Gas sheezy

This is my first post in awhile and my first on the new laptop that Hope and I bought. I haven't bought a computer since my junior year of college and Hope had never had one. I've had laptops through my jobs most of the last 5 or so years so it's never been a problem.

Hope took off tonight for a bachelorette party in Minneapolis. She got a direct flight on Northwest, which works out nice. We've found since we moved to Indy that we're just far enough away that driving vs. flying back home is a question. Indy to Des Moines by interstate is about seven hours - which is about equal to the flight time as measured from airport arrival to airport departure.

Our vehicle situation complicates the matter. I have a Chevy Silverado pick up which is a great road trip car (heated seats, dual climates, XM radio) except for the gas mileage. The mileage isn't bad for a truck but it's still a truck. Hope has a more economical car - a Civic - but it's old enough that I don't trust it make the voyage. We have rented a few times but that only works for short trips.

None of this takes into account gas prices - the latest bane of my existence. There are no other everyday consumables in my life whose price fluctuates like petro*. The price fluctuates in two ways - up/down and spatially. I pass three major intersections with gas stations between our place and work and they routinely vary by as much as 30 cents. Weird. The up/down flux is quick in these parts. I came home at about ten this morning 'cause we're having a few windows worked on. The price of gas at 71st & Keystone? $1.99 for the low grade. I went back to work at 12:30 and guess what the price was? $2.25! Can you believe that? 26 cents in two and a half hours.

That's one thing the tall corn state has on us hoosiers, at least in Iowa they're behind the national average on price. grumble.