Well, once I realized the car was okay, it was just a totally blown tire, and help was on the way, I was able to relax a little bit. I'm glad that I'm doing all of my driving during the day, when places are open and there's plenty of light. One of the highlights while talking with the sergeant: he'd gone to his car to check on something, and he'd asked me to stand to the other side of the guardrail because my car was kind of close to the lane still, but I couldn't move her. So I'm outside, slathering myself in SPF 50 sunscreen, and he walked up and said, "Yeah, I needed to put sunscreen on my scalp!" He was clean-shaven. ;) I told him I had SPF 50 and 55 if he wanted to share.

I'm hanging in. It's good to be back in touch with people. The front desk clerk was also a total peach; a young man named Joey who has a deep regional accent, freckles, dimples, and was so sympathetic when I explained what had happened to me. I may miss that aspect of the south when I get up to the northwest. I kindof like getting called 'dear' and 'sweetie.'