Wednesday, November 25, 2009

we're here!

We made it to Pennsylvania safely, arrived @ A.Susie + U.Joe's around 7pm (a bit later than expected, more on that later). Of course the Tom Sturgis (?) Pretzels were out and the Yuengling was chilled. We dined on italian sandwiches and Utz potato chips - yum!! A.Susie even has fall-colored non-pareils!
So...our departure was delayed 2 1/2 hours from 1pm to 3:30pm - no biggie except that now had us arriving in Philadelphia right at rush hour. We pick up our rental car (a Kia Forte - blech!), check out with the gate attendant and head on our way. Traffic is bumper to bumper and slow moving. We exit from one interstate to another and suddenly there are PA State Trooper lights in the rear view mirror. My first thought was great there's a wreck ahead, that's going to make us sit in traffic even LONGER. Well apparently officer friendly had a light on his dash that he used to signal Pete (the driver) to pull over - at which point Pete realizes the headlights aren't on!!! So we wait for the officer, explain that we're driving a rental car, that we just landed in Philly and that we didn't know the lights weren't on (the lights on the dash WERE on and there was so much traffic that we honestly couldn't tell) - I drive with my lights on in the daytime, people! So he says okay, takes Pete's license and our rental agreement and goes back to his car. Have I mentioned that it's raining?!?! and rush hour!?!? We assumed he was just checking Pete's license to make sure there weren't any warrants and he'd send us on our merry way with a "Happy Thanksgiving!" Did that happen?!?! Of course not - he gave us a citation for driving without our headlights on after dark. oh well - live and learn - don't rent a KIA (sorry, em)
We're here now and dinner was great with just the four of us - tomorrow there will be 38 for dinner!!