Sunday, July 29, 2012

Latest addition


I bought a new car in April, 2012.  It is an Opel Agila.  She came equipped with power everything.  Just what an old chick needs to get around in.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Wasted Monday

http://www.sef.pt/img/imag_header_home_en.jpg
Since I am a foreigner, I must reapply at intervals for a residence card.  Not a problem. I fully understand the need for this safeguard.

There is now a system in place in which they have a website and you can book an appointment in advance.  Wow! That's progress.  Only, it doesn't really work that way.

First of all I went to the SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras - Service for Foreigners and Borders) in late March or early April to renew as I was on Easter break and had the time to do it.  When I went to the office I was issued a number and stood in line to ask a question.  I was told that I needed to book an appointment and I could only book one month in advance.  I was told that I could do this online and was also given a phone number to call. Only it wasn't as easy as I was led to believe, but then again nothing is. . .

After several attempts to book online, I had to ask Luís to phone for me. My residence card was going to expire on June 16 and on May 22 I was finally able to book an appointment.The first appointment available was July 24 and I was instructed to arrive at 8:30 for my appointment.  Only this was misleading because I showed up at 8:15 thinking that I had an 8:30 appointment but I didn't.  The office opens at 8:30 and I was told to go to the back of the line to get a number.  I would then wait for my number to be called and a person would check my documents and then send me to another line to wait to speak with someone else.  WTH.  To make a very long story short, I was at the SEF for just a little more than 5 hours.  I was in 3 different lines:  1) for a person to check my docs and give me a number to stand in a line, 2) the agent approved my paperwork and gave me a number to stand in a line to pay the fee, and 3) the line where I paid my fee.  One of the issues was that it is summer and 8 employees were on vacation which was definitely causing a problem. I waited about an hour to pay my fee (only 15€), as the clerk went out to lunch and there was no one to replace him and they never bothered to inform the people in the waiting room.  I would like to mention here that there was no water fountain or vending machines in this building and not enough chairs for the people waiting. 

Anyway, I would like to once again remind you that it doesn't surprise me that the world is a mess because the people who are running the show are totally clueless.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Classic Stones



50 Year Anniversary - Congrats to the Rolling Stones.

Time really was on their side . . .

Saturday, July 07, 2012