Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Adventures in driving....

I am finally feeling half-way human after being sick since Saturday, so I decided today would be a good day to run and get the plates and tabs for the Aerostar (my van). I got the title in the mail late last week and today seemed like a perfect day to go do it. I mapquested my way to the nearest US Bank, so I could get cash to pay for it (I figured $100 would cover it), and followed the directions to get there.... Hmmmmm, no bank visible where I thought it might be! I did, however, see a Schnuck's grocery store, and I remembered being told some of them have branch offices in them, so I turned around and drove back to the store. Sure enough, that was where the bank was--an itty bitty sign on the front of the entrance told me I was in the right place. Got money: check. Next I checked my handy dandy map to find the Department of Motor Vehicles. I missed the street I was looking for, but knew E. Main was coming up, and Spike and I had used that to get there before, so I followed E. Main. Only to discover I could have stayed on the road I had been on and it would have been more direct to get there. Once at the DMV I pulled out all my paperwork, was pleased to see that the line was exceedingly short compared to the past 2 times I have been there, and I presented my paperwork to the woman at the desk. She told me I was still missing a vital piece of paper, without which they couldn't process the title transfer to IL or give me valid plates and tabs... My duplicate title stated I still had a lien on the vehicle from when I bought it and I needed proof the lien had been released! Oh, and it would cost $143 for the priviledge of having my van in IL. GRRRrrrrr! I didn't know the lien was still listed on the title, nor do I know off the top of my head where the lien release/paid statement is from when I paid the van off--it's in one of my files "somewhere"... So I called UAC when I got home and they will mail me a copy of the lien release. Maybe next week I can get the plates and tabs. I can only wonder what else they are gonna need from me: A note from my Mother maybe???

After being frustrated over this, I decided to go a yarn shop I found listed in the yellow pages that was near by. I again consulted my handy map, drove carefully around, and found that the yarn shop is in a private home. There was a sign for 2 businesses in the yard, but I elected not to go in without calling first (I believe this is the shop that has knitting machines in it) because there were no business hours listed. Really, I was looking for 2 things. Some yarn to make a baby sweater out of for my 1 year old granddaughter, and a pattern to make a sweater for her big brother. Plan B became my next option, and I headed to Barnes and Nobles bookstore. I needed to buy a Bible for Bingo as he starts confirmation classes tonight, and I thought I could look for a pattern there amongst the magazines or books. Found the Bible easily, but no luck with patterns... On to plan C: going to Michael's... Got on and off the freeway (I was now in familiar territory!) and browsed at Micheals for about a 20 mins. I got some pretty yarn for the baby's sweater ($6.00 worth to make a handmade sweater), but no luck finding a pattern I liked for my little man. I guess that will have to wait until I can either get to a real yarn shop, OR I find where my knitting pattern books are packed and I pick something out of there.

Frustrated again, I made my way home. I am pleased to say that I didn't get too terribly lost, although I overshot my stops/turns twice and had to double back, and, I feel like I have a little better a handle on where exactly I am in relation to other parts of the community. I guess it has been a productive day after all.

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