Back to the Barnyard and On to DC

One thing is for sure - I will be better prepared for animal provisions before the next snow storm! In previous years, when the water froze, we just hauled it frequently from the house. That so doesn't work for a cow that appears to drink 30-50 gallons a day. Secondly, this was the first year we decided to do the round bales of hay in the field. That was all great until it snowed two feed and even if we could have dug the hay out, it was frozen. Thankfully, we had a back up bale in the horse trailer, but it was not fun ripping off large chunks of it frozen each day to feed the animals. Once the feed store opened, I went and bought two compressed bales for the tune of $17 each. Since the animals eat one a day, I desperately need to have an emergency supply in the barn from the Amish for $7-$8 a bale. 

I am typing this blog while I wait for my passport in DC. I was not super excited when they cancelled my Monday appointment due to the storm.  Since it was last Thursday when they cancelled, I asked if I could come that day or Friday before the storm hit. They told me that there were no walk-ins and they couldn't get me in until today. They also reassured me that flying out 48 hours later wasn't a problem. They told me to be here by 10 for my 1:30 appointment. Being an over-achiever, I arrived at 8:30 and was about 50th in line. Their first announcement was that they were on a three hour delay and weren't opening until 11. Their second appointment was their staff had "on optional work day" so they may not be able to open at all, unless staff decided to come that day. It didn't sound very encouraging. Much to my dismay also, they were organizing by appointment people and walk-ins. I would have waked in a full two weeks ago if they had told me that I could! 

Once they opened, it was rather chaotic. At first they said they would only see people flying out today or tomorrow. The clamor from the crowd added anyone with an appointment. Well, that's logical since the appointment should work for something. Once they opened, I made the cut for having an appointment and waited through about four lines. There were plenty of workers by 11 so I'm assuming they are paid by the hour instead of salary. 

Once mine was processed, she asked me if I could return tomorrow to

pick it up. I told her that I lived two hours away and needed to just wait today. She went off to her supervisor and returned to tell me that her supervisor would only approve that if I lived over 100 miles away. I started to tell her that it was close, but I have a lot of children and my husband was out of town. She looked at her computer screen and announced, "oh you live 131 miles away, we are good." I don't think it's that far but I'm not one to argue. I'm now waiting until their early closing hour of 3:00 and I should be able to pick up my passport shortly before closing. I am hoping nothing goes wrong in the final processing! I'm the meantime, Starbucks didn't have any tables available, so I'm sitting in a nearby hotel lobby that I parked in the garage underneath. I guess I don't look homeless, since no one has questioned my sitting here. I am quite  tired, however, but I guess if I took a nap, then I may looks slightly homeless. I wish I liked coffee.