Where to start?

If you're my facebook friend, you've been reading about it unfold today.
The abbreviated version is this:
After getting NO WHERE with the Canadian Passport Office, (despite three tries, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) Clint took his case to the Brazilians. On Thursday he called and was given the party line; "It takes 15 working days to process a visa application. Do not expect to have your passport returned to you until after that." PERIOD.

So on Friday he drove into Vancouver to see if his brown eyes would work their magic on anyone at the Brazilian embassy. The office closed at 1:00 pm and he arrived ten minutes later.

This morning he skytrained it into Vancouver again, and was told that his passport was Fed-exed on Friday.

Turns out that today, while he was in Vancouver, walking into the embassy, and while I was at Craftsman Collision, expecting to be part of a meeting regarding Max's accident, the Fed Ex man was at our front door. But Max and Drew were still sleeping (12:46 pm) SO THEY DIDN'T ANSWER. So the Fed Ex man didn't leave it.

I know, I know. If there's any possible way I could make this into an epic saga, I would. And I am.

So the Fed Ex man will be back by 5 pm tomorrow, and we're leaving our house at 6:30 pm for the airport.

People - can I tell you how much I don't like living this way? Ask me how much chocolate I consumed this week. Go on. Just ask.

Anyway.
After work, I thought I'd get a perscription for some sleeping pills. (You know, for the two red eye flights I'm taking across the continent.) My own doctor is on holidays for three weeks (of course he is) so I had to go to a walk in clinic. Guess how many clinics in town are open after 5 pm. Yeah, that's right. JUST ONE. I sat in the waiting room for one and a half hours. And then waited at the pharmacy. And getting travel medical insurance? Took another half an hour.

Two things done and it took pert near three hours.

I have two things I want to do tomorrow before we leave: get American cash (I really wish I could find my bank card) and buy some walking shoes. I think we will do a fair bit of walking.

And Max just yelled that he wants us to stop at Chapters on the way to the airport - to pick up some books.

Oy.

So tonight.
Know what I did?
Seeing I am 99% confident that there will be four O's on that plane tomorrow, I booked a few things:

I confirmed our flights with Cathay Pacific.
I printed off our admission tickets to:
Empire State Building (free)
Guggenheim Museum - not recommended by some, but it was part of the package
Museum of Modern Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Circle Line Harbour Cruise Tour

I bought 4 tickets to the Top Dog Amateur Show at the Apollo Theatre
I bought 4 tickets to the National Comedy Theater

We will be eating cheesecake at Junior's at Grand Central Station, having a frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity's and eating lunch at Carnagies Sandwich Deli.

We'll play it by ear as to which Broadway Musical we see. I'd love to see Jersey Boys, but hear that Wicked and Lion King are good too. We have Thursday night free, so it depends on what's available I guess.

We plan to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge at night, get our pics taken under the restaurant sign that Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and George always ate at, wander through Central Park, take a peak into FOA Schwartz, go to Ground Zero, hang out in Times Square, take the Statten Island ferry ... and be nice to each other and have fun.

Oh but I have high expectations for this trip.

The weather should be perfect for exploring a city - overcast with some sunny periods 64 - 79 degrees. Plus, they are expecting two thunderstorms this week. How awesome is THAT?

This may be my last post from this time zone. Play nice while I'm away...


Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Yay. Looks like 4 of us are going.
2. Have I mentioned Speedo flip flops. Seriously. Go buy some.
3. Summer is HERE.

Shalom,