Jose was to pick me up at 5:00am so a little before I took my suitcases of white powder and opened the door to wait for him. A man I knew I knew came around the corner and waited with me and chatted. I understood he was saying the next two weeks I would be a gringa, then I would be a Tica again. When Jose came he said Mario was coming with us. No wonder I was sure I knew him - he is one of Gerardo's brothers and lives across the street from Dora. He does woodworking and builds furniture. He did the table in the little apt. We dropped him off along the highway to the airport and Jose would pick him up on the other side on the way back. Traffic was terrible and it took a full 2 hours. No problem with check in so I still had plenty of time for my 9:00am flight. I got TSA Precheck on all of my flights both ways but they don't offer it in San Jose and in Chicago the line was so long for Precheck and the regular area was empty so I went thru there. When I checked in my suitcases there were TSA inspection slips in both of them but no questions or problems.
The first few days were shopping and packing at Heather's and then I flew to Santa Maria, Ca to see friends. Well, that was where I was headed but got to the gate 5 minutes after they closed the door and had to spend the night in San Francisco. Flight was to leave at 10:40 the next morning but it was 2 hours late so my visit was shortened quite a bit. I left Tuesday afternoon which was the last day United Express operated into Santa Maria. Again a run thru San Francisco airport but this time I made the connection. I have had some late arrivals into Madison and some early departures and Kent has been so great about picking me up and dropping me off. There was talk of taking me to the bus shelter the night before and letting me spend the night with the homeless man who sleeps there but instead he got up really early.
One day to catch my breath and off on my Minnesota adventure. And an adventure it was. I packed some food and drink and left at 7:45am and drove non-stop to Brainerd where I would get my birth certificate and get my other two documents notarized. Birth certificate yes. Notarization no. They have to watch a person sign to notarize. The social security form didn't even have a signature and the Hutchinson police form had a signature but they didn't see her do it. So, my running started. They gave me directions to the social security office in Brainerd. I explained the situation, they did a new form and 2 people signed it, but they don't have a notary. They suggested the State Farm office nearby. Yes, they had a notary there but she was the only agent and couldn't leave. They were open till 5:00 and social security was open till 4:00. I went back to ask the man if he could stop at State Farm at 4:00 but he said the door locks at 4:00 but he works till 5:30. He said if I brought her to the back door he would open it and show her his id. I went back to State Farm but she said she had to leave right at 5:00 to get her kids at daycare. I gave up on Brainerd and now I had to try and do everything on Friday.
A 5 minute stop with my cousin and on to Little Falls to stay with Sandy and see what I could work out for tomorrow. She doesn't have wifi at her house so we went to Perkins to eat and see what I could figure out. I messaged Lee from the St. Cloud Bursch Travel office to check if they had a notary. I contacted Hutchinson Police but it would have to be during the day for a notary.
Friday morning about 7:30 I took off for the St. Cloud Bursch office to talk with Jess. She offered to meet me at the Social Security office if they didn't have a notary. I was at social security when they opened at 9:00 and the room was full. I let Jess know I would need her and would call her to come when it got closer to my number. I wasn't sure how I was going to figure that out as they were calling A numbers and mine was a V number. When I called her to explain she said she was coming over. A minute later I was called and I took plenty of time to explain my story and in she walked. We got our business done and I was on my way to Hutchinson by 10:00am.
Into Hutchinson at 10:50 and driving out of town at 11:00am. Next is the Secretary of State and I have no idea what they do or how long it will take. I did make one stop since I was now coming from Hutchinson and it was a very short detour to the U of M Apple market. I picked up 20 pounds of honey crisp apples for Heather.
Arrived at the Secretary of State and took a number. Only about 10 people sitting around. When I was called I handed them everything and they said they would call me when they were completed. It was only 20-30 minuted. I have never seen an explaination of what apostille is. Now I know. All they do is document the notary information.
On my way and I can finally stop and eat. After that I head for Janice and Jack's and spend the night. I have Heather's car and want to get it back to her as quickly as possible so I leave at 8:00am. I had called her about a symbol light on her car. It looks like brackets with an ! in the center and a wavy line underneath. She said it was tire pressure so when I hit Woodbury I stopped at a Kwik Trip and the nicest young man came out and took care of all my tires. I tried to pay him but he refused so I said I would give it to the poor people. He said that was a good idea.
We had dinner Sunday evening at an Indian restaurant with Kent's mother and Monday evening Heather and I thought Taco John's would be such a great idea. We both really like their Potato Oles. Well, traffic was terrible and it took forever to get there. And, the food was terrible, including the Potato Oles!
My baggage handler at the airport was great, Jose was out front, we dropped off the paperwork for my residency and I got home about 11:00pm. Jose invited me to the party for his youngest son's first communion on October 30.
That's it. Now if the sun would shine more for my corn. I have already seen Ana, Tia, Gerardo, Dora and Marta. Tons of guayaba still. And lots of avocado.
My first healthy cucumbers.
Things are looking good.
See, I have evidence of corn.
The sunflowers are getting really big.
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