A Busy Day

So. For the first time I attended a Family Reunion by myself. 

Which is kinda weird to think about. Knowing that my parents, that my siblings couldn't go. That I would be the only one representing.

It actually wasn't as weird as I was thinking it would be.

Probably because I was with family, even if it was extended family. 

And I've always been a bit more social than my siblings. Probably thanks to all the years of customer service I've put in. But I also have just a fascination about finding out what people have been up to.

A craving for knowledge I suppose. Where I want to learn from others and have others learn from me.

Which yah, involves a lot of small talk. But it's nice to interact with cousins and aunts and uncles that I haven't seen in years. To find out what's going on and such

And like....I kinda wished I had more time with them.

As my Mom's side of the family...doesn't always end up being that talkative up front. Usually it's towards the end of the visit that they end up relaxing enough to open up and chat.

So I often feel like I didn't have enough time with them.

Especially today where I didn't interact with my cousins as much as I had last year. Because I needed to 'represent' my Mom/Dad in the family meeting that my Aunts/Uncles hold at the reunion every year. So I needed to participate in that instead.

Which that was interesting. Different. I halfway wished I could have been with my cousins instead lol.

But yah....

It was a busy day.

As last minute one of my Aunts had changed plans on us.

As we were planning to go see the Bar J. Wranglers yesterday. As it's their last year performing and I wanted to experience their chuck wagon dinner and mini country concert one more time. But my Aunt asked if it would be okay if we switched to seeing them today instead of yesterday.

Which I hadn't made any plans at all beyond wanting to go see the Bar J. So like...I was good with either Friday or Saturday and figured Saturday would be even better because that meant a little less driving for me on Friday since I'd already been on the road for a good 4ish hours driving up to the reunion. 

I hadn't thought much more about the switch in plans...until we arrived at the Bar J.

And discovered that my Aunt had gotten wind that President Dallin H. Oaks would be present for Saturday's concert and she'd managed to pull a few strings to have us sit right next to him. Apparently she'd known President Oak's first wife in school. So they spent a good amount of time chatting and such.

I did have a little bit of conversation with Him and his Wife. Sister Oaks loved my hair ^^;; lol and also seemed rather impressed that I was a manager at a pet store -she was totally in love with a large white dog that was also present with a different patron for the Bar J. - and she commiserated my loss of my mother. 

President Oaks was a good kind man. Lol he always had a smile on his face and didn't hesitate to smile and shake hands with the dozen or so people that ended up approaching him to say hi and talk to him for a few minutes.

Lol He ended up being surprised at how old I was. He'd thought I was only like 16 years old...and didn't believe that I'm nearly twice that age. XD lol. He'd been in conversation with my uncle and had thought my uncle was 20ish years younger than he actually was. Apparently my mom's side of the family has good genetics for looking young. XD lol. 

It was fun. I enjoyed seeing one of the Apostles being more...well...human. Laughing at the antics of the singers on the stage and chatting and such. 

It was great. A fun memory to hold onto. Especially because when he was leaving he leaned over and was like "Bye 16 year old." 

*shakes head* Guess I'm 16 agian. XD lol an Apostle has decreed it. 

In any case. It was a great concert....less great drive home though as I had the 'fun' time of driving an unfamiliar road in the dark for like an hour and a half to get back to my hotel.

By myself.

Joy. 

Overall it wasn't a bad trip. It's easy to not freak out when you can't see that you're driving along the cliffside of a raging river through a winding canyon lol. 

But...like 10 minutes out from my hotel....I ended up passing a police car. 

Didn't think much of it. I saw the car on the side of the road before I passed it and made sure that I was driving the speed limit as I passed and continued on my merry way.

Only to notice a little bit later? Like maybe 3 or 4 minutes?

That there were these flashing lights a good mile down the road behind me.

I didn't think much of it beyond "Okay, I'll be a good driver and pull over to the side and let the police person pass by."

Even though they were still a good distance behind me. I pulled over to the side so they could pass and get to wherever they needed to get to.

.....

So it was kinda a shock that the police officer pulled up right behind me. 

*exhales* 

Lucky me. I wasn't being pulled over for speeding. 

Nope.

I was being pulled over -which yay me for figuring out I was being pulled over?? *shakes head* Or I guess yay me for being good and pulling over before the officer had to chase me down- in any case. I was being pulled over because my 'Tail lights were out."

Which. Huh? 

Because I had had no idea they were out. I mean my headlights were working just fine. So I had assumed the taillights were the same.

-I'd borrowed my Dad's car for my little road trip. So I'm not as familiar with all the ins and outs and quirks of said car. I only know that it goes fast and that I don't have to worry about it giving out like my poor little 20 year old tracker might. lol. As my car hasn't traveled further than like...Moab in a good decade. 

In any case.

I had the fun task of trying to a) find my license as I'd just gotten it renewed and so I had to find the paper one I'd stuck in my wallet to which the officer was like "What is this?" and I was like "I just got my license renewed as my old one expires on Monday so I haven't got my new one yet."

and b) The car insurance.

Which I found the one in my wallet....from 2015...for my car. Not my dad's car. *face palm* Go figure. I hadn't actually realized until after this entire encounter that I wouldn't have the insurance information for my Dad's car on me. Though 'lucky' me he does keep said information in the car.

Where in the car though? No idea. I mean this was happening at like 11:30pm at night. I had no idea how to work the interior lights in my Dad's car so I was doing a lot of things by phone light or by the officer's flash light.

I did manage to find my car insurance for my car again in my wallet...for 2019 which begs the question of...where is my 2020 insurance card? Where is my 2021 insurance card for my car? *shakes head* Need to track that down once my Dad is back in town as it would be with him....

In any case.

Could never find the car insurance.

But I did find c) the Vehicle Registration in the glove box of my dad's car. So yay for having 2 of the 3 things. 

I ended up having to call Daddoo though to find it. Which yay for him getting a 1am phone call since he's in a different time zone currently. *shakes head*

But yah. Discovered that apparently the taillights for my Dad's car don't automatically turn on when it gets dark.

Which that...is a completely stupid quirk to have. 

No you have to turn this dial on the lights level to turn on the tail lights. But you can't keep that dial turned to 'auto' noooo the car doesn't want them 'always on' so if you turn off the car you have to 'turn off the lights' or the car will throw a fit.

So completely stupid.

In any case.

When the officer returned with my license I told her that I'd figured out the tail lights and they should be working now.

And she was like "Are your feet on the brakes at all?" 

"Nope!" I lifted my feet to prove it.

So she said "Okay, let me go look and see." And so she looked to make sure that the tail lights were working.

They were.

So she was like "Okay! You're good to go!"

So yay. I managed to avoid getting a ticket or a warning or anything. *sigh of relief* 

I think she may have been just looking out for me? Maybe? Make sure that my lights worked?

Or maybe the officer was just bored. In any case. I made it home to the hotel without any further issue.

So yay.

*shakes head*

Such an adventurous day I've had.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi