Our Random Ramblings

I hope that Thursday the 12th has seen us use up all of our bad luck. What a miserable day...

It started out with me forgetting about the bikes on the roof rack of the saab and trying to park the car in the local grocery store's garage.
**CRUNCH**
I have often thought about what would happen in the event that I was stupid enough to try to squeeze the car + bikes into such a small space.
And if you have ever had such similar thoughts -- let me help you fill in that particular void.

Well firstly I destroyed the saddle post on the bike and I think I managed to bend the rear forks and/or frame of the bike...
Secondly I managed to twist, warp and snap practically every piece of the roof rack -- cross bars, locks and of course those fine bike mounts that go on the rack. Yes everything....
Thirdly (and finally) I managed to gouge the roof of the saab with the bikes and the bare metal from the roof rack as it came crashing down and skidding along the roof.

So now you don't have to put yourself through the hassle of driving your car, rack and bikes through a small space, just to see what will happen.
I am not the first one however -- here is a 1998 article on "Wheel Crunchers Anonymous".
From now on I will put a sticker in plain view with the motto "watch for the bikes you fucking moron".

Donations through PayPal to help me rebuild/repair/repaint are gratefully accepted.

And if only that were the whole story....

This evening as we began packing for our trip to Ireland, Anne checked the passports only to find Cian's passport expired last week.

This day is getting better and better, I tell ya!

So after 3 -4 hours of calls to the US Passport folks, the Irish consulate in San Francisco ("can't I just let him travel on my Irish passport?.... PLEASE?"), calls to the airlines and calls to the travel agents -- we have come to the harsh realization that there is no way in hell we can get on a plane tomorrow morning and fly to Ireland.

So then comes the issue of getting him a new passport and changing our tickets. The US passport folks won't say how long it'll take to renew the passport ("expedited cases are currently taking about seven business days") and won't even give us an appointment until we reschedule our flights. But we can't reschedule our flights until we know we can get a passport. And no passport without rescheduled flights.... Huh?

Chicken or egg, anyone?

And now there is the slight issue of changing the travel dates for our flights. Expedia just informed me I will have to pay $3500 ON TOP of the original $3000 we paid if I want to try and fly next Friday.

Oh ok -- so let me pay $6500 to maybe fly to Ireland? Pay for new tickets in the hope that I might actually get Cian a new passport and just might be able to catch the plane...
And what happens if I miss that flight next week -- how much will I have to pay then?
Fuckers...

As with the bike/roof rack debacle -- donations are being (gratefully) accepted to help fly us to Ireland. PayPal me.

And in the meantime -- here's to not having another day like today.
Ever.
Really.
Forever
And
Ever.