Win/Lose

I can't decide if today has been a string of successes or failures so far.

After a jittery night of broken sleep, I revisited my favourite place, the DMV. Driving test time. Well, it would have been if their computers hadn't crashed. I was given the option of waiting it out indefinitely, or rescheduling the test.

I ummed and ahhed, and chose procrastination - after all, there was a toddler who needed to be kept entertained, a husband who needed to get to work at some stage in the next hour or so, plus several other errands to be sorted out.

(Last week, it was the DMV's fingerprint scanning device that caused delays. Here's a thought - seeing as the Californian DMV is essentially broke, why not charge more than $6 per driving licence? That's a mere fraction of what many other states/countries charge, but their facilities possess somewhat more sophisticated technology than the ones here which issue pencil-on-paper tests. I almost feel embarrassed for the DMV. Almost...)

So, driving test successfully delayed - and more crazy stress dreams scheduled - the next mission was to get some updated passport photos for part of our visa renewal process.

The last time I needed passport photos of Miss Pie, she was three weeks old. I thought that had been challenging at the time, because every time I took her to the shop for the photos, she fell asleep (and all passport pics require eyes to be open and looking ahead). In hindsight, that was an easy problem to deal with.

Try getting a twenty-two month old to sit still for more than two seconds, and look directly at the camera. A camera held by a total stranger.

Let's just say it's a good thing the resulting photo won't be used for her Australian passport photo (hey, nothing wrong with her 3-week-old photo, even if it bears no resemblance to her now)... because it's the face of a toddler in meltdown mode. Quite hilarious, actually. Whoever processes her visa application at the US Consulate will probably wet their pants when they see it. I'm also hoping they're more lenient with photos used for toddlers, because it's questionable as to whether this one actually meets the strict criteria.

Once that drama was over, I found myself shopping for jeans - bored toddler in tow. Masochistic? Yes, but I want to order some boots online for my massive feet, and will need some skinny leg jeans to go with said boots. I always swore I'd never get skinny leg jeans, but the look of them worn with boots has been growing on me for some time.

Shopping for skinny leg jeans, and did I mention it's that time of the month? A wonderfully bloated time to shop for tight jeans, but I persevered and acquired a pair. However, they probably won't be seeing light of day until I have my new boots too. There's the minor issue of cankles, but the boots will hide them nicely. That's the plan, anyway.

Once we got home and I finally wrangled Miss Pie for a nap, helped the Faery with her homework, and completed various boring domestic chores, it was 3 o'clock. It had been a whole fifteen hours since my last Halloween chocolate - win! So I rewarded myself and raided my daughter's stash - lose.

At least my taste buds are happy now.