Who Wants Happy Beef?

I could use a dose. But not the skinny piece of meat they slapped on the plate and smothered in gravy. I want a hunk of rare prime rib with horseradish sauce! That would make me happy! Right now, we could both use some happy thoughts. We are once again in a visa situation. Frank is on the train tonight to the nearest consulate, 18 hours away. We have never recieved our official work visas. Our passports were in limbo for the past three weeks, since we returned from Hong Kong. Then, we got them back and were told to wait. For what? Yesterday, they told us Frank's passport doesn't have enough pages and must have pages put in by Friday! If we don't get it back by then, we have to leave the country. It's their fault we ran out of time in the first place! The consulate reps are coming here next week and Frank was just in a city with a consulate. If they had only communicated, this would not be an issue. But that's not the way it works here, unfortunately. And the government doesn't give a hoot whose fault it is, even if its theirs. Get the paperwork or get out! Our boss wanted Frank to fly which costs 1400Y. We don't have that, so he bought a train ticket for 250Y. Then I was told by the secretary that I also had to go because I am a family member. How stupid, what am I going to do, hold his hand? I told her not to worry about it, I wasn't going. I do however, have to work in Frank's place so he doesn't lose money. Oh, I forgot! As soon as Frank bought the ticket, I was told that because of mudslides, the trains had not been running! Come on! Mudslides? Can't you get a bit more creative?  Thankfully, today was the first day that trains had been allowed through and he left the station around 8pm tonight. Getting pages put in used to be free, but as of this year, jumped to $80 U.S.. I was able to get mine done last summer before the change, but Frank never had the opportunity. We know things will eventually work out..... by Friday. Has to. It's not like we can afford to go home. We just keep hope alive and know that if we keep working hard, it will turn out for the best and be a good experience later.


mandy
"Whoever said "experience is the best teacher" needs a foot up their rear!"-mandy