Today I had the privilege of dealing by my local county government. My Father is trying to buy a small piece of land that is adjacent to his house. Actually he's already bought it, but the plat has to be approved by the government.

Yesterday Dad dropped off the plat in the local planning office (actually that was closed so he left it with the Building Inspection Department who later handed it to the planning office). Dad asked me later to go by and see if it had been approved yet. So, being the good son that I am, I called the planning office. No one was there all day. Today I called again and spoke with the nice lady at working in there who told me she had no idea what would need to be done because she had not had time to review it yet.

HUH????? 'What would need to be done..'

I thought that to myself, "Ok there's just a miscommunication here." I politely explained to the nice lady that we weren't planning on doing anything with the property, there won't be any clearing, cutting, grading, or building. My Dad just wanted the property because it joins his own. The nice lady told me she 'Understood' that but there I would still have to have the health department approve it, before she can stamp the plat.

HUH???? "The health Department approve it"?

The same Health Department that I get my shots from? Why oh why do they care that my dad is buying a small plot of land next to his home. Is it sick? Does it have a cold? Well, Apparently he Health Department has to check the condition of the soil. The nice lady in the Planning office ave me my Dad's, as yet unapproved, plat back. There was a sticky note on the plat about Protected Mountain Area.

AHA!!!! "Protected Mountain Area"

Let me stop right here to review. My Dad has purchased a small piece of property next to his house. He is ready to have the plat recorded in the County Clerk's but the Building Inspections Department had to give Dad's plat to the Planning Office so they can tell me to come take it back so the Health Department can decide if its ok for the Planning Office to say its alright for Dad to have it Recorded in the Clerk's Office. Thats six times Dad and I get to be honored by visiting a government office.

I do so love a good cup of wasted time with my bureaucratic crackers.

The adventure isn't over yet. The Health Department closes at 3:00p.m. so I have to wait until next Monday to get them to look at Dad's Plat. In the mean time I need to ponder the wonders Mountain Protection... But I have plenty of time for that whilst I happily await my government's pleasure.