Just in time delivery

Back in what feels like the Dark Ages, but was actually just November, I realised that 3 members of the family required some new passports from either Australia or UK, or both. That added up to a total of 5 new passports.
After a mammoth session of form fill, photo taking and witness signing, the forms were despatched. Four of the passports arrived back before Christmas and I was content that the fifth was simply stuck in the holiday post. By the 4th of January, I was getting a little twitchy, so I called up the UK passports in Liverpool.
Apparently, they had sent an email requesting info, but as can be the case, there was no record of it at my end. I scurried around, got the info, and was told not to hold my breath for a swift delivery off said passport.
After a moment of panic, for we are travelling on part 2 of the holiday on 13 Jan, I worked out a contingency plan to make more use of our Aussie passports. All good.

Then the calls from the courier company began - the passport was in Melbourne and they would deliver it on Monday 15 Jan. Hope began to flicker within me .... if I collect it, could I have it sooner?

Sure, they said.

So here I am, with precious new passport by my side, beginning the long and slow drive home on a wet Friday evening, just in time to join thousands of other folk leaving the city for their dinner and weekend.
Officially, this journey should take 40 mins, but it was certainly 90mins before I got home.
But ... all the same ...phew! A just in time delivery indeed!