February 4, 2014

Time to Renew My Driver's License

February 4, 2014

A few weeks ago I had received a notice that my driver's license was due for renewal soon.  I had been busy the last few weeks so I finally was down to a deadline to get it done.  Shortly after I received the card saying it was time to renew, I got a letter saying I had to do it in person this time and that I might need certain forms of identification.  So I had been looking for my missing Social Security card.  I knew I had it, it was just a question of where!  The letter said I might be asked for forms of ID, but after spending hours searching, and finally finding my SS card, no ID was requested.

Before going to the Dept. of Public Safety office this morning, I had gone out to take care of the ponds, birdbaths, and feeders.  It was chilly and foggy today.  I saw this Snowy Egret out back while I was working.

The doves were heading for the feeders when I came back in the house.  It wasn't long before the ducks arrived.

I got ready and headed to the DPS office.  Often I am apprehensive about going places where I have to listen for my name to be called.  I can't always understand them.  The DPS office had the best call system I have encountered in ages.  The public address system clearly, slowly called out your number and what station (clerk) you were to go to.  There was also a TV screen that showed the information.  The clerk who helped me spoke clearly and was so courteous.  There was not a line when I arrived but a long line grew while I waited my turn.

From there, I went to the shop and worked on bookkeeping most of the day when I wasn't waiting on customers.  Ron was out for a couple of hours so I had to take care of the customers.  It was a day for the strange, and I must say, dumb requests.  One man gave me two keys to copy and said he wanted two of each.  "But," he said, "this one, doesn't work because it was made at _____, and they don't make good keys.  You make good keys, so make me a good one instead of this one."  How do we know what needs to be changed to make it work???  If he brings the lock we can make him a good key, but otherwise it is just a guessing game:  cut too deep, cut too shallow, cut on the wrong blank?  Who knows?  There were several other customers who just left me shaking my head.  Some days are just that way.

Once Ron got back he said I could go home since he knew I had quilters coming tonight.  It took an hour to get away after he made the offer.  Still it was good to get some more work done in the kitchen and to start a load of laundry.  Out at the back of our property, is a man-made lake.  That is one thing that draws so many birds to our yard.  There are huge eucalyptus trees and in the winter, just before dark sometimes anhingas or cormorants congregate in the trees to spend the night.  I had gone out to add a little food to the feeders and saw them starting to fly in for the night.

An anhinga is a huge bird with a wing span of almost 4 feet.  They have long, slender bills, and use them to spear fish.  You will find them hanging around water.  Then the cormorants arrived to settle in for the night.

This evening when the quilters arrived, they had brought things for us to celebrate my birthday.  Thankfully my kitchen was nice and clean.  They had a nice variety of snack items and I received a great variety of gifts.