I know that most people run their household errands on Saturday. I don't. Long ago I decided that it was better from a time perspective and a crowd perspective to do them after work during the week. On Saturday I usually go into the city or hang around the house in Stamford. Today, however, I decided around noon to go to Norwalk to do errands (Wal-Mart, groceries, etc.). It's 5:35. I just got home...

I-95 in Connecticut carries three times its designed capacity on a given day. During the week my traffic isn't awful as I work around rush hour. On the weekend, however, it's completely insane. It took me about 45 minutes to get to Norwalk. It normally takes about ten. After spending over an hour in the new Wal-Mart to purchase exactly four items, I decided that I would stop and put air in my tires en route to getting groceries. In doing so I noticed a screw in one of my tires. The third screw I've had to have removed and patched in the last six months. I have no clue where I'm picking them up. I then make an unexpected two-hour detour to the tire shop where they, of course, know me by name.

Frustrated and not wanting to schlep out in the now pouring rain to get groceries, I decide to take the Merritt Parkway home. Those of you who know the Merritt are already making faces, I'm sure. The Merritt. In the rain. Not bright. The road was built in the 1920's and literally doesn't drain. It takes me 35 more minutes to get home.

When I see my building I let out a sigh of relief. Home. Uh. No. Crap. I had forgotten my access card. There's literally no way for me to get in. I park down the street and wait for someone to go in or come out of one of the two accessible doors. It had stopped raining but I tired of waiting after about 30 minutes. I finally jump out of my chair to get up the step of the front door.

Finally, I go back and retrieve my car and pour a big glass of wine...