Summer Vacation Memory

 

We were spending the night in a Cincinnati hotel en route to Washington, DC.  Back in those days, our only hotel needs were cold AC and a pool. Of course, we kids wanted to swim in the pool but mom said no.  Mom fell asleep and dad was watching the all star game. I’m sure we were bothering him. 

I should mention this is the summer my father quit smoking. He was very irritable. Also, my brother got his learner’s permit to drive the car. There was a lot of angst during this two week vacation.

For some reason I got close to my mom and said softly, “Dummy.”  Mom replied, “Mm hmm.”

I did it a few more times and she continued this response. I thought it was funny and told my sister.  She saw an opportunity. She had me ask, “Dummy, can we go swimming?”

“Mm hmm.”

We were gone in a flash. When mom woke up, she asked where we were. Dad said at the pool. In anger, she grumbled she already said we could NOT go swimming. Dad said she gave the ok. He heard it. 

I’m sure he was just happy we were gone.

2021 US Passport Renewal

 

If you need to renew your US passports this year, read my story. 

 

The passports for my wife and I expire this year in September.  Since we plan to travel to South America in June, we applied for new ones in March.  At the time, the website said it was taking 10-12 weeks to do renewals.  Little did I know there was more to it than that.

 

Since they are very important documents, I paid for tracking when they were mailed.  They arrived 2 days after they were sent.  Based on this date, I was sure we would get the new ones in time.  

 

A couple weeks later I went online and checked the status.  It said it would be at least 4 weeks before they would be logged into the system.  Also, the processing time was 10-12 weeks.  I was concerned about this.  If they were done in 10 weeks we were ok.  Not if it was 12.

 

I called the number on the website and spoke to a gentleman who stated the 10-12 week time frame was based on when I sent them in.  This seemed odd but I accepted his word.  This was about 2 weeks ago.

 

Yesterday I felt I needed to call again to ask if I should pay an additional fee to expedite the process.  After being on hold for 3 hours and 19 minutes, I finally spoke to someone.  She told me the 10-12 weeks is based on when they renewals were logged into their system.  As of the day we were speaking, she said the new passports would probably be received in late July.  Needless to say, I asked if I could do the expedited service.  

 

She stated I should do it if I want them in time.  (As of today, we leave in 3 weeks and 6 days.)  Also, she said IF (emphasis on if) they decided to accept the expedited service, they should be done within 4 weeks.  Since it seemed we had little choice, I offered my credit card to pay the fees. 

 

I should mention they will only speak to the adult for each passport.  Therefore, I had to do a 3 way call since my wife wasn’t at home.  I guess this is good for our security but it was a nuisance at the time.  My time with the phone agent was 10 minutes. 

 

I am happy to say that yesterday the application status website had USPS tracking numbers.  Oddly enough, today they don’t appear.  However, the application status is Approved.  Also, they should arrive by late next week.  (I also paid for 2 day mailing.)

 

Im simply sharing my experience in hopes someone else will have a smoother time of it. If you need to renew your US passport this year, do it sooner than later. 

May 22, 2021 at 5:10 PM

****Update**** 

The new passports arrived today. Not the old ones though. 

Sins of the Father

 

 

A floor of eggshells

No, we cannot light his fuse

He drains the bottle

 

Your mother with bruises

And brother receives his now

Yours will come in time

 

A heart of sorrow

A desire to be safe

A life full of fear

 

Abuse rains down

The chain will continue on

Sins of the father 

© February 2021

Duane Windell Phillips

I thought I would try doing haiku for this one

Shorties: 76

 

Mrs. Hughbanks continued writing on the chalkboard.  A feverous weariness enfolded Paul like a blistering coat.  With sightless eyes, he stared toward the fuzzy blob of teacher against the board.  She called out instructions as she wrote.

 

“Children, be sure to use correct spelling and punctuation.  We have been working on this for a month now.  If you aren’t sure about something, ask your parents or brothers and sisters.  Does everyone understand?”

