(Originally published September 22, 2013)

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I was just saying a couple days ago that I always seem to miss the changing of the leaves in the mountains because it happens earlier there than in the city and by the time I think of it, I’ve already missed it.

So today while I was thinking of something fun to do for date #2[?], I thought, “Oh! We’ll go see the leaves! Clare hasn’t been to the mountains much since she got here and it would be great fun to hang out and admire the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.”

Right there: that’s more adventure. It’s easy to think of blog subjects when I’m having fun and creating the life I’d like to be living.

Where does the enhanced intuition come in? Well, this morning when I was thinking of driving Clare through the mountains, I had a vision of us stuck on the side of the road with my car engine smoking and letting off a horrible smell (I guess my visions are multi-sensory). I rarely notice when thoughts/visions/awarenesses like this pass through my mind because I generally convince myself that it’s just worst-case, paranoid thinking.

In this case, it was pure premonition.

On the way to pick Clare up, I stopped to top up my gas tank. I also did what I rarely do (despite having parents who drilled into my head that I should do it every time I gas up): I checked the oil. And when I saw nothing on the dipstick, I wiped it off (for good measure?) and checked it again. And then I did it one last time (because sometimes the obvious is lost on me). Nothing. My car was out of oil!

I need not remind my mom and stepfather of the other Honda I killed by not having oil in it… I would never live down the reckless murder of two Hondas.

So I proceeded immediately to an auto parts store and found the wrong brand of oil for my car. And in my cluelessness, I grabbed only one bottle of the wrong stuff. When I asked the young kid at the register if I had the correct oil, he said, “Close, but not quite.” So he grabbed me a bottle of the better stuff and I naively asked, “So, should I put the whole thing in?” He truly did his best to hide his amusement as he said, “Umm, if it’s empty, you’ll need two or three.” I’m so happy I knew enough to ask for his help! He can laugh at me all he wants—I totally deserve it.

So I went out to that parking lot, put three quarts of oil in my car, and proceeded on with my day. $21 and one intuitive hit saved the life of my precious best automotive friend.

I love you, Honda CR-V, and I’m sorry I almost let you die a slow and painful death. I will do better in the future.

Leaves and mountains, thank you for filling the world with your breathtaking beauty. Clare mentioned being worried about waking up and realizing it was all just a dream—because it was THAT beautiful. This picture doesn’t even begin to do it justice: