“Remoted” Day 354 (Friday)

Today, all the required elements were assembled to finally renew the passport book and passport card that expired a couple days ago. The picture was taken at AAA and two copies of the form picked up from the Post Office at least a month ago. The passport book has sat on the small table in the living room with the photo and the forms, one with two mistakes that were crossed out, the other still clean and free from errors.

The missing element was the passport card, good “for land and sea border crossings between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean” according to the Department of State website. There were several places it could be tucked safely away, placed upon receipt and never used in ten years, and only one had been checked, which was not the correct “safe” place. Then, I just didn’t look any more. The other day, I finally looked again, and the passport card was found in about thirty seconds. So easy.

Goodbye nice
passport photo.

The extra, clean form was filled out, without error and the need for cross-outs. The check for payment of the renewal of the passport book and card was completed. The photo was stapled to the form in the appropriate spot with the specified number of staples (two) in the precise, designated locations. All the prep work was done, and now all that was needed was a Priority Mail envelope that would both not require folding the forms and could be tracked. This required a stop at the Post Office. The envelope would be picked up and addressed, the mailing fee paid, the whole mess mailed, and the task crossed off the list of unglamorous life maintenance activities.

To ensure completion, an appointment entry was made on my official Outlook calendar for 11:00 today – “Post Office.” This tiny task would finally be off the list, and it would be all over but the waiting – for the new passport, the pandemic to be over, and for travel plans to be made.

The form, passport book and card, and check were neatly stacked. I'll miss the old passport photo, because it is one of the nicest ID photos I’ve ever had. In 2011, a smile was allowed in the passport photo, but this year it was not. In 2011, I had fewer wrinkles, brighter hair, a livelier attitude, a sense of adventure, and the optimism that I would soon be traveling. In the new photo, no smile was allowed, I’m wearing a dark jacket, and even though it’s a color photo, it looks black and white. I probably should consider wearing lipstick. The passport is being renewed, not with any travel plans in mind, but because it’s expiring, and maybe, with luck and proper planning, in the next ten years, I’ll get to use it.

At 11:00, the calendar reminder had already popped up three times at five-minute intervals. The dogs were diapered and the child gate set to keep them in the kitchen. The renewal form and materials, my purse, and the car keys were gathered up, and I drove to the Post Office on a delightfully traffic-free drive.

Just inside the door, the Priority Mail display boasted several envelopes in different sizes and materials with varying delivery timelines and prices from around $8 to nearly $30. The correct size envelope was chosen, and a stop made at the counter to insert the items and fill out the address. The form, check, and passport book were retrieved from my purse. The recently located passport card was not there. The purse was rifled through, but the card was not found. This was not good, as the card needed to be returned with the passport for renewal.

At 11:21, I was back in the kitchen, still in possession of the renewal form and check. At least I now had an envelope and a spare. The passport card in its protective sleeve mocked me from the kitchen table. At least it wasn’t lost, but another trip to the Post Office is needed to pay the postage and mail the envelope. So close, and yet still not done. And so completely typical for how things often go. Even when things are easy, they aren’t quite that easy. But it sure is entertaining.