"Vacation" Again...

 So far this year I've taken 5 full days off and 3 half days off.  Actually I thought I had asked for a half day on the 17th, but it turns out I put in for a full...a fact I didn't realize until I logged in at work in the afternoon.  I started doing stuff and then realized I probably shouldn't be...talk about lack of awareness!  Oh well, I still have plenty of time to take off this year (before the days disappear).  However, once again my "vacation" is really not one, but a way to accomplish things that I can't do when I'm in an office.  How sad is that?  (Or is this a fact of life for others?  I'm guessing it is... Tell me that it is!)

So what was today's "vacation" about?  

Well I took the day off because like in April, I had to go to the MVC (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2026/04/a-visit-to-mvc.html).  Only this time it wasn't for MY Real ID, it was for my son.  While he is perfectly capable of doing this on his own, I also know that the MVC is stressful and this trip would be even more so.  You see when we looked for an appointment time (back in late April or early May...I can't remember exactly), there were NO appointments in the location closest to us until a week before his license was set to expire!  That wouldn't be enough time when you factor in that they say they will mail your ID to you and you can expect it in 2-3 weeks.  (Which makes me wonder...voting by mail is questionable, but sending an identification document is okay?  Am I the only one who thinks that's a little off?)  So, we looked for the next nearest location and they had appointments for today.  So I booked the earliest one I could get.

Now I THOUGHT I knew where it was.  I had been there before, but that was 20 or so years ago.  (When I worked in the area.)  Turns out they had moved and since my son's car doesn't have GPS and it was going to be early in the morning...I thought it was best if I drove.  (My son does not do well early in the morning.)

Of course when the appointment was booked, my son wasn't working.  However, now he has a summer job and he can't get much time off.  (Which is why he didn't go with us on our long weekend vacation.)  So he was stressed about being late to work.  He told them he would probably be late.  Because you have no idea how long you are going to be at the MVC,

Luckily, the appointment was for 8:35 and he starts work at 10.  I hoped he wouldn't be too late, but you never know.

The location is about 40 minutes away from the house.  However, I knew there would be traffic as it was morning "rush hour." (Is that even a thing?  It seems like rush hour is pretty much all hours.)  So Waze had just taking back roads there instead of the GSP.  That meant dealing with school buses and cars dropping off.  I made sure we were out of the house by 7:30.

Even with traffic and me ending up in the wrong lane at one point, we managed to find the strip mall which housed the MVC.    (I'm glad my son was with me...it's hard to see the sign.)  We were there by 8:15 and the lot wasn't very full (thankfully).

As I had for myself back in April, we made sure we had all the documents we needed and then some. So when we walked up to the receptionist, we were prepared.  He had to fill out a form and return to her and show the documentation.  She reviewed it and then sent him to a window for the next step.  (No middle step of ID review at a separate window.)  The woman there reviewed everything, had him sign some things, and took his photo and his payment (another reason why I was there...to hand over the cash).

And then we were out!  When my son checked the time it was 8:32!  Three minutes before the actual appointment time and we were done.

Even with traffic and taking the GSP, we managed to get home a little after nine!  Plenty of time for him to do a few things and still get to work on time.

What did I do with the rest of my day (or at least thus far)?  I got my car washed!  (Which was very much needed.)  I went to "my" thrift shop to pick up a bag of women's pants to donate to a Veteran's Outreach Center a mile or so from my home in the Poconos.  I filled up my car's tank (only to find out that gas was actually CHEAPER at a station about 30 minutes away from the house in PA. When did PA have better prices?)  Finally, I logged into work and did a few things before attending a meeting on line.  (I didn't want to pass on it because we are coming to the end of the quarter close.)

And now...the sun seems to be out for a moment so maybe it's time to take a breath and actually relax?  (Who am I kidding?  That's never going to happen!)

At least I have a "sort of" real vacation day next Friday...well...sort of...