showcase in my van
5) Get the proper pots from the garage/under stove storage
6) Get the foley food mill
7) Have Katy help me bring in the apples to wash
8) Have Katy hand me apples so I can start coring and slicing them and then placing them in the pots
9) Once they are full, I put some water in the bottom of the pots and begin cooking them. (I had 3 running at a time)
10) Stir the apples
11) Run the disposal
12) Stir the apples
13) Once the apples are cooked, I start running the foley food mill
14) Pour apple sauce into storage containers, label containers
15) Around 10:30, receive a phone call from husband saying, “I can get our around 11:30 so we can go to the license branch. Is that ok with you.”
16) Work really hard to make sure that I’m done with the 3 batches of apples, and find out I still have time, so cook 2 more batches
17) Get ready to go
18) Don’t bother to study anymore for the written test I was to take as I doubted it would help
19) Head to the BMV (that’s what it is called here)
20) Watch as my husband almost gets hit 3 times (I had sent Katy with him! I was regretting that choice!)
21) Arrive at the BMV, check in, begin entering info into computer only to find out that they now have to have a manager there to allow new people to be entered into the system.
22) Find out Phil has to go to the Social Security Office to get a new card (his was misplaced in the move) before he can get his license
23) Told the manager won’t be back until 1, so we can’t even take the test. We could wait if we wanted.
24) Wait while they do a “positive id” on both VIN numbers on the vehicles (so Phil doesn’t have to be there for the rest)
25)
26) Send Phil home with Katy to make lunch
27) Wait while they do the paperwork associated with the positive ID
28) Return home to eat lunch, and find the lien release for one of the vehicles
29) Get Katy ready and leave again, Phil returned to work
30) Arrive at 1:05 as planned (no accidents or near accidents)
31) Told the manager had just left to go on a test drive, so wait in the chairs
32) Study for the test
33) Called up, paperwork started
34) 30 minutes later, they finally hand me the written test to go take
35) Move to the desks where they offer the test and instruct Katy that she is not to bug me, talk to me, pick on me, or ask me questions. She is to stay right here.
36) Questioned by one of the ladies in the office “Honey, would you like some paper to write on while your mommy takes her test?” She did (that only lasted 5 minutes!).
37) Finish test, get graded. PASSED! I was afraid I wouldn’t.
38) Begin other paperwork.
39) At 2:45, they took my picture (no mirror or time for lipstick or fixing hair – God forbid anyone be allowed to have a nice looking driver’s license picture!)
40) Wait while they ATTEMPT to print my license.
41) Wait some more.
42) Call Lilly’s school and let them know there is no way I’m going to make it in time. No problem for them. Someone will be there waiting with Lilly.
43) It took 4 tries for them to get it to print right
44) Finally get license
45) Run almost dragging Katy out of the BMV
46) Drag her from the passenger side of the vehicle (I don’t like her to hang out on the other side when I have gone to the driver’s side because of safety issues – like people sitting in the car next to us…she attempts to walk behind the van in front of a moving vehicle parked behind us…I further freak out
47) Get in and head as fast as is legal to the school
48) Pick up Lilly, apologize for being late
49) Dash home to pack up a cell Phil had been borrowing from his “old” work, get a PC gift basket ready for a local church ladies auction, pack up a packet for a hostess in PA, and get the tools necessary to take NY plates off and mail back. Oh, and type the letter to the DMV in NY so they will fax the proper form to our insurance so we can quit paying insurance in 2 states.
50) Rush to the church to drop off the basket and ask them to find someone more creative then me to put it together better.
51) Head to meet Phil at his work so he can change the plates
52) Go to the campus PO to mail packages
53) Return to car to drive to my grandparents to take a bowl of fresh applesauce.
54) Try to figure out what to eat for supper while talking
55) Arrive home just before husband try to foley some more applesauce
56) What to cook? He said hamburgers
57) Send Lilly to room to clean it…face a TEMPER TANTRUM (but she’s not tired!)
58) Make supper
59) Send kids to bed
60) Sweep and mop kitchen and family room, then bathroom
61) Grab computer and head out here so I can cool off!
62) Wait for husband who is still not home (been gone washing the car for 35 minutes – oh yeah, he had permission to go into Wal-mart – should be another hour!)
63) Well, I think I’ll check on the kids again!
64) Date night? Where’s my husband?!! Oh, right, he’s wandering Wal-mart looking for ice cream – wait…he he is now! Gotta go. Ice cream is here!