I got pulled over on Tuesday afternoon. I haven’t been pulled over in years. Was I speeding? Driving wrecklessly? No.

Expired inspection sticker.

I wish I could say it was only a little bit out of date, but I can’t. The cop nailed me because my inspection was six months over due. He was good about it, though. He explained that he was only going to issue a written warning because he doesn’t approve of how the insurance companies try to take advantage of a simple thing like that.

So the warning lets me off the hook for two days. In the past I always used to get my inspections done in Danvers/Peabody but that isn’t nearly as convenient now that I’m 30 minutes away from there. I think I found a place on McGrath Highway here in Cambridge that had a sign out saying they do inspections.

Last night I took the kids to the carnival that was in town. It was a pretty rinky-dink operation. Ben didn’t look very well from the outset — he was so green around the gills that he didn’t want to play any of the midway games. He seemed focused on the bumper cars. After a couple of kiddie rides that’s where we ended up. Afterwards he looked even worse and all he wanted to do was sit down close to a garbage can in case he heaved. After about 30 minutes he consented to let me call his mother to come get him. I stayed with the other three kids until about 7:30pm. They rode every ride available over and over. Chloe, especially was a mad-woman about the rides. Since it was a small travelling amusement park they had to focus mostly on spinny rides that go in circles.

This didn’t slow Chloe down, but after about 20 minutes Gabriel also began to feel ill. I kept taking Grace on kiddie-rides but even she was starting to loose interest — she would sit there in a car with her thumb in her mouth looking around blandly. I’ve got some photos I’ll post.

Overall they had a really good time.

While I was there I saw a local cop and decided to ask him for a recommendation of a garage who would do an inspection for me. He jovially suggested a couple and casually asked with a wide grin on his face how soon my sticker would expire.

I just smirked and laughed as I walked off and said that I couldn’t tell him that! He smiled back and encouraged me to get it taken care right away.

I think I better do that!

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