Tuesday, July 20, 2010

0 DTE does not always mean empty...

We have a low fuel indicator light in the van. We also have a digital display that can tell me everything from the temperature to the direction to the miles per gallon I am consuming to the ultimate and always helpful DTE (Drive To Empty).

The other day I had an early morning doctor's appointment - you know the one where you can't wear deodorant or any other kind of fragrance or powder (all you 40 and older ladies - you know what I mean). You would think skipping that part of my morning routine would have saved me a few minutes - but it did not - sooooo of course I was running just a tad late when I jumped in the van and backed out of the driveway at which time I heard the annoying little "ping" which told me that my gas tank was low. The ping had actually alerted me the day before but - well - I forgot. So I quickly clicked to DTE to see how bad things really were - 26 miles DTE. That is PLENTY of gas to get to my destination so I ignored the nearest gas station and headed down the road. Things were fine - I was singing, the sun was shining, I had taken Ibuprofen in an attempt to dull the upcoming pain I would be subjected to - life was good. And then I looked at the DTE and it said 14 miles. How did that happen, I certainly had not driven 12 miles. Yes I was on the highway and yes I may have been going a bit above the optimal 60 mph but really 14 miles DTE. Well I was still feeling smug and confident, the world my oyster. I took the exit, I came to the stop light, I looked at the DTE - 9 - that readout read NINE MILES DRIVE TO EMPTY. At this rate things were starting to look a little bit more worrisome but I was late and although there were grocery stores, and bridal shops and mexican restaurants and other small businesses there was no gas station within a reasonable distance - and I was running late. So I continued on still wearing my rose colored glasses but feeling them becoming a little foggy. I hit EVERY stop light on the way to my destination. I finally reached the street I am aiming for and notice my DTE is now reading FOUR! Yes, I said 4, but in my determined, yet somewhat flawed thinking, I thought this is okay - four is okay - I mean really four miles is a long way. So I continued around the block and got in line for entrance into the parking ramp and that is when reality hit me like a car out of gas. My DTE is now reading TWO - TWO MILES DRIVE TO EMPTY. Two is not very far - two is within walking range two is not enough to wait in line, find a place to park, come back from my appointment, wait in line to pay and find a gas station. TWO WAS NOT ENOUGH. So I pulled out of the waiting line - hurried up the block thinking of the nearest gas station and I hit a red light and then I hit another red light and then I hit ANOTHER red light - and that is when it happened - ZERO DRIVE TO EMPTY. ZERO. That's run out of gas. That's stall in the middle of the intersection and feel like a fool. That's tears running down my face and anxiety making my hands shake. That's I have no gas can but thank goodness my cell phone is charged. THAT IS BAD. BUT as luck would have it I made it to the gas station without even a stuttering stall to make my heart pound in my throat. I calmly filled up, took a deep cleansing breath and felt the out of gas anxiety leave my body - of course I was still filled with the I'm late I'm late for a very important date anxiety and of course the let's smash your breasts anxiety but that out of gas anxiety - it was gone.

So the moral of the story - zero does not always mean empty - although it usually does and I would not recommend testing this theory with any type of frequency. Oh and right now my DTE...



It'll be a good morning.

TTFN...

Monday, July 5, 2010

Missed opportunities...

Okay I've tried to post this entry twice and twice I have wiped out it's existence (by accident) before hitting the publish button. Who knows what that is all about - it may be a missed opportunity but it wasn't the one I began talking about. That opportunity had to do with the assumption that today was a holiday and our kids would not have their normally scheduled activities to attend. WRONG.

We could have had a kid-free holiday to celebrate our anniversary (eighteen years and one day of wedded bliss. Think of it, the HotY, with me, a holiday every day culminating with that big day once a year where fireworks literally light the sky in celebration of our love. Did I mention bliss??? (sorry honey, I may have gotten a little carried away - I love you ;-)) Anyway, had we known we could have celebrated but we didn't know so we haven't celebrated - missed opportunity.


So back to reality - we had a nice 4th of July celebrating with my parents and sister and her family. Saturday was glorious with warmth and sunshine and swimming and grilling and firework watching and sitting under the stars while making glow stick jewelry. It was all good. Sunday was rainy but still a good day with family. Life is good.



Okay back to enjoy my holiday.


TTFN...