I wasn't going to believe the word of a cop writing a ticket on Labor Day weekend ("If I tell her that my system does show she renewed, it's going to mean 'no ticket' and 'lots more paperwork', so I'll just say there no record of it being renewed.") without independent confirmation, especially considering that it was contrary to our own memories.
Human memory is, however, fallible.
Anyway, so we went to the DMV and were told it hadn't been renewed, so we got a new sticker for the license plate (having to pay an extra $20 for being late) and walked out of there shaking our heads in disbelief that she could go six months (not to mention be involved in a motor vehicle collision!) without any cop citing her for expired plates, or even mentioning it to her.
Getting the new sticker wasn't a problem, though the government bureaucrat was put out at having to do a search for the license plate number. I brought the title with me, but forgot that part; and she never even looked at it. Paid the freight and hied ourselves outward. I didn't think it was going to be a major problem (especially as Illinois has decided it would not mail out reminders) and I was right. So the car's legal and Mrs. Fungus is a lot happier than she was when she got home Monday night. I'm also happy because it means I don't have to worry about scrambling to find paperwork.
...so once we were home I set out to cut the grass. Finally. I should have done it last week, but neglected it, and I paid for it today, believe me. And I was half eaten alive by mosquitos in the process. But it's done, and we won't be cited by the code enforcement dick for having uncut grass. Go, me.