{{{d}}} I hope everything goes okay for you and your mom.

More good outcome it's nothing outpatient ma for Beverly, and also for lisah.

I meant to say this earlier but got distracted. I wish you both nothing~ma.

Just got off the phone with my mom. Her friend Karen has been over all afternoon and is helping her to get everything set up on the main floor. It looks like the break isn't too bad--she's mostly off her feet for 3-5 days and then will get a walking cast. I talked to Karen, and she has promised me that she has time to help out with Mom and Gram this week and will call me if it gets to be too much. So. Not flying home at this point, though that may change. Luckily Mom has a huge support system, so it looks like she's going to be okay. Now if I can just stop feeling guilty about being 3000 miles away when she and Gram need me...

Ah. I'm in Chicago, so I'd suggest just going with the in-person, but I'm guessing they don't have an office near you?

{{{d}}}

Kristin, I'm glad your mom has a good support system around her.

Hey, the passport stuff reminded me: so, like a doofus I let my passport expire. Is taking a day off and going to the office the best way to get it renewed without waiting for weeks and weeks?

That's great news, Kristin. I'm glad that your mom's injury wasn't as bad as thought and that there is someone local who can help. Still,

{{{Kristin}}}

And d, passport ~ma to go with the health and coping ~ma. From one who has put off getting her passport for mumble, mumble.

Is taking a day off and going to the office the best way to get it renewed without waiting for weeks and weeks?

You can only do that if you have proof - like a plane ticket - you're leaving the country in the next two weeks - plus it costs more, though I can't remember for sure how much.

{{kristin's mom}}anti-guilt ma~~ to Kristin.

{{d}} may someone figure something out.

passports: fastest - go to an office pay beaucoup bucks

next expedite- a couple of weeks. much money. tell your passport agent when you want to leave, they will tell you the best way.

the regular way - some money. usually the tell you 6 weeks - but in my experience - they over estimate the time. Late spring/ early summer it takes the longest.

Jilli, I'm not sure if they'll shoo you away if you go to stand in line. The official website states that's only for people leaving in 14 days. Presumably I could as well as a life or death thing, but I think I can wait until the end of the month and aim for hopefully cheaper airfare.

I'm going to spend the extra $60 or whatever to expedite, because the reports have been horrible about getting passports. But I will go to the post office passport place and double check. Before I usually got my passport in a month, but that was before they changed the rules and didn't hire more staff to process applications.

Guess who's got a head full of color???

The passport agency says it will take 10-12 weeks to get your passport renewed. I sent my old passport in for renewal 9 weeks ago, and still have squat to show for it, even though my check cleared right away.