I got a good night sleep.  I was rested.  I felt good.  I made the mistake of not checking the weather report though.  I ran my errands that afternoon.  By noon, I knew that I had  overdressed for the day.  I wore my favorite floppy knit hat and black scarf.    It was about 65 degrees, beautiful day, it was 45 - 50 around the same time the day before.   I arrived at the early voting location at about 1:00 p.m.   I was absolutely shocked by the massive number of people who decided to exercise their civic duty at the same time that I did --- Okay, they were there before me. 

The early voting loction was a local community center.  Lucky me, someone who arrived earlier that morning was now leaving and I secured a parking spot, although it was kind of far from the building . . . oh well, opportunity for a little exercise.  I found it funny that I now think of these things (can I make it this far without problems?)  I am familiar with this venue and thought no big deal, it was only about 400 meters to the entrance.   When I got to the entrance, there were arrows pointing around the building.   No worries, I'm feeling good, it's getting hot though.  Another 200 meters, I round the building and run into the longest line I've ever seen that was NOT moving!  A sense of panic came over me . . . I look down at my grande latte -- I don't want to throw it out; then I remembered that my bladder has remitted from my recent MS relapse (actually my MS introduction) . . . and I no longer have the urgent need to go pee every hour.  I lose the hat and the scarf instead.   My legs are feeling heavy.  Why am I so tired?  The line is moving.

2:30 p.m.  I get to the voting entrance.  It's to the gym.  There's people lined up against the wall, sitting on the floor, the bleachers are full, and there's people around a table filling out forms.  What is this????  I'm handed a ticket and an "Official Absentee Voter Application" by a tall man in an orange vest.  I'm directed to the table.  Orange vest guy yells that the "Absentee Voter Application" does not mean you're voting "Absentee", that you are "Advance" voting.  Huh???? A woman wearing a black cowboy hat taps me on the shoulder and asks if I knew what was going on.  Her exact words "hey, 'scuse me, do you know what's happening here?" My response: "I have no idea".  Just then a woman's voice came over  a loudspeaker (or bullhorn -- I couldn't tell) 518 through 521.  Ohhhh, I get it we have tickets . . .like "now serving" tickets.  I look at my ticket . . . 628.  It's hot in there, I'm hungry and I'm tired.  (It did not occur to me that the Latte contributed to my elevated temperture.) I'm really, really tired and really hungry.  I overhear orange vest dude tell cowboy hat woman that it would take about two hours from this point.  I live ten minutes away, I have a half a Johnny's Italian Special Calzone in the fridge.  I can go home, heat up the calzone (in the oven, not the microwave), eat it, enjoy it, and be back before my number is called.  I bolt.