 

A classful of third grade voices replied in unison, “Yes, Mrs. Hughbanks.”

 

But Paul’s voice wasn’t heard.  He thought he spoke but his lips only moved.  No sound was uttered.  The fever continued to burn in his body and he felt the heat in his cheeks.  The focus of his mind roamed from topic to topic as if peering through a blurred kaleidoscope.  Her voice echoed with reverb but the writing on the chalkboard was like ice skates scraping across the ice.  

 

He imagined how ice would refresh him.  Paul envisioned himself flopping to the ice and pressing his cheeks and forehead to the frosty surface.  How soothing!  So refreshing!  Then Paul felt his dog, Nicki, licking his face and giggles of delight spilled out. 

 

“What’s so funny, Paul?  Would you care to share with the class?”, Mrs. Hughbanks demanded. 

 

Paul heard the voice come from his dog, arresting the hilarity.  With bewilderment, he gazed at the canine.  With the love of a devoted pet, Nicki returned his gaze, panting.  Then the hound lunged forward, planting more licks on his cheeks and forehead.  Then Nicki said, “Oh my lands!  You’re burning up with fever.” 

 

With a burst of laughter Paul exclaimed, “What are you doing at school, boy?  You silly doggie.” 

 

With that, Mrs. Hughbanks rushed the boy to the school nurse who would contact his parents.  Though she feared it was another case of scarlet fever, she hoped and prayed that wasn’t the case. 

 

Feb 12

 In case you didn’t know, great people are born on Feb 12th. If you know one, wish them happy birthday.

On This Day

January 21, 2021

On the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st century, my first grandbaby, Silas, was born. 

He was born in the 22nd hour and 22 days early. 

400 Years is a Long Time to Change Your Mind

For 2021 I have a goal to read through the bible.  The early chapters of Genesis never cease to make me think and wonder about early life on this planet.  In Genesis 15, God tells Abram his descendants will be like the stars in the heavens.  Abram believed God (Gen 15:6) and then God said Abram would possess the land in which he currently lived. (Gen 15:7)  At the time it was populated but others.  Then Abram expressed his doubt by saying, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?” (Gen 15:8)

After confessing this doubt, God later says Abram’s descendants would be enslaved for 400 years but would eventually leave with great possessions. (Gen 15:14) So here is the seed of what lies in me right now. 

 

Several times in the bible God or an angel announce some great thing to a mortal only for the receiver of the great news to express doubt.  Sometimes the doubt causes a rebuke.  Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, had such an event.  He stated his doubt and wonder and was mute until his son’s circumcision. (Luke 1:18-20, 57-65)

 

I find it hard to accept something that is contrary to what has always been.  Imagine being a slave in Egypt.  For generations the Hebrews knew nothing but subjugation and forced labor.  Out of nowhere someone from pharaoh’s house returns to the scene and says all the slaves are to be freed.  Then life gets worse for them.  How are they to believe they will ever be anything other than a slave?

 

Imagine, for a moment, you were born 200 years into the 400 years of enslavement. You have grandparents who prayed for the day they would be free.  They pass this on to you.  They believed and prayed about freedom until they died.  You do the same.  Your children and grandchildren all hope, pray, and believe for freedom but die enslaved.  Is your belief in vain?  Are your prayers useless?  What if you are of the generation that would see the light of freedom?  Is that generation’s belief in vain?  How about their prayers?  Do you see the paradox?

 

Are the promises of God any less important to the ones who will not partake of them?  How am I supposed to believe when the declaration of an angel or God contradicts everything I know and see?  If I only know sorrow, loss, darkness, strife, barrenness, and enslavement, then astonishment and doubt are the likely and obvious reactions to the promises of God.  I’m not complaining or stating God is unjust.  I’m merely stating what is obvious to me.  That’s how my mind understands it.