Saved by Saltines

The weekend was super fun, as always.  The cruise event (another certificate for a free cruise) was loads of fun.   I met a really nice couple who invited me to sit with them - and she gave me her contact card so we can be in touch when we live up there.  I'm proud of myself for also going outside my comfort zone and trying to get to know people, make friends.  Sure, one dinner doesn't mean a life-long friend but when you meet people you feel comfortable with and they seem to feel the same, there's possibilities there and it's worth trying.  We want to be more social when we're retired in Nevada so...I'm working on it.

The drive home yesterday was awful - as in 7.25 hours to get home.  Bumper to bumper for most of the drive - I didn't mind the slowness in terms of feeling greatly safer going 5 miles an hour down the hill.  But it took me three hours from Reno to the Donner Summit which is only 40ish miles.  Average speed was 10-13ish mph that stretch.  Painfully slow.  If I'd known it was going to be that slow, I would have opted to stay another night - but sort of glad I didn't know and just kept going 'cuz I didn't want to miss work today. 

I was starving - had some leftover cheesecake from my Sunday night room service dinner as 'breakfast' - but nothing for lunch.  Luckily, before I left my room, I grabbed all the saltines that were on my room service tray.  I'd ordered clam chowder in a bread bowl and they included tons of saltines - so those were in my purse and I ate every one of them on the way down the hill.  And then of course was absolutely dying of thirst - but couldn't reach the waters I had (in the back seat in my backpack) and even if I could have reached them, I didn't want to drink anything because there was nowhere to stop.  Finally came upon a rest stop and watched someone head off to the rest area  - only to end up being confronted with a 10 foot high snow drift and a bulldozer trying to clear the on-ramp.  They just had to get back on the freeway - and that was hard 'cuz it was bumper to bumper.  Merging back into traffic took awhile, I'm sure - poor guy. 

Finally got moving (only slightly faster) - not sure where.  I thought I'd remember every minute detail of the torturous trip, but it's 24 hours past and I can't.  Not sure when we made it to Colfax but I stopped there.  The next town after is Auburn and I hoped most people would stop in Auburn where there are more eating places....but no.  I should have realized that just like me, there were some pretty desperate people by that point - needing restrooms, food, beverages.  The Colfax McDonald's probably did the same amount of business yesterday as they do in a week - it was absolutely mobbed with lines out the doors, including for the restroom.  Crazy. 

Got home just after 8PM and was in bed shortly after 9PM.  Super tired and slept pretty well. 

Today was a long work day full of the things work days are filled with, including meetings.  Lots of meetings. 

J. & H. just left for San Mateo - H. will be making his court appearance tomorrow to get the ball rolling on taking care of his legal issues.  We're hoping for a good outcome - he will be appointed a private defender (a private practice lawyer who is paid to represent people by San Mateo County) who will try to get him released ROR without needing to post bail.  Then a second court date will be set for him to appear and his private defender will work with the DA to figure out a plea deal.  That's what we hope for.  By this time tomorrow, we'll know a lot more about where he's headed and what is needed to get the legal stuff resolved and get him on the path of restoring his license and driving privileges - somewhere down the road - way down. 

So I'm home alone and that's usually great - but it's a long night ahead of hearing every little thing and worrying...and then dealing with all the pet stuff, etc. alone in the morning.  I'll have to set my alarm 30 minutes earlier just to be sure I have time to do all the things that J. usually does - and then I'll head out to the County Office for....an early morning meeting.