The Last Document

Folks, it has arrived. The day before yesterday, I received my official French visa. (applause, applause) It's actually just a page pasted into my passport, but it has the picture they took of me at the consulate and looks very official and has stamps and so forth on it. I can't believe it, but its arrival was three days earlier than the stated 10-day processing time. I've gotta say, the French Consulate in Miami gets extra super poitns for beating their own deadlines, both with the Livret de Famille and now with my visa. I was expecting endless delays, so I am delighted at the quick service once we got over the initial little bumps.

Also, I am starting to be a sucker for official-looking documents. Even the cats' stamped USDA health certificates sort of gave me a charge. I admit, I ran my fingers over the official raised stamps for far too long. I had to jolt myself out of a daydream in which I myself possessed such a stamp and could make documents official my own self .... okay, I was sliding into it again. I've stopped now. Whew.

Only one more week is standing between me and my permanent trip to France. Well, one week and an enormous amount of re-organizing my things so that they are ready to ship. The room I am staying in at my parents' house looks like the luggage department at Macy's threw up - the place is covered from stem to stern in clothing and various personal items. In other words, it is a complete mess and though I know I will wade through it easily enough once I get going on the task ... it's still unsettling to look at.

Also to check off the list of Things To Do is attending my niece Lucia's baptism this Saturday. It's in Miami, so that means I will have visited Miami THREE TIMES in the month of May by the time I get down there for my flight next Thursday ... I wish there were such a things as "frequent driver miles". I'd be banking, if there were. I am excited about the baptism, which will be in Spanish - most especially because I've been asked to be the godmother. Yikes! But I've taken the class and everything, so I'm godmother-ready.

All my ducks are lining up in a row. I am almost ready. I am almost there. Patrick, here I come!