My husband is learning that there is no escape from Star Wars fans.

We took a weekend trip to visit some friends at their lake cottage and then some other friends for a 40th birthday party. The trip involved driving 4.5 hours away from home and making a big circle ending up 2 hours drive from home. Due to my husband's business travel, we spent Friday night about 2.5 hours from home. I would be well away from my computer and all my cyber friends pulling me deeper into the Star Wars community (you know who you are).

Saturday morning, we went out to get breakfast at a local IHOP (International House of Pancakes) that was basically in the hotel parking lot. We ordered food for ourselves and the younglings. While we were waiting for our food, I couldn't help but notice all these guys sitting at a table and talking Star Wars.

I pretended not to listen to them for the better part of our meal. I started to loose some of my composure when two guys walked in, one wearing a 501st clone trooper shirt.

By the time our meals were finished, I had to go talk to these guys. My husband just shook his head at me.

Anyway, the two late arrivals are 501st legion members from the middle of the state. Chances are good that I have a picture of me with one of them in their sand trooper uniform; I'll have to email them my pictures and find out (you can see the pictures here, the guy in the last picture is my brother).

I had a great time talking to them about collecting, too. We were all lamenting the lack of Scorch figures, and I'm pretty sure one of them said "I'm about ready to give up on Hasbro with their production of figures."

The kicker for my morning was when sand trooper told me that he could hook me up with a guy that makes clone trooper armor, for a much more reasonable price than I would have expected.

501st compliant clone trooper armor.

I would only have to build or buy a rifle, and customize the armor (I'm thinking 501st, but Utapau might work, too).

I'd be a regular trooper, customizing is too expensive for a mom looking down the road at college tuition for three or four younglings...

If you've been following me at all, you know I love the clone troopers, so now I am trying to figure out how I can justify this costuming purchase. I'm thinking Halloween for the rest of my life might cut it...

I'm almost the right height at 5'8". But, since I'm a woman, I'm worried that I'll just look dumpy in the armor - white is hardly flattering.

I'd be curious to hear what any 501st members think. I really do love what they do, and it would be a kick to go to CIV dressed as a clone trooper if nothing else...