Skate on THIS?!?!?

Yesterday I finally got back on skates after what seemed like an never-ending hiatus due to an extremely persistent cold. I skated the levee with FM Jennipher and FM Alayna, telling them to not worry about leaving me behind because I imagined my stamina would be next-to non existent after such a long period of not skating. Getting back on skates was absolutely heavenly. It seemed like my entire body was tingling! And lo and behold, I was actually able to keep up with those 2 hotshots! We made it down to the boardwalk (fit in a little visit to a neighborhood rollergirl with an awesome array of stickers on her car) and most of the way back until I noticed my wheel making a funny sound. NOW, if you EVER hear your wheel 'making a funny sound' STOP AND INVESTIGATE!! I skated blithely along, hmm, wonder what that sound could mean?... until my wheel popped off! Whoa...whoooaa... whoooaaa!!! I twirled around in circles to come to a stop while the gals grabbed my wheel and found my bearing. Unfortunately, the nut to keep the wheel actually on the skate was nowhere to be seen (probably way back where I started 'making a funny sound'!) I was gingerly making my way along the levee on 7 wheels when it occured to me that this would be the perfect time for the shopping cart drill. With Jennipher in front and Alayna behind me we choo-choo trained our way back to the car. Keeping all my weight on my left foot made it cramp up a bit, and getting down the slope to the parking lot felt a little sketchy but all in all, not so much of a calamity. Phew!
Lesson learned: bumpy trails can loosen things, check your nuts 'n toe stops! Now off to buy a new nut (do I need to get a whole set?) so I can keep myself in one piece at practice tonight!