I’ll do a write-up of the reunion later, but for now I’ll just tell you about the ride home.
We brought the rental home today. Lloyd drove for an hour and a half and then succumbed to all the time he devoted to helping keep things running smoothly this weekend. (He, Sam, Rachel and Christina are The Next Generation who have stepped up and Make Things Happen. I stand off to the side and drink Tang.) Anyway, he fell asleep and I drove us home.
This car – this Ford C-Max – has 20 buttons on the steering wheel. Not the console – the steering wheel. 21 if you count the horn. I used none of them. I tried to concentrate only on the road, which was easier since this car has working cruise control. In fact, it’s eco-cruise control. It ‘sort of’ maintains the speed you want, so it can get optimal gas mileage. Oh, and it keeps track of your average gas mileage for the trip. I allllmost hit 43, but didn’t quite. I ended up at 42.1.
The worst part is that depending on how earth-friendly your driving is, the display on the right has a vine that either grows and sprouts lovely green leaves (if you are driving optimally), or the leaves shrink and blow away (if you hate the earth). I found myself holding my breath as I went up hills. I knew that the engine was taking over instead of the battery, and I was going to lose a leaf!!!
Look. I lost leaves just sitting in my driveway in the dark re-enacting for this photo. See? See below??
Sorry, earth.