I love Columbus, NE

The weather forecast was predicting half a foot or so of snow in Grand Island yesterday afternoon–and when I called one of my Grand Island facilities at 7 yesterday morning, the dietary manager said she had little for me to look at.

Not relishing the thought of getting stuck in Grand Island overnight, I elected to stay in Columbus and run some errands–and then work from home on some menu stuff (that I have a hard time doing in the office where there are interruptions galore.)

My first order of business was errands.

Errands. I don’t really relish them, but these ones were somewhat important.

I turn old next week, so it was time for me to get a new driver’s license–and probably time for my license to reflect my new dwelling place as well.

Furthermore, just over two years ago, my car (Jack) was rear-ended and I had to buy a new car (Luci). Which means that registration is due this month. And it’s probably about time that my license plates reflect my new dwelling place.

What’s more, Nebraska generally holds primary elections in May–and though I’m not quite sure whether we’ll have any of note this year, I make it a point to vote in every election. Except that my voter’s registration says that I live in Lincoln, which is definitely no longer the case. It’s time my voter’s registration reflected my new dwelling place.

Thankfully, all three errands could be completed in one place–the Platte County Courthouse.

I have to say that I was a bit leery of becoming an official “10 County” resident (mostly because 10 County drivers lack the get-up-and-go of Lincoln drivers)–but my experience at the Platte County Courthouse largely assuaged my fears.

It was there that I discovered that I love Columbus, NE.

Why do I love Columbus, NE?

First, because when I went to get my car registration taken care of, the lady at the desk assumed that I had specialty plates since my current license plates started with “RFS” instead of the ubiquitous number designating the county (Platte County is “10 County”, as mentioned above.)

I had to explain that no, those plates weren’t specialty plates. They were LANCASTER COUNTY plates. (The three largest counties in Nebraska–Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy–have enough people that they need the extra leeway allowed by the 26 letters over the 10 numbers, so they use a three letter/three number combo instead of the “County number-dash-four digit code” that the rest of the counties use.)

Then it came time for ME to get an education on getting a license plate in Platte County.

The gal at the desk asked me what I’d like as my leading letter.

“Leading letter?” I was thoroughly confused.

“How about ‘R’ for your first name, since we don’t have ‘M’?”

“Okay,” I responded, mystified.

It was then that she handed me a looseleaf notebook turned to a page with two columns of handwritten numbers.

R000
R001
R002
R003

“Pick your plates. If a number’s crossed out or has a name beside it, it’s not available.”

And so, while she entered my information into her computer system, I picked out my license plate number and wrote my name beside it.

10-R717

The lady checked what I’d written and marched off to get me my plates.

10-R717

Yes, I love Columbus, NE.

The rest of my errands weren’t quite as interesting (or unexpected)…except for my moment at the DMV where the attendant snapped a picture of me grinning my head off.

They don’t let you smile for Driver’s License photos in Lincoln. In Lincoln, they insist that you look sober.

I have to say…I love Columbus, NE.