I spent the night in Sacramento in a way-too-expensive hotel at the last minute. I don't know what I thought would happen. It gets harder and harder to plan things these days, it seems. My main concern was finding a place with a decent-sized parking garage so my car would be safe. I've had the car for less than a day, and it would be just my luck for something ridiculous to happen.

I'm happy to report that so far, it's all good. I was able to meet up with my friend Janet and drive her around town before heading northbound. Is it ironic that the first passenger in my funeral-coach-come-conversion-limo is a gray-haired retiree? Not if she's alive, I guess. But the world is lucky she is! Driving Miss Janet was the breath of fresh air I needed before the steep, challenging roads in rainy Northern California.