A day to Manchester and back.

Monday 24th August 2015

As alluded to in the previous blog, we had a little trip to Manchester today - a round trip of some 6 hours driving and about another hour of other things (included stoppages), then finally a late lunch and some shopping to top up the pantry.

I have previously shared the information that I have finally been given a Residence Permit noted as Indefinite Leave to Remain, which has taken a few trips up to Manchester and back as well as sourcing plenty of documents and other material to prove that I am actually me; that I am working and earning money; that I am also working in the UK and also seeking other work (as if I even have time for a 3rd job); in addition I had to show bank statements in the UK for the past 5 years; wage payment receipts; and other ever-changing requirements - on top of all of that we have had to pay the solicitor to prepare the application and pay the Home Office to look at it - there are no guarantees with any of this and even one minor mistake and you have to restart without any refund of the charges.

So a bit of angst over all of this and relief that it is finally over - except for one matter.

There it is - all that effort for a piece of plastic

All of the paperwork has been returned from the Home Office including my passport and the Home Office issued ILR card to the solicitors office and we needed to pick it up - having the car was a bonus so we headed northwards.

Diane had asked me if I wanted her to come with me - so far in the car - what with her record of being a passenger.

"Of course you should come" I said - and I hadn't had anything to drink.

Let me say here that I was not completely specific with the type of car that I should have hired when I rang the company.

There should have been -

- a set of brake pedals installed on the passenger side, because this car now has a hole in the floor from Diane trying to use the brake on that side of the car,

- a larger back seat area, because although she is one she couldn't get into the one that we had and actually be a back-seat driver,

- a hair-trigger ejector seat so that each time she jumped at something that wasn't going to happen but she thought would then the roof would detach and whammo, the seat would spring the passenger off into the bushes,

- a very large boot - the one that we had was too small - I couldn't push Diane into it and close the door,

- finally, I neglected to ask for the optional sound-eliminating headphones.

The number of trucks, cars, motorcycles, golf buggies and mobile scooters that at one time or another were apparently going to suddenly veer into the lane directly in front of us; come into the car with us; or were too close behind us was staggering.

I'm not saying that she is the worst passenger - well maybe I am - but I do love her dearly, just not when I am driving a car where she is in the left hand seat.

We eventually made it back to the boat intact; in perfect health; and still married - oh, and we did manage to get all of the paperwork.