I’m on my way to a writer’s conference, and I’m hoping the second day of my trip is less blood pressure-raising than the first.
I got a later start today because I realized my car tags run out tomorrow and I hadn’t gotten the stupid registration notice in the mail from the county clerk’s office. Grrr. I’m always good about going early and getting that taken care of, but I’ve been so busy that I didn’t realize I’d not received the notice in the mail until my husband said something — last Friday after I couldn’t do anything about it until today, the first day of business after the holiday weekend. So I hoofed it over to emissions this morning, sat in line for 25-30 minutes only to find out my car failed! Thus, I couldn’t get new tags, and was thinking I’d have to cancel my trip or risk being pulled over with expired tags or endure the not-needed expense of renting a car. Found out I could get a temp tag that’s good until June 28. That way I can take this trip and have time to get my car worked on when I get home. Ugh, I hope it’s nothing super expensive. The emissions guy said it could be something really simple, could even have been because I’d been idling in line for so long. Grrr, I wouldn’t have had to wait in line so long if I’d gotten the renewal notice when I should have. Anyway, had to wait in line 35 minutes to get my temp tag, rummage through my trunk hoping I had a screwdriver to take off the now-useless plate, found a flathead but managed to get the Phillips screws out of the plate and put the temp tag in the back window. I’m sure I was quite a sight in the parking lot of the police precinct (where the satellite clerk’s office is located), hauling my luggage out of my trunk and rummaging in the assorted trunk “supplies” for a screwdriver.
About 2.5 hours later, I arrive to pick up my Mom for a quickie trip through two counties for the annual tour of cemeteries to put flowers on the graves of various family members. Only, it comes a huge storm and we either have to 1) dash through the rain and virtually toss the flowers on the graves to avoid being struck by lightning or 2) sit in the car until said storm passes. We did a little of both.
After dropping Mom off at her house, I wind my way along country roads back to the interstate. I’m already a wee bit tired. Wonder why. Anyway, I head north, leave the state where my parents live and finally encounter sunshine in the next state north! But the tale does have a happy ending — I had enough points with a certain hotel chain for a free night’s stay, and I enjoyed some quesadillas from the Applebee’s conveniently located across the street. 
As has been said many times before, tomorrow is another day. And, after all, I really am glad I wasn’t struck by lightning.
May 31st, 2006 at 3:55 am
Arghhh, Trish!! I’m glad you got the free nights’ stay, but I bet you’d have gladly paid for it if you could have had a smoother trip!
I didn’t realize you were going to be so close–Wisconsin is just across the big lake from Michigan! We can wave to each other!!
May 31st, 2006 at 8:41 pm
Waving from Wisconsin!
May 31st, 2006 at 9:41 pm
Hey, my sister’s in Wisconsin RIGHT NOW at a job interview. But she’s going to drive back through Chicago and Indiana. She says it’s a lot more scenic than Illinois.
June 1st, 2006 at 9:37 pm
I thought she was leaving Wisconsin. And she’s right about some parts of Illinois, but that NW corner was really pretty.