The gas tank light and my charmed life

It has been a long time since I mentioned my charmed life on this blog.

We were 19 kilometres from Carleton Place when I noticed the gas tank warning light on the dashboard. I'd meant to gas up before we left on our trip to Perth but I forgot.

The needle was below empty on the meter. I've never run out of gas with the Corolla, so I don't know how far it can go. By the time we'd gone past the second exit ramp with no sign of a gas station, I had developed a detailed image of hitchhiking to Carleton Place with the little red gas jug and Manon waiting patiently for me with the car windows open. I also pictured myself scurrying across both sides of the highway and the median after I hitchhiked back.

But then I saw the big Canadian Tire sign at Carleton Place and knew that I'd at least be able to walk to a gas station.

It's been a long time since I've mentioned on this blog that I live a charmed life. But I do. The car made it all the way to pump at the Pioneer station. The pumps were busy with cars waiting to get into the aisle they'd selected.

Do you see why the pumps were busy? Gas was  84.9 cents a litre! Twelve cents a litre less than anywhere else we passed yesterday!

To sum up how lucky I was:

• I drove for at least 19 kilometres with the little gas tank lit up on my dashboard.
• I drove right into a free pump at a station that had cars lined up.
• The gas price was dramatically lower than the price at any other station in Ottawa, Carleton Place or Perth yesterday. Lower than I've seen in months.
• I had the emptiest gas tank possible to pour that cheap gas into.

When we drove home in the evening, the gas price was at 96.9 at the Pioneer.