8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC #4

[cruisin'Mike]

GM

Presently 64 and going up as high as 64 today.. with light rain

Sorry I did not go on chat I shut down both my laptop and pc.. with the storms

and prayers to everyone who is going to need it today

aboard to all the newbies

Happy Birthday and Anniversary to all we have missed

Have a great Saturday

Hey Liz! Glad to see you made it through the night OK with that wicked weather you guys were expecting.

We are getting hit hard too, Paula. We are in for the day...the whole City has been cancelled.

Sorry about the snow guys! We're getting hit with downpours and the occasional thunder and lightning. If it was snow, it would probably have been a few feet between last night and today.

Stay safe everybody.

 

[cruisin'Mike]

mmmmm.....I have fond memories of Strawberry Hill

http://www.getboneless.com/images/Boones_Farm_Strawberry_Hill.jpg

Boone's!!!!!

The price was always right on that stuff!

 

[Joel110]

I took some pics too. Although 14"+ of s**w is probably nothing to our Northern neighbors, it's a record here in Central Ohio.

A Rare Sighting of the Endangered Ohio DOT Snowplow:

 

[PBader]

Oh my Gosh - I have fond memories too - the first time I ever had one sip of alcohol was Strawberry Hill - drank the whole bottle at age 16. It was very yummy going down but when it came back up........... I haven't touched it since.

Okay here is the update on my foot. The doctor I seen today was very upset with how the ortho guy treated me. He looked at the xrays and again sees nothing broken. He is sending me to another orthopedic who deals with sports injuries because he really believes that its tendonitus which can cause great pain if not treated. the fact the the cortisone is working and the swelling is subsiding makes him think that there are not tears in the soft tissue. So, on monday I will call yet another dr. Hopefully by then I will be able to walk on my foot again.

Sorry to hear of all the SNOW in ohio - my mom lives there and she basically can't get out. Here in VA we are windy, temp of 63 but going down and partly cloudy. I'll take that over snow any day. Have a great weekend everyone!

Sounds like this dr. has a way better bed side manner. Hopefully they will get you straightened out so you can continue your running.

 

[PBader]

I took some pics too. Although 14"+ of s**w is probably nothing to our Northern neighbors, it's a record here in Central Ohio.

Awww......I can't figure out if they like the snow or not

 

[psm729]

I took some pics too. Although 14"+ of s**w is probably nothing to our Northern neighbors, it's a record here in Central Ohio.

I LUV your puppies!!! They seem kinda confused in the snow. Did they like it?
Just keep thinking... it will melt, it will melt.
-Penny

 

[sk8ingmom]

Thank you all for commiserating with me. I appreciate all the advise too. DH is writing the appeal letter right now. I offered to cut and paste my rant, but he declined.

Oh man, that stinks!!!!

You can rant to me all you want....I can relate (to a degree)....Although, I still have hopes that dd8's passport will show up somewhere!

This is what happened to her's....

We all applied for them together, and about 3 1/2 weeks later mine, dh's, and ds's all show up. None for dd. So, we just assume it will be coming in a couple days. A few days later our 3 birth certificates show up....none for dd. Wait, wait, wait....so finally a couple of days ago (approx 2 weeks after ours showed up) we call all over to try to track it down. Finally talk to someone at the passport office, and she says it was addressed to "XXX Collins Way". Well, that is not even close to our address, in fact we have no street of that name in our zip code! So, again....someone was not paying attention. So, she tells us it should have been sent back to them, but it hasn't shown up yet. Nor has her birth certificate. So, we will wait a little while longer, but we may have to order a new birth certificate for her, wait for that to come in, and then have to order a new passport as well. UGH!

Lovely. Don't you wonder who got DD's passport? How strange.

That's okay,I got carded at Wally World yesterday buying a bottle of Boonesfarm for my boss(she's never heard of it).

You might be a redneck if . . .

M - i think that is normal.... I will go check but ours our blank like that too...i think....

I would assume most people's page 27 is blank - but at the bottom of the page with your photo, does it say "See Page 27" under the Endorsements line?

That was a pretty good rant.

E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University

Well it is still snowing and the whole area is closed down. We have about a foot of snow now and it is still coming down. This is the view from my back door.

This my DD's car parked in the driveway. They called her to tell her not to come in to work (she works retail).

Where are you in Ohio? That could be my dad's neighborhood in suburban Cleveland.

Believe it or not, I miss all that snow.

Hey M - what about going to one of the passport agency offices and try handling this in person? There's 2 in DC, one for regular and one for the no-fee stuff.

taken from http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/agencies/agencies_913.html

• WASHINGTON Passport Agency
  1111 19th Street, N.W.
  First Floor, Sidewalk Level
  Washington, D.C. 20036

Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., local time, M-F, excluding Federal holidays
Automated Appointment Number: 1 (877) 487-2778
NOTE: Washington Passport Agency serves customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. An appointment is required.

