That’s when I was in Toronto!  I went to visit the northern nieces and nephew (and their parents).  I had a great drive up on Saturday and got such a nice greeting when arrived at their house!  We had lots of good times, which included such things as a visit to Claire’s for many pairs of earrings, a walk through a zoo to see various animals like a yak and a peacock, and a short time at a very muddy park (one of us didn’t have proper footwear, so that person couldn’t participate in the fun and watched from the sidelines).

My sister was on March break, so we spent Monday together.  We began the day with a stop at Tim Hortons for our morning coffee.  They’re in the middle of their annual RRRoll Up The Rim campaign, so when I finished my cup, I did as I was instructed.

Apparently, rolling up the rim is a difficult skill for this American to master.

#winning

I won!  Beginner’s luck? Now, I guess I should clarify that Tim Hortons is giving away many things, including TVs and cars.  And I won a free coffee. That’s right.  I looked that excited about winning something that’s worth less than a buck fifty. The truth is, the family luck for big wins was used up years ago when our brother won a free trip to L.A.  So yay!  I won something!

So on Tuesday morning, my sister and I went out to breakfast before I got on the road to go home.  After eating, we went back to her house, and I got in my car, which I hadn’t touched since I parked it when I arrived on Saturday afternoon.  I thought something sounded weird as I pulled away from the curb, but I continued on to claim my free coffee at the Tim Hortons on the way out of town.  As I was getting out of my car at the gas station/coffee shop, someone in the car next to me yelled out the window that the front tire on the passenger side looked quite low.  I thanked him, and then the man standing and smoking a cigarette in front of the place said I should ask the lady inside to turn on the machine so I can fill the tire.  I thanked him, too, and was rather nervous about the whole thing.  After claiming my free coffee (the lady there was quite happy to give it to me, I should mention!), I did something that surprised even me: I asked the smoker if he wouldn’t mind giving me a hand filling my tire.  He laughed a bit but walked right toward the machine.  As he helped me do it, I rambled on in my nervousness that I was traveling that day, and he suggested that I go somewhere and get my tire checked, just in case I had a leak.  I got super nervous then, so I got in touch with my sister, who went with me to get it checked out.

There’s my car, which I was sure needed a new tire.

I was sad because I was not doing what the sign above my head said.

Turns out that the smoker was right: I had a leak around the rim.  They patched it, and it only cost me $32! Thank you, Canadian Tire!  And thank you to the random strangers who helped me out.  Even though I heard that sound as I pulled away from the curb, my car didn’t feel off, and I may not have noticed that the tire needed air until I was on the highway and it was too late.  And I may have just filled the tire with air and taken off anyway.  I drank a few cups of coffee at breakfast, so it’s a good thing I won that free cup the day before!  Otherwise, I may not have stopped for coffee on my way out of town.  (Who am I kidding?  I probably would’ve stopped anyway.  I must have coffee when traveling!) 

I had another great drive back home.  And I’ve been meaning to share this story with you ever since.