splashing on

So here we are in Reno,Nevada...........took some time and effort, but some luck too as the weather seems to have turned to serious snow soon after we took flight [an hour delayed from Heathrow].
The aeroplane was the usual torture for 11 hours or several centuries,even tho we had splashed out on the seats for bigger bottoms. The Glorious Grandson was wonderful, hardly cried, did a lot of gracious sleeping in his "basinette" perched high on the bulk head in front of us.
I watched a daft film called sector 9 where aliens landed in Nigeria and were herded into "camps" whe after naughtiness ensued, quite a fun if very gory allegory for illegal immigrants/apartheid.
The stewards were reactive, if not proactive, but their rictus smiles could have curdled milk by the end of the trip, very reminiscent of Stepford Wives on speed.
Exhausted we splashed out yet again on a cab from the airport, only to be informed by the driver that we would get fined $5000 if stopped by the cops as GG was not in a baby-carseat. obviously he didn't tell us this until we were on the Freeway [the guy organising the cabs had said we were Ok in a cab, as we had been in England] SO A VERY FURTIVE APPROACH TO THE Bay.......WHOOPS, PTSS I guess.
No 1-and-only son let us take him out to dinner that evening, and explained some of my and his sisters shortcomings out of the kindness of his heart. He had just had his weekly therapy session so was especially contained of the Truth.
Rented car next morning, got lost in the one way system but eventually got GG and mater out of the city and onto highway 80......where we got pulled over by the cops!
Where was that voice coming from, did someones car radio make that much noise, no it was those flashing lights behind us and a cop getting restive that we weren't taking the next exit.
we finally pulled onto the shoulder and he explained that we were driving 10 miles over the speed limit [it is 65] of course we patiently explained we were English and couldn't be expected to understand. He took one look at RP's paper driving certificate obviously RP would resist up-dating to a card] and waved us on with worries about our continued survival. We were trying to look very unthreatening]
So here we are.
Father of GG is holed up in the other house till Daughter admits her fault, she refuses to readmit him to the human race till he admits his.
This is distressing, but at the same time it does bond us together in our enclave and RP doesn't have to maintain the peace.