How I spent my Mardi Gras vacation

I had originally planned to go see my daughter in Sarasota on Friday and come back Wednesday, but I also wanted my older son to come along (both for his company, and to share the driving). He did not want to miss school on Friday, so we didn't leave until Saturday, and he wanted a day at home during the break, so we came back on Tuesday. This cut two full days off my already-short trip, but I thought I'd still be able to have two full days with my daughter and her family.

Hah. Saturday night, about 10:00 p.m., 70 miles from Sarasota, our car broke down. Older son was doing 75 in the left hand lane when he started to slow down. A truck was riding right on our tail. I thought he was deliberately slowing down to irritate the truck - not something one does on a foggy road at night in a Chevy Cavalier! "What are you doing? Speed up or move over!" I said.

"I can't speed up. It won't go any faster," replied son, sounding frightened.

"Pull over," says I. "Off to the berm." The speedometer was declining rapidly. He angled the car to the right and the steering wheel locked up. Fortunately, we were on a good angle and got off to the side without incident.

I called 911, was transferred to the highway patrol, and gave them my location. I tried adding Rescue, fearing that our gas gauge was off and that we really had no fuel, not an eighth of a tank. Still wouldn't start. A sheriff's deputy came along and gave us a ride to the next exit. Four hotels - but not one had a room.

We parked in the lobby of the Comfort Inn while I made phone calls. No AAA (I'm an idiot), no hotels in Wesley Chapel, and no cabs to take us to Tampa. So, there was no other option but for my daughter to come fetch us. She arrived at 1:30 a.m. We bought a little gas can and some gas, and drove back to try the car again. Still no luck. Daughter said, "Good," meaning that if the car had been out of gas she would have had to kill me.

Terrible patchy fog, so the drive to her house was dog slow. We got there about 3:30 a.m. Her trunk wouldn't open, so I couldn't get my luggage out.

The next day, I made arrangements with GM (extended warranty!) to have the car towed (my expense - I bought the cheap extended warranty). I put more minutes on my cell phone, because it's a prepaid and my minutes were gone. This took way more time than it should have. I called a locksmith to break in to the trunk of my daughter's car. It took him an hour and a half and cost me $65. I was comforted that he was very old, and said, "In 60 years I've never had a car I couldn't get into one way or another." I showered, and older son and I went to meet the tow truck.

The truck arrived promptly, and older son and I headed back to my daughter's house. Eight miles from our exit, HER CAR DIED. Fortunately, it was daytime, and not so far away. The problem was resolved with the addition of gas (her gauge WAS off, I swear!)

That night, we went to dinner, and the next morning my daughter and I took our little boys to the beach. But we couldn't stay long, because she had to work. During the afternoon, the little boys played, and I did some of her laundry and vacuumed and stuff. We just hung out Monday evening. Tuesday morning, she drove us to Tampa to pick up my car. The fule pump was out, which was fast to fix AND covered under the warranty.

Let's find a good thing in this: During the car fiasco, I met and spoke with several people who were very kind and helpful.

Things I learned: Buy AAA. I-75 is the Bermuda Triangle of cars, and traffic there is thick and fast. Be careful! Carry enough cash. Be thankful when people are kind and helpful. Don't adjust the length of your planned stay DOWN - only UP. Buy AAA.