New York likes to keep us safe, and they like to tax the living heck out of us too. We have to get our vehicles inspected every year, and who knew that campers also had to have a yearly inspection? shh, not me. I thought maybe big huge-0 ones, but not teeny ones like ours.
I did know they need to be registered, then re-registered yearly, for a fee of course. Of course it wasn't as simple as doing it online, Paul and I both tried and got an error message. Our county DMV has moved out of the city (the building had a calamity during a storm, then asbestos was discovered)...over to near the county jail, on a nice country road. There is plenty of parking, no parallel parking or parking meters to deal with. It's a temporary set up, but oh my goodness, are they efficient! They are so nice too, no Patty and Selma here!
All I had to do was give them the license plate number, my driver's license, and of course the good old credit card, and in less than half hour, I was walking out with registration that lasts for the rest of the year, and a ten day temporary inspection, for the bargain price of thirty two dollars! (I did contact our mechanic down the road, and he can inspect it for us before our next camping trip, which isn't until August). So we're all legal.
Oh, and I saw a random act of kindness: in NY state, when you turn in your vehicle's license plates, you have to pay one dollar. A guy turned in his plates, and handed the nice lady his credit card. Oh no, she said, cash only. Well, he said, I'll have to come back, I don't have a dollar...he walked out, and a nice man ran after him...then came back in, then the guy returned with the dollar in his hand...and returned his plates. He didn't have to make a whole 'nother trip, because a stranger gave him a dollar. It made us all happy.
I was all by myself, and nothing on the agenda, so I went into the city, and to the thrift store. I browsed and meandered, bought two books, a toy cash register (kids love them!), and two baby outfits.
Then to Aldi for chicken, fresh mozzarella, nuts, lime juice, thick sliced peppered bacon for camping (mmm!), cherries, salad mix, and one lovely blue gingham tablecloth that I didn't even know I needed! Oh, and a lovely potted begonia. I did behave though, I wanted these hanging solar lanterns, but I didn't need them.
Then, I went into Marshall's, because why not? I found a little Father's Day gift for Paul, two outfits for Evelyn's baby shower, some rooibos chai tea for the girls, and that's about it.
So the bridge on the main road here that leads to the small city is being replaced. This means all traffic has to detour to either a small rickety one-lane bridge over the river, or go a bit farther and go over a different bridge. I choose rickety. Well. On the way home, there was a big box truck, a Home Depot delivery truck, in front of me. It stopped as it entered the bridge, and one of the guys got out and looked up, must have figured it would fit, and over it went...I was behind it, in the little red car (my car is having some issues), and that truck stopped again at the other end, and I was almost pooping my pants, picturing myself backing up over that entire bridge. It's wiggly wobbly driving on it, and this car was my mil's car, it has no back up cameras, and I am a TERRIBLE backer-upper. Thankfully the truck fit the exit part of the bridge too, phew.
Home....ahh, home. I put some things in the camper, then into the house with a comforter that was left in the camper, to put it in the wash. I started that load, put things away, and here I sit in my comfy chair. It was a good day so far.
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