Aftermath of the burglary
Brief summary: Passports stolen plus my bike and a small amount of foreign currency plus damage to two doors.
Report break-in to police and insurance company. Police send two friendly and efficient officers to get fingerprints. Insurance company accepts claim. All good so far. House is not secure and we will be “contacted shortly” by a company used by the insurance to make the house secure. Next morning a 9:00am got a call – 19 hours later. Obviously that was not great. We got someone out to make the house secure before that.
Have to apply for new passports. Start process online. Note: it has to be new application. First hurdle. What is the number on our marriage certificate (20 years old)? Eerrh – there is no number. Ok, we have to get another certificate issued. We go to Births, Deaths and Marriages in the city. Very efficiently, we were in and out within 5 minutes with a new marriage certificate (we had lots of proof). Tick. Celebrate with coffee.
Get photos taken at post office for new passports. Tick.
Get photos certified and application forms certified by friendly neighbour. Tick.
Rock up at post office to hand in passport application forms. Sorry, you can’t hand them in here – and you have to make an appointment to get them done. Ok, minor set back.
Meanwhile, police phone. Passports have been found in local park. That’s good. No one is trying to steal our id – just our stuff. Can we cancel our “stolen status” on the passports. No. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. In fact pay $381 each for new passports (includes priority to get the passports quickly).
Next morning, have appointment at another post office for 9:00am (3rd trip to PO in 24 hrs). Sorry, your photo is no good. Your head is not big enough in the photo (no one has ever said that my head is not big enough before – so I take it as a complement). Have more photos taken, drive home to our amazing neighbour who certifies (again) that it is still me in the photo.
Back to PO (4th trip). Where’s your birth certificate? What? You have my old passport, my Australian Citizenship document, marriage certificate. I don’t have a birth certificate. Never have. Best I have is an extract of my Baptism certificate. Ok (anybody losing the will to live at this point in time?) I need to check with the Passport people if that is ok. And intend to bring my Baptism certificate.
Drive home get Baptism certificate, British passport also recovered (I’m thinking, should I bring my first born child as an offering – just in case? Maybe next time). 5th trip to PO. Don’t need Baptism certificate. Old British passport will do. Oh! Not sure Jeannie’s photo is ok as her hair is over her eyebrows! Take more photos of Jeannie and hope that passport application goes ok…
Passport applications submitted. Tick.
We’ll see.
Burgled!
Came home to this today…
Or more accurately, I was called home as this had happened. Yes, someone broke in, made a mess, turned everything over looking for valuables (click the link to see all the photos). What did they get? My bike:
And our passports, plus a little bit of foreign currency.
Fortunately (or was it planning?) our valuables are not stored in the house. Our treasures are based in our relationships and are also stored where “where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal”.
Died after 35 years – is this a sign of what is to come?
I’ve had a faithful assistant for over 35 years that has just died. It passed away quietly today. One minute it was there doing what it was supposed to do – then it just died. I wonder if it is because of Brexit??
You see it came from England. It traveled with me when I came out here in 1982. It has been in faithful service, used on a regular basis, and died today. It not only came from England, it was also Made in England. Was Brexit too much for it to handle?
I have read some commentary on the result. Some people are blaming the Baby Boomers – claiming that the (unsubstantiated) “younger generation” wanted to stay in Europe. Some people are saying that it was all about immigration. I certainly don’t claim expert knowledge in this area but I do remember a quote from Winston Churchill “We have nothing to fear except fear itself”. It would appear that fear has had a lot to do with the result.
What will it mean to England, the UK, Europe and the world? Only time will tell.
Travelling Gomezs 