Something I didn't know - that the UK Passport Service has a 24-hour helpline (an 0870 number).
Very useful if 36 hours before you're due to fly (at 10 o'clock at night) your child asks "how are we going to go when mine and my sister's passports have run out?"
Indeed they had - just ten days ago.
The lovely man on the end of the Passport line booked us in for their "premium service" - i.e. the one for useless parents who then pay an extra £100 for the privilege of driving to the nearest office, kids in tow, to get it organised.
Dh has had a frantic morning collecting new forms, getting the pictures sorted and crossing everything to hope it all met the stringent new requirements for biometric standards. then apologising profusely to the school for bringing them in late (in my defence m'lud it is half term tomorrow)
Phew! Nothing like a lovely relaxed start to your week off.
The cautionary tale - be more organised than we were! (On the bright side at least child alerted us last night not tonight).
Very stiff drink when I get home!