A picture can say 1000 words but it can also inspire you to write 1000 more. (Jason Mraz)

While getting ready for bed last night, I jumped online to quickly check my emails. Before I could get back off, my daughter had IM'd me. "How many miles can you go after the fuel light comes on in the car?" she wanted to know. This was a really strange question, considering that she doesn't drive and is at school right now with no reason to be out driving. (Plus, how in the world is she sending me instant messages if she's in a car about to run out of gas?)

So I asked her, "Why do you need to know?"

It turns out that she is writing a story for one of her classes, and the main character is about to run out of gas. My first answer, that it really depends on the car, wasn't helpful. She needed to know specifically for a Cadillac Escalade, which is what the character was driving.

Just as quick aside: I have no idea how she selected the Cadillac Escalade. I've never even heard of the Escalade, and no one in our family has ever driven a Cadillac.

After a few minutes of quick research (I love the internet!), I was able to tell her that the Escalade has a 3.2 fuel reserve, and averages 14-18 mpg. Her story was saved, and I remain the internet queen of the family.

Fast forward to this morning...after I dropped the boys off for school, I stopped to pick up laundry soap. When I came out of the store, the first vehicle I see is an ugly pink pickup truck.

As I walked past, I discovered it was a Cadillac Escalade. In my research for my daughter, I never once realized that we were talking about a truck.

(So of course I had to pull out my camera to take a picture of it, hoping the entire time that the owner couldn't come out and catch me. Trying to explain why I was taking pictures of a stranger's car in that neighborhood would not have been easy.)