Grandpa's birthday! (we almost didn't make it...)

So today was a surprise dinner for my dad in the city to celebrate his birthday. My brother got him theater tickets and told him he was taking them out to dinner after. He didn't tell them that my sister & her boyfriend and me, Jen, and Stella would be there! So it was a fun surprise, although we almost didn't make it because we experienced the most horrific traffic ever trying to get through the Holland Tunnel (mental note, no matter how long the delay is at the Lincoln Tunnel, never, ever take the Holland!). Fortunately we left at about 2:15 even though dinner wasn't until 5, thinking we would get some time to walk around the city. As it was, we got there late! The traffic was one thing but we had a very minor incident that turned into something ridiculous while trying to get through the tunnel. We were backed up for miles, but the lane next to us was moving pretty quickly as it was the Ez-Pass lane for the tolls. Of course, many of New Jersey's least intelligent citizens were speeding down the Ez-Pass lane and then trying to sneak into our lane since they didn't have Ez-Pass but didn't want to wait like everyone else. It was extremely frustrating and just made the wait that much longer. We had been there just about an hour, barely moving. The traffic lights would go from red to green and we would move like 4 feet. Stella was completely losing her mind at this point, understandably so. But then things went from bad to worse. Yet another idiot was trying to cut in on me from the Ez-Pass lane. At that point I had it, so after nearly colliding with him because I wouldn't let him in, I rolled down my window and we had words. Then he started moving so I started moving because I thought he was trying to creep in ahead of me. But unfortunately, the car in front of us wasn't moving and I hit it. "Hit" is probably too strong a word, I tapped it. I got out as did the driver in front of me and we saw there was no damage to either car. But he wanted my insurance information. Wha?! There's a 10 mile back up and you want us to exchange insurance information in the middle of the road over a little tap that did no damage to either one of our cars?! I gave him my business card and told him to call me on Monday and we can talk about it then. His wife then got out and she was a piece of work, to say the least. Anyway, we finally got moving and made it to the tolls and we thought we were home free. No. The driver of the car in front of us spotted a police officer and called him over to tell him about the accident. You have got to be kidding me! Anyway, long story short, we wound up sitting by the side of the road for another 30 minutes while the police filled out a police report. Lord only knows what will come of this. Jen got a photo of the back of the car I hit with her cell phone and there is absolutely no damage.

Anyway, once we made it in, it was a fun day but Stella was a bit fried at that point, understandably so. The poor thing was screaming the whole time we were by the side of the road after the "accident", not to mention the hour we spent in traffic leading to the tunnel. It was nice to see my family and they were thrilled to see Stella Barbara. Fortunately the trip home was drama free and little bird is how happily snoozing away with Bear-y, Brannen Bear and her little doggie friend, a new addition to the crib!