Is it September Already?

What happened to summer?

Summer passed quickly.  Here it is Labor Day Weekend already! We didn't take a vacation trip, mainly because (a) my food allergies take away much of the fun and (b) a bone spur on my right foot robbed me of my ability to walk without pain. Fortunately for Frank, he took a trip out west a few months back and visited his sister.

Well, it's Friday and I'm using the Willy Nilly Friday format to post 5 different images.  This way I can follow up on a few things and also link up to some blog hops.

1. A scene in Shenandoah County right after a shower. We are expecting some rain this weekend as Hurricane Hermine passes to the east.

Skywatch Friday and Late Summer - My Town Shootout

2. Someone stole this sign from our community entrance. Would you believe they also stole the American Flag from the flagpole?!

Orange You Glad It's Friday?

3. PhotoFriday has the theme "Mirrors" today. 

4. Yesterday I posted a picture of the library in Strasburg. Here is the library in nearby Woodstock, Virginia. It is also in a 2-story white house. Shenandoah County does have a couple of libraries in modern buildings: the main branch in Edinburg and an even newer branch in New Market.

5. When I was involved in a traffic accident a couple of weeks ago, everyone who stopped was kind and helpful. As we see here, Front Royal's finest got to work immediately clearing glass off the street. The officer who wrote me a ticket seemed  nice and explained that I could pay it without going to court. I wasn't surprised by the "Failure to Yield" charge because in Virginia you must yield when you are turning left. So I was held responsible even though the other vehicle was speeding and was hidden by a hill. 

But when I tried to pay the ticket online, I wasn't able to find a link for payment. I went to the courthouse to pay in person and the clerk told me that I couldn't pay ahead because it was "reckless driving!" What? That's not what the officer told me!

I went home and researched the charge by the code number. He had used the code for a different "Failure to Yield" charge, one that involved turning onto a highway from a side street. I printed out the definitions from the state code and nervously took them to traffic court. I did not want "reckless driving" on my record because it can cause future problems and will make insurance costs go up.

When the judge asked how I wanted to plead, I said "Not guilty" and he started to set a trial date. I quickly explained that the code used was incorrect. The county prosecutor and the policeman looked it up and agreed with me! They corrected the charge to one that was just a traffic infraction and not reckless driving. I agreed to that and paid a fine, much relieved.

The moral is: always check your receipt and make sure you're not overcharged! :-)