Cue the Gong.

So yesterday we finally had a few free hours to go and switch over our health coverage from Alberta to Ontario. We had quite the time switching over our licences, (or I should say Nick did as I didn't know I would need my marriage certificate to prove I was the same person when I was born as today), so we weren't particularly looking forward to switching over our health coverage. A friend reminded us to bring snacks. We had to go to another city and would have to come home on a highway so we hoped to be done before rush hour.

We arrived at 2:45. On the internet it lists 3:00 as the down time, so the best time to go. We arrived to a huge line and the computer systems were down. We could wait or go home. We chose to wait. The system was back up in 20 minutes. Sweet.

Now when you arrive you meet a front desk lady. She checks to make sure you have the appropriate documentation. Again I was screwed. Until we realized that our car insurance had my name listed with our current address. (Funny how I just needed to say I was me to get car insurance, which costs money, but I needed all kinds of documents for free services). So we were saved. We were given a number.

The numbers are numerical, but also broken up into categories. So some start with A some with D etc. Once the system was up and running they began taking a pleasant mix of all numbers. We were 8 away. Then all of a sudden everyone was gone. Just two wickets left open. And they were only taking numbers beginning with D. I figured no problem, just lunch half hour max.

A lady came in, waited 10 minutes, and demanded the front lady give her a number beginning with every letter. She was not going to wait for the next 3 hours. She was gone in 10 more minutes. I began to steam.

A baby cried. I began to leak.

Then Isabella got restless. So I took her to an open area and began playing with her. We were playing peek a boo around corners. She was giggling and every now and then squealing. A security guard came over and asked me to keep my toddler silent as it made it hard for the workers to concentrate. And then Nick was watching her and she ran a bit too hard into the fake glass that surrounded an office. The security guard started coming toward us. Then she was crawling under a metal sign, we were watching her head, she was fine. He reminded us that metal and glass are "danger" and we shouldn't let kids play like that. Nick reminded him that he was the parent and was just fine thank you.

We steamed some more.

Then another lady who had been there for 10 minutes got tired of waiting. So when someone's number was called and they didn't go up to the wicket right away she went up and played the I-don't-know-where-my-number-is card. But she also lied to the front desk lady and didn't have the right documents, so she was sent home and had to come back the next morning. Ha. Ha on her. Budgers never win.

So then at 5:00, (1.5 hours) after all the workers left, they finally returned from lunch. It took another ten minutes for them to realize the system wasn't totally working and they weren't calling any numbers beginning with A.

Brooklyn began to stir. But I thought there's 18 wickets and we're only 7 numbers away I'll just wait until we get home to feed her. She dozed in and out, it seemed to be working.

We got to leave at 5:45. But at least we now have health insurance in Ontario.

And we were only stuck in rush hour traffic for about 45 minutes, which is a record in shortness for rush hour.