General Discussion & Chat: Coffee and...Part 25...! :-D, 1 by kooger

kooger wrote:
LOL Sarv. It can be a blessing when the eyes go like that!

Secret Santa was fun last Christmas but detangling the mistakes was more difficult. Darius and I spent considerable time unraveling the errors. Some folks were never heard from again, some said they sent a gift that never arrrived and some chose to ignore the emails completely. Very interesting! Sadly, a few people never did get a gift. (I am a firm believer in, 'it takes all kinds to make the world go round' and 'the world would be terribly boring if we were all the same'! It helps lots for forgiving those who don't hold up their end and for forgiving myself when I fall short.) :)

I'd be willing to join in a 'thread' exchange. I received a very special gift from balvenie - tole painted mini tub/bowl - I really love it because I've never been able to paint - it has a place of honor in the China Closet at present.

Yesterday I called the Senator's office again - can't remember if I posted that I called them a month ago. She called the USCIS (formerly INS) and they said I should have a decision on my green card in a week. 5 weeks have gone by and still no word from them. The same lady that I spoke with earlier, apparently she handles these issues in the Senator's office, did not remember speaking with me and wrote nothing down. So I had to give her a brief history again.

She called back a few hours later and said she spoke with an officer and I would have a reply soon, it was in his pile. Then she gave me the ....they are so swamped, yadda yadda yadda.... spiel. So I told her they should not send letters out telling people to expect a reply in 30 to 60 days if it takes more than 6 months. Then she told me I should not have let my card expire! I got a bit upset then, since I did not let it expire, I applied for the renewal before my card expired. Well, she didn't realize that, of course.

Apparently she did some more work on my behalf and this morning called back and spoke to DH. He faxed her all my paperwork. She called back and said they searched the INS computers and no record was found of my biometrics (fancy word for picture, fingerprints, etc.). The only thing I could do was redo them and send them in. Since the office in Sioux Falls has closed, I have to go to Minneapolis, Omaha or Lincoln to redo them.

I paid $130.00 to get them done (12-11-03), thankfully I photocopied the paper with their official stamp and markings before I sent it in to Lincoln. I hope that will be proof enough that I don't have to pay them again - I'm sure I could dig out the canceled check too.... I'm just so terribly frustrated with the whole ordeal - almost 2 years now without a card. I PROMISE to you all, I will get my American citizenship as soon as this mess is overwith and I can apply!!!!!!!

That is about the extent of my trials and tribulations, lol. I did get two rows in my iris bed weeded last night before a friend stopped by and I gave her some hosta and melampodium seeds and slips from 3 lamiums to root. She was happy and I was happy to be able to share - it's what makes life good!