You're not the only one making sloppy mistakes.

Last night, Jeff ran out of gas. And it was my fault! I'd been driving around on E for awhile, then put the van in to be serviced. (Didn't put gas in the car before the appointment, because why tie up my money in gas when I wouldn't even be able to drive the van for a whole day nearly! Jeesh! Obviously!)

Then Jeff picked up the van and promptly ran out of gas on the way home. (He was who was on the other line when I was on the phone with you, eldest sister.) D'oh! So I had to pack up the kids, throw us all into Jeff's car (the car I'd been using while mine was in the shop) and head out into a very foggy dark night to the rescue.

Getting a gas can and putting gas into it went very smoothly. But then I went around town, in attempt to be able to pull over to the correct side of the highway. Wasting precious minutes. I should've gotten on the highway, then just reversed direction at the exit past where Jeff was. Instead I meandered through Milford and didn't seek out the highway until after I "knew" I passed where Jeff was. Stoopid.

Anyway. Luckily, a cop had stopped by where Jeff was stranded and put a flare behind the van, so that, with the hazards, helped him to be seen by the cars rushing past. (When I talked to Jeff to let him know we were on the way, I heard NPR on the radio and would be willing to bet Jeff had been surfing the internet on his phone before I called. So he wasn't exactly shivering roadside while waiting for me.)

At one point, Maggie admitted that she was scared as we waited for Jeff to get the van running again. This gave me a chance to remember all the times I'd been a kid whose car had been broken down on the highway. I recalled that happening with mom and dad numerous times, once with Nigel, etc. I even told the story about you, Dian, and how you didn't show up and didn't show up, and then finally, showed up. Drenched by the rain, you had to walk all the way home from where your car broke down on 405 -remember?

"This was in the days before cell phones, you see..." I said. Henry was all, "WHOA." sort of funny.