Passport pergatory

I can't believe the stress I have put myself through these past two days, all because
I need a passport to go on a cruise. First of all, we planned to go down to the office on Wednesday, but I couldn't lay my hands on an envelope containing all our
information, required to fill out the form, never mind actually go to the passport office. After tearing the house apart, I found it, and then I had to fill in the forms. That was a laugh. They make it so hard today. First of all they have changed the rules so that you can get anyone to be your guarantor (except for the small print that says they have to have a current passport-because you need their number). Then you need two friends who have known you a certain length of time and
they can't be relatives. My husband must have signed the strip, that actually is put
on your passport, at least five times. You can't touch the green strip around the outside. He kept touching it! And after securing the correct documents per the rules and spending precious money to get them, they don't need them after all. Oh shoot me and put me out of my misery.
Then we phone for our reservations and the spots are filled up, so now we are on a waiting list. Thank goodness we don't plan to go on holiday until September.
We want to go to Alaska but mainly want time away from home to ourselves. We have
friends going with us, so it should be fun.
I just think that floods, hubby and mother in the hospital, other family crisis has
just been to much for us. We will have to call it the year that was.