• SPECIAL ISSUANCE Agency
  1111 19th Street, N.W. Suite 200
  Washington, D.C. 20036

Hours: 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., local time, M-F, excluding Federal holidays
NOTE: Applications for Diplomatic, Official, and No-Fee passports

Thanks for the suggestion. The office is about 3 blocks from my office.
My interpretation is that I can't use either of those places since we are not traveling within 2 weeks, and we aren't getting a special passport. This whole crisis is because we had the stupid no-fee passports to begin with.

Hi M - Have you considered contacting your congressmen? I know that some people have had luck getting this type of garbage straightened out by getting some political pressure put on it. You could always play "is this how we treat our service people's families" card.

Pamela

I may do that at some point. DH has been on the receiving end of a "Congressional Inquiry" a few times & is reluctant to throw that card quite yet. He knows how it spins people up. Not to mention, most of the inquiries he's had to deal with were for totally stupid things, and didn't really make people work any harder Really, he once had an iquiry because one of his guys mom called because he had to drive to work in the snow...in Alaska! Clearly the command was not look out for the members.

I could pick up the phone right now and call several staffers of Alaska's delegation (from our old jobs), but I have no clue who represents us here. I may just have to get Uncle Ted or Aunt Lisa on the phone.

 

[eeyorelvr10]

I am under a gag order and cannot mention any past/present/future antics they may or may not have been party to. They are wonderful people..... (did I state that correctly Mike, I mean your honor?)

Mike - you really think that gag order is going to work on the ship? Well, whatever you do - do not let her sit next to Cheryl - seems John says that Cheryl can make a wall talk!

As for the rest of us wenches, well let's just say we have our wenchy ways...........

Bets19!

 

[radioclash2]

as always, you are too funny.

 

[eeyorelvr10]

U could tell I am nervous all I have been doing it eating.........yes cake (Dolly Zingers halfway through the box) and cappuccino

Ah Liz - sorry you went through this - here's a belated - glad you made it through

Peep-a-mint Patty?

YES!!!! We must trademark this now!!!

We are just too clever around here for our own peeps.....um...good.

 

[eeyorelvr10]

THANK YOU GUYS AND GIRLS so much for your support I really appreciate it at this time, wherever you go there is always someone there waiting to jump and snipe, over the years I have seen the odd one or two, but when you seem over a short time to be in the firing line, with a number of the 'Grey army' all of the time coming back, it makes you think why bother.

Your responses, have made me think, well thats why I do it, for these great and nice people, I think though I should for the sake of my blood pressure take a break from the main cruise forum.

THANKS TO EVERYONE,

Andrew - don't you dare disappear - you are needed here to balance out this uneven see-saw. 'Sides - who else would Crash talk Dr. Who with? And any hints you might want to pass around?

WAIT - WAIT!!!! I forgot the or the "no offense" part - (referencing the uneven see-saw.) I too am guilty of using the or no offense meant. Isn't it sad that the ones that don't seem to take offense are sooooo worried about being attacked that we have to go on the offense ourselves? Ah well, I this group.

Andrew - I've been posting pictures on the Med cruise (July 28) - JoAnn started a reunion thread - go check out - Hey lets start a picture posting war - ooopppps - I meant pix swap view exchange.

 

[bellelinus]

I alluded to this in chat last night...feel free to skip this post...

RANT WARNING

Well, so far DH and I (maybe) are going on TOAL. The kids, notsomuch. I now know why Passports are being processed so fast. NO ONE IS PAYING ANY FREEKING ATTENTION.

Here is our story:
Some of you may remember that I was all excited last spring when it looked like we would need Passports to leave Alaska (we had to drive through Canada), and the CG was going to have to get them for us. Well, the kids and I got our no-cost-to-us passports – mine came in hours before we left – BUT there was an endorsement on page 27 that made them only valid when traveling with a military member on orders. OK, so much for free passports, now we have to do the whole process again.

So here we go again. I went to the web site, answered the questions and the web site spit out a no-fee-passport renewal form. Sweet. Although I wasn’t holding my breath on the free part. We went to an office that was open on Saturday and the guy looked at me like I had 9 heads. He said I must have checked the wrong box somewhere. I checked everything about 9 times, but OK. Of course no one in the government is answering the phone on Saturday, so we would have to come back during the week. “Anytime between 12 & 4.” Oh so convenient for working families. We insisted on signing all the forms (literally every version of the passport application!) in front of him while we were all there, so DH could take a day of leave and go back to the post office by himself. The post office guy was actually quite nice and wanted to help us.

