I know we all have days like this from time to time...so forgive me my whining. I have just had one of those days. You know the ones...where everything that can go wrong pretty much does? Yeah...one of those.
As a result, I have cursed at two (relatively) undeserving people and called my husband at work at the height of my nonsensical, hysterical, crying and slobbering rage.
I started my day in a relatively good mood. I got my kids on the bus and then headed over to the vehicle registration center on base. I haven't lived in the USofA in a number of years, but I vaguely recall spending hours in line at the DMV for license renewals and such. I didn't have to deal with long lines...but that doesn't mean that things went smoothly.
After spending a small fortune getting 4 new tires and new brakes put on my van, I thought that surely it would pass Germany's strict inspection process. Everything checked out OK except for a burned out brake light. I called That Guy I Married at work and then headed up to Landstuhl to have him see about changing the bulb for me. (I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get to the bulb...otherwise I would have done it myself. I am not THAT helpless.) He comes out and takes the thing apart...and genius that he is, he just swaps the bulbs' positions and VOILA! The brake light works! (nevermind the fact that my blinker no longer works on that side...but I don't find this out until I go back to the inspection station and fail for a second time.) This would be the first point at which I drop an F-bomb in the direciton of a mostly innocent bystander.
A quick (and unfruitful) call to TGIM leaves me sitting in the parking lot of the Auto Store on base, which doesn't open for another 25 minutes. I suppose that's a good thing because it takes me that long to pry the cover off and get the bulbs out. I go in and buy two new bulbs, replace them with little incident and replace the cover. The clips are pretty well mangled as I don't think they are meant to be pried away with a set of keys...but it seems to be holding OK, so I will deal with that another day.
Third time's a charm and I pass my inspection! (and then unceremoniously apologize to the attendant for cussing at him) Next step is to go into the office with my inspection paper, stamped APPROVED! and in theory, walk out with a renewed registration form and fuel ration card. Well, as it happens, I have the old style American plates on my van and they rules have changed meaning that I have to get the German style plates. Changing license plates doesn't seem like it should be such a big deal but nothing over here is easy.
Our insurance policies are attached to our license plates instead of our VIN's therefore I have to call my insurance company and have them fax confirmation to the registration office. Another thing that shouldn't be an issue and would not have been an issue had they told me about it ahead of time so I could be prepared. Instead, I am blindsided with this fact when I am standing at the counter...and that guy...he won't get an apology from me for cussing at him.
So, anyway...there's that story.
The next chapter of this story has to do with the fact that we have been referred to a German Doctor to deal with Abby's hearing loss. This is not ideal for me and even less ideal is the fact that I have to pay 25% and a €150 deductible for said doctor. I know that most of you pay co-pays and whatnot but we have had military insurance for so long that I have never had to pay so much out of pocket! That made me cry, but I will suck it up and pray that our income tax return gets here before medical bills start piling up.
After my horrible and very bad morning, I was going to treat myself to Chili's Fajita Quesidillas for lunch and when I got to the door I was greeted with a note that read, "Due to technical difficulties, Chili's will be closed until further notice." Fucking brilliant.
Oh...and the cherry on top of the shitcake that has been my day??? I got an e-mail from Ethan's teacher expressing concern over some of his behaviors lately. I noticed that he seemed a little off at home, lately...but I as not aware that it was carrying over into his school day, too.
Just a lot on my plate and my mental illness makes me fairly inept at dealing when things get too hard.
