DMV

I haven't had to physically visit the DMV to update my license in 20 years. I just send them a check every few years and they send me a new license. Not this time. A trip to the office was called for.

If you have to take yourself to them, I highly recommend the Davis office because

1. Davis is a cute little town and you can go there after your appointment and mess around.
2. Nobody else gets their DMV business taken care of there, so they aren't busy at all. It's a quick in and out. I waited only about 10 minutes.
3. It feels so much cleaner and less threatening than our Sacto DMV

I was really nervous about taking a test and whatever. This last time Alex had to renew they made him jump through hoops and I was sort of expecting the same. Not a bit of that. They took my money, made me take an eye test, thumb printed and photographed me, and sent me on my way. No written testing.

With the thought that I may be carrying this photo around in my purse for another 20 years I was ready. I had enough makeup on -- very carefully applied -- that I looked like somebody must be videotaping me. I wore an old but fairly flattering shirt (anything newer is probably a tee shirt). I blew dry my hair and used hairspray. I may even decide to figure a way to have that picture blown up for posterity.

After the DMV I did meet a friend at Peet's in Downtown Davis and we sat and talked for a couple of hours over cups of tea. Davis is a small town with lots of trees and great arboretum. It is flavored by all of the "ies" -- hippie, yuppie, preppie. They build tunnels for frogs to cross the street. It's sort of a smaller, cleaner Berkeley. I should go there more often, even if I don't need to go to DMV.