Life Goes On - 11/26 - Got Gas?

While I was at the dentist (yes, again) this morning getting the prep for a crown done I left a note of to-do's for my mother so we could go shopping and run errands after I got back. She got them done.

A little more than an hour after they started the dentist and his assistant were done with me (whew) and a temporary crown was put in place. Since I was in the vicinity made my weekly stop at the post office to pick up my mail and then across the street for a quick stop at the grocery store for sale items on my list. Then, back home and unload the car. With that done there was still some 'prep' Mom & I needed to do before those errands. So, bills were paid (an interesting process steering my mother through hers) and envelopes stamped, then other paperwork filled out and finally we're off.

Bing-bing-bing-bing. Yup, car has been reminding me the last 50 miles it needs gas. Fortunately it starts about 100 miles before it's empty and while a tank fill up was on my errand agenda it was to be our last stop at Sam's Club. That ol' bing-bing-bing-bing thing doesn't bother me but the first 5 or 6 times it went off Mom would ask "what's that?" until I guess the answer finally sunk in. Today's errands?
1) drop off the state form for annual medical renewal of Mom's driver license at her Dr office for him to fill out and fax.
bing-bing-bing-bing
2) mom says she's hungry so drive-thru nearby Sonic for burger and drink. Bonus! Their cheeseburgers are on sale today, and it's also Happy Hour for half-price drinks.
bing-bing-bing-bing
3) mail bills and letters at nearby post office.
bing-bing-bing-bing
4) back track and drop off payment for fall aerate at company that does my lawn fertilization & aeration. Owner is there and chat for a few moments, but mom is in the car...
bing-bing-bing-bing
5) stop at insurance company office and make payment for mom's car. Pick up 2014 calendar and that keeps her happy looking through it as we continue.
bing-bing-bing-bing
6) to credit union and ATM to get cash supply for mom. Oh, and there's $20 (twenty, two-zero) dividend check she wants cashed too, so...
bing-bing-bing-bing
7) circle around for drive-thru to cash check. Uh, no. Apparently this type of check cannot be cashed in drive-thru and must be done in person inside. Drive around again and park then go inside and WE wait, and wait. Pick up another 2014 calendar for Mom and she looks through it as we wait. Finally we get called up to teller window--it's a trainee. Yada, yada, yada. Here's the weird part: I've never had a problem with these checks before...and then I realize every other time I've just deposited them into mom's account at the drive thru. Note to self: always deposit, don't cash these things.
bing-bing-bing-bing
8) logical next stop is Sam's Club for items mom needs--and gas for car, BUT...it's getting late and we need to get to country treasurer office, before it closes, to pay property taxes on land Mom owns. It's about 15 miles round trip out of the way. Fortunately Mom is enjoying looking through the calendars and since there is no waiting I get in and out of there quickly.
bing-bing-bing-bing
9) heading toward freeway to get back to Sam's and as I make the left turn at the light...there is little or no input from gas pedal to engine! Oops, I've pushed my luck too far. Today my guardian angel is
on duty because the road I've turned on is downhill for about a block and one more block away is a gas station. That road slope is enough to put a bit more gas into engine and I do make it to a pump. Price is more than Sam's gas but lucky for the car since it will get some Techron instead of the cheap stuff! How out of gas was I? Put 17.805 gallons in my 17 gallon tank.
Okay, crisis averted and back to the errands.
10) head back to Sam's but it's rush hour and the freeway I was going to get on is notorious for being jammed up so it's a leisurely tour of the back roads to Sam's. At least no more bing-bing-bing-bing. The main reason for coming here? Mom is out of Diet Coke. Guess what? So is Sam's Club! Oh well, other items are purchased and just before dark we get home and unload the car.

Life Goes On.
And the gas tank is full.



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