So, DH goes back, they get someone on the phone who tell him that we used the wrong application. Uhhh, it’s the application that your web site filled in for us based on the information we supplied…but OK. We started all over again, filled out more forms, wrote a check, and sent everything in.

DH had an expired regular tourist passport, so his was no problem and showed up in a week. 2 weeks later (yesterday) here is what arrives in the mail:
A new passport for me – only the Endorsement section says: See Page 27. On my old passport, page 27 said something like “only valid when traveling with active duty military member on orders.” Well, page 27 of my new passport is blank. So I can’t wait for the hassle that is going to cause!

For the kids, we got their old passports back with a letter stating that they are too far away from the expiration date (2012) to renew them. Ummm, we aren’t renewing these passports, that’s why we had to fill out (and pay for) an application for a new passport. The best part…no birth certificates! They not only cashed our check, but kept the kids birth certificates! DH called “customer no service” as Clark Howard would say and got the run around. We have to apply again…using the same forms we just used…and we have to pay again…and apply for a refund that we may or may not get from the first time…and of course the $25/per fee we paid at the post office is not refundable since they did their part…AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!

So basically we have to do the exact same thing we just did and hope for a different result...and pay for it!

We are going to get back on the phone before we do any of this, but regardless, this whole thing is ridiculous.

OK rant over, thanks for listening, carry on.

I'm sorry to hear about this -- but I wouldn't worry about your passport. My passport is old, and has been used to go overseas many times, and it says "See page 24" under Amendments/Modifications/Enmiendas on the main page, although page 24 is blank. So the only problem is the kid passports . . . Good luck with this.

Well I hope it sorts itself out as soon as possible, and I know everyone here was so supportive on my rant, so all the best to you, and I feel we should have a 'Rant' weekend, lets get it all out, and we all will feel much better after-wards letting off a bit of steam.

Good luck.

Your monorail is back. Hurray!

Is anyone thinking about doing a massage at Krystal's in PV?
Everyone on CC raves about the massages and the price is definitely right.
Might be just the thing about a hard day of ziplining.
Not sure if timing will work or not.

Coral

I was looking at Krystal's too but I don't think my timing is going to work out on that day . . .

 

[eeyorelvr10]

How about deep fried thin mints with a peep in the middle and dipped in batter?

Actually I am not a big Peeps or Thin Mint fan. But you got me thinking Deanna about Peanutbutter Patties with melted marshmellows in the middle.

A Monte Cristo Peep-a-Mint.

Oh the possibilites! Could we write a cookbook about cooking with peeps? Can we make this happen?!?!?!

TOO LATE! They have been unleashed onto this cold, cruel world.

I can just see the headlines of tomorrow -

NO PEEP IS SAFE - RUN LITTLE (BO) PEEP - RUN!

(as fast as your little peep "legs" will allow)

 

[eeyorelvr10]

I got a Peep'n Pirate!!!



Chrissie

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Sounds like we need to gets Bets19 all liquored up... story time secret deck 7

I told you - us wenches are tricky! Tricky Mickey Wenches!

Well as usual - a day late and a dollar short - now I only backtracked 15 pages and seems I missed quite a bit - now to go back to those other 30 pages. Talk to you later!

 

[m&m's mom]

I saw that the other day. I'm thinking about it. I couldn't figure out if the price list I saw was dollars or pesos though.

It is definitely pesos. Just whack off one of the zeros and you will be close.
A great price!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Andrew - don't you dare disappear - you are needed here to balance out this uneven see-saw. 'Sides - who else would Crash talk Dr. Who with? And any hints you might want to pass around?
WAIT - WAIT!!!! I forgot the or the "no offense" part - (referencing the uneven see-saw.) I too am guilty of using the or no offense meant. Isn't it sad that the ones that don't seem to take offense are sooooo worried about being attacked that we have to go on the offense ourselves? Ah well, I this group.
Andrew - I've been posting pictures on the Med cruise (July 28) - JoAnn started a reunion thread - go check out - Hey lets start a picture posting war - ooopppps - I meant pix swap view exchange.

Thanks, I will go and have a look.

 

[Joan1]

RANT WARNING

Well, so far DH and I (maybe) are going on TOAL. The kids, notsomuch. I now know why Passports are being processed so fast. NO ONE IS PAYING ANY FREEKING ATTENTION.

Do you have a main passport office near you?
That may be an option instead of going throug a post office
This way you will be directly in the office to fill out / sign anything new you need

I am not sure where you live but here is a list of regional passport offices
http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/about/agencies/agencies_913.html

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Your monorail is back. Hurray!

By popular demand! Its been in the depot, for a service,

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Talk to you later!

Just looked at your pictures very nice, down memory lane! Thanks for posting.