Shout out for the Passport Office

I needed a new passport because mine had expired.

Looking at that sentence again and examining it for tightness and precision - as writers should - I wonder whether "mine expired" would improve it or if it would change its meaning. My original is passive - the passport was not responsible for its actions - whereas "the passport expired" could suggest the pages, much yellowed after years of use, simply refused to live any longer.

Anyway I digress.

The original expiry was in August but the Passport Office was in lockdown with reduced staffing and were discouraging renewal applications from those with no urgent need to travel such as me so I left it then made a renewal application on 9th April had to send the existing passport to them plus a different photo because the one I took on my phone you've no idea how hard it is to find a plain background with just the right amount and balance of light in your house wasn't sufficient then sent a new photo and finally received the new passport this morning.

I thought that I'd had enough of tightness and that a bit of stream of consciousness wouldn't go amiss in that sentence. James Joyce I'm not. Obviously.

The new passport is apparently blue, although you'd be forgiven thinking black, so dark is the hue. I was perhaps hoping for royal blue, which is such a nice colour, but at least it's no longer EU Burgundy. Hooray!

I'm the first to harangue organisations for poor service but good job Passport Office for a swift turnaround. 👍