THE DREADED DMV

 A very good morning to everyone on this going-to-be-hot day.   It's 61 degrees and the coldest it's going to get.  We're in for a scorcher of 93 for the next three days.  It's hard to be thrilled about that when you're going to be cooking in a very hot kitchen for Mothers Day.  

The first thing on my menu was the California Department of Motor Vehicles.  Anyone who has ever lived here, knows the pain.  I finally have to renew my drivers license.

First off, you can no longer renew the registration for your vehicles here.  I thought that's what they were open for.  Not only that, but if you do not get an appointment, you may be waiting outside in the sun for two hours before even getting in the DOOR! 

AND ... you better be proficient with a computer, because you have to fill out an application ONLINE and make an appointment ONLINE.  When I made mine, the nearest one available was two months away.

Luckily, I already have the REAL ID.  For those that aren't familiar with that, if you do not have a gold star on your drivers license (a passport may suffice), you will not be allowed to get on an airplane anywhere in the U.S.  Not that I fly a lot any more, but I'm hoping to be spending more time in Hawaii at some point.  

Wouldn't you know, yesterday was the day the law went into effect, so there was a line all the way around the building waiting to get in.

So I walk up the sidewalk, tell the guard at the door I have an appointment, and I am allowed to enter the building with barely enough room to stand before getting whacked in the backside with the door.  The appointment line is so long, it's around the corner and out of sight.  

Let me just say there is ANOTHER line right beside me, of people with NO appointments, and we are all going to the SAME counter.  They take 3 appointment people, then 2 non-appointment people.  WHY BOTHER WITH AN APPOINTMENT?  And boy oh boy, you better NOT be late for that appointment.  The lady in front of me was 30 minutes late, and they literally added her to the last of the non-appointment line.  WOW!!!  I was oh so lucky that it was my exact time when I was called to the counter.

I got my number and went to sit down.  Thirty minutes later I was called in.  It took two minutes to say YES I do want that motorcycle endorsement cuz you never know, I may just need another Harley ... and another minute to pay the $48.00.  The eye test was a quick 3-liner.  Block your right eye she said, but I kept my fingers far enough apart to see.  PASSED IT!!!  That was it.  No passport needed, no paperwork, no nothing.  Go stand in THAT line.  

This is now my view, where I stood for another 15 minutes.  I might have taken a better picture, but I didn't want to get thrown out.  It's photo time for me.  You know they used to let you see it, and retake it if you wanted.  Now that's a no-no.  Click ... and I was headed out the door with only a piece of paper that says I paid.  Remind me to drive nice until I get it in the mail, 6 weeks from now.  

Total time in the hell-hole ... one hour and ten minutes.  No kidding, some of those people in there getting licenses were really scary.  I hope I don't meet them down a dark alley!!

Next stop ... The Mix.  It's a new bakery in town that produced those cupcakes I got at the fundraiser last week.  I knew most folks from the lodge were off at their little convention thing, so I thought to buy everyone else cupcakes.  I like to had a heart attack when they told me the price.  $45.00 for what you see right here.  I mean geez ... they are REALLY good, but who in this little farm town can afford THAT?

I paid the price since they were already IN the box, but I probably won't be gracing their doorway very often.  The lemon meringue is my favorite!!

Back home, I whipped up another quesadilla.  Add enough cheese and fry in lots of butter and you can't taste the old stale tortilla ... too much anyway.  

Later in the day, I headed out to the grocery store for Jonathan salad.  RATS ... I forgot the tortillas.  This is the most expensive store in the country, and here's why.  One quarter of the entire store was filled with orchids and flowers costing $30.00-$45.00 EACH.  I took this picture for Patty and Dan.  They grow their own orchids.  Yes I tried, with terrible results.  After those cupcakes, I couldn't afford one anyway.

I finally returned to the house quite hungry.  I think I'll cook up that bag of 12 cent chicken wings.  First off, 12 cents was WAY TOO MUCH for these awful, disgusting things they call wings.  These were the ice encrusted ones from Chicken something or other.  

I thawed them out, put a little avocado oil on them, with only salt and pepper seasoning.  Into the air fryer they went.  That first bite of old chicken fat and grass fed meat was as disgusting as could be.  Whoever thinks grass fed is better than grain fed, has never eaten grain fed.  YUP ... I threw them all out in the back yard for the foxes.  Even they have good taste, because the wings were all still laying there this morning.

Dinner was a small bag of Fritos.  Made even tastier by the terrible chicken.

Today is rest up and gear up for the four hour chop and hack session in the morning, getting ready for Sunday's cookfest for Mothers Day.  I may even need half a cupcake to renew my strength!!!  Who am I kidding ... I have NEVER eaten HALF a cupcake!!