Well, it really all started a few weeks ago when I received a notice in the mail that my car registration was due in Oct. In order to do that online I needed to get the annual car inspection. That was due in May, so I coasted into the local garage to get that done---only four months late. Pretty good, and no policeman had stopped me for a warning on that. So the registration was taken care of. (O.K. Sentences shouldn't end with a preposition; however, we are friends here and just chatting. Don't be so critical!)
My driver's license was also due to expire in Oct. It's tied to one's birthday in this state (Hint.) However, no notice had come in the mail as it did last time, four years ago. I called the DMV in Baton Rouge and asked about it because I couldn't renew online as I had done before without their special invitation. Rita said those are sent out randomly (I doubt that), and I would have to go to the local DMV to renew. That makes sense in that eye sight and appearance both change over a period of eight years, but "random" ?---I think not.
After careful wardrobe choice, applying makeup, and doing whatever else it took to make me look like a rational human being I sallied forth to the dreaded DMV in Shreveport. I say "dreaded" because it is (1) way far away from where I live, (2) it's tucked into so many street curves with so many obstructive signs/trees that to get there or away from there without an accident is a test of one's driving skills that far supersedes whatever test they might administer. The other scary thing is that the parking lot which probably holds about 250 parking slots has so many cars on it with crunched fenders, major dents, and taped in windows that it frightens one even to park there. You know what I mean?
But arrive I did. After telling the receptionist why I was there I received my ticket.
Note that it says "Express". That apparently means that it only takes one hour because that is how long it took me. Fortunately, I remembered to take a book (and it's great, but that's another blog). There were at least 100 people waiting to be served, and probably 175 chairs. All the vacant ones were well into the middle of the rows. I finally decided where I wanted to climb over and sit elbow to elbow with my neighbors. Actually it all went pretty well, and here's the grand prize part of the story. Baton Rouge had told me the fee would be $24.50 for the license. Apparently there is a senior discount because I was only charged $12.50. Of course, I did not question that---just took the money and ran. Also the new picture on the DL is a little better than the last one, so that was a plus as well.
Since I was suddenly a little wealthier than I expected to be with my $12 saving I decided to treat myself to lunch (I rarely eat out) and started looking for the Chinese restaurant where Goo and I have eaten a few times in the past and always enjoyed it immensely. I knew if I could find the SAS store the restaurant would be across the street. It took one wrong turn and then a correct turn to get there. I had a wonderful lunch of hot & spicy chicken & shrimp which didn't seem that hot & spicy until my nose started to run. Decided not to complain. Also I brought home 1/2 to 2/3 of it to have tomorrow. YEA! (I love twofers.)
While at the restaurant I mapped out the route I would follow to hit the three estate sales I wanted to see. The first one turned out to be a real boon. I have been buying items to help the orchid society with its fund raiser at the Boutique de Noel in November. We will be selling arrangements which contain live blooming plants (not cut flowers) at big $ prices. At least, that's our goal. Our last direction from the chairman was that our table had to be "Christmasy." At the first sale I attended I found this terrific deer (I just need to give him new eyes). He takes up much less space than an Xmas tree and doesn't obstruct views of arrangements. What do you think?
Well, there's more to this story of the sale, but I can't go on forever---or can I?
Stopped at one of the other sales on the way home and spent a dollar for some trims for the arrangements we are planning, and blew off the third sale.
Put my feet up and called Goo. We only chatted a few minutes when she had to get back to work. I sometimes forget about how that work ethic works. However, there was one more sale to go to that comes each year.
MY CITY LOVES TO READ
The Centenary Book Sale comes the weekend after Labor Day each year and benefits Centenary College student projects. (Centenary's campus is a mile or less from my house.) The books are donated by the community, and this year over 70,000 books were donated. People line up before the opening of the sale on late Friday afternoon. It continues on Saturday, and throughout the sale more books are brought in; so you never have the feeling you missed the best stuff because more stuff arrives every few minutes. There is so much that they can't divide the wheat from the chaff, so one has a fairly good shot whenever you go. And Saturday afternoon everything goes to half price.
The sale is held in the Gold Dome.
I didn't meander over there until about an hour after it had opened, but people were parked for blocks in all directions. I began to think that I should have just walked there.
After making my purchases (10 books for $9.25) I managed to find a way to show you some of the crowd that shows up for this event, and many of them may show up again on Sat. to buy more. I might too, in the afternoon.
Sorry, that's blurry.
Even at the dirt low prices Centenary alums raise a lot of money. It's a win-win situation. And that's a good way to end this post---a day full of adventures.
