(Not my photograph)I had today off. I slept late, and awoke joyously headache free, for the first time since Sunday. The State of the House has been driving me mad, so I had a leisurely morning, tidying up, and then ran some errands in the afternoon: some mailing, a few returns. And, I wanted something pretty to wear for New Year's Eve. I'm in a rut! Tired, a little depressed from the flu, probably, and I'm bored with telling myself that I shouldn't waste money on myself. I bought myself a little something for tomorrow night, smug with the 60% after-holiday-savings.
It was raining as I finished my errands. The rain suddenly turned into snow flurries, and then into thick, crazy, blinding snow. Snowflakes fell in crazy giant bundles, hitting the windshield like handfuls of flour. Amazingly, this berg turned into an icy slushy mess in about 30 minutes. Traffic on our "shopping district" backed up fast.
I decided, on the way home, to run to a grocer, pick up lemon and honey. My headache was returning, and a good hot lemon tea sounded good. I know, I know, the traffic sucks, the roads are a mess, cars are fish-tailing in front of me. What's a 10-minute delay, though, I want lemon and honey!
I took a right turn to the grocery store...a slow right turn, at a usually busy intersection.
My car had a mind of its own, in this slush and ice. My car left the lane it was supposed to be in, slid into the opposite lane, and proceeded sliding forward down the road. I couldn't have been more surprised! I am accustomed to driving on ice, and my vehicle has all-wheel drive. I have never been in an accident, never had a ticket, andI know what I am doing...yet I am sliding in the opposite lane, into oncoming traffic, and I have absolutely no control of my vehicle!
And you know what? As luck would have it, there is no one in the oncoming lane! 5:00, this lane in which cars are usually lined up to get out onto a busy avenue, is empty. There are cars approaching, but they are able to stop, to allow me to recover, to get back into my lane, and as I pass, the drivers gave me a sympathetic wave.
I decide that lemon and honey can wait, and I head home, playing out all the different "what if" scenarios...
So, the anticlimactic ending to this story is: Nothing Happened.
And I woke up this morning a little bored and depressed, because Nothing seems to be happening in my life lately. I went out looking for a pretty new sweater, because Nothing is going on, and it would cheer me up. I have cabin fever, because I have been home with a cold, and Nothing is happening...
And I came home tonight reminded that there's a whole lot of Nothing happening that I should remember to appreciate every single day of my life...because Something almost happened to me, and Something didn't, and NoOne got hurt, when SomeOne could have.
Count your blessings. Sometimes Nothing IS better than Something.
Hello, this is my first time visiting your blog but I enjoyed it. Just remember that when things seem the worst is when you need to be as positive as you can. Believe me, it helps. I used to be down and out about everything, mad at myself and the world but I let the negativity go. Even though I will still get depressed at times, I now know how to deal with it and that makes life much easier to enjoy. Take care! Happy New Year's!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I kinda think 'ole stacy-deanne is trying to sell ya somthin', honey!
ReplyDeleteThat was the wettest, thickest, most dence snow I've EVER seen! Ever. We were also on the road, having just finished grocery shopping, when it started. I pulled into a gas station so Stuart could get some Skoal, and I couldn't stand it. I HAD to get out in it. So I jumped around in the parking lot of Speedway, playing until he came out. 5-6 people in line were all staring as Stuart's crazy wife frollicked in a gas station parking lot.
And, sweetie, why don't you come over tonight and watch movies with me if you get bored? We already have lemon and honey! Just call us. I've just rented Reefer Madness, The War Room, and another Indy film (can't remember the title). Or you can raid my very tiny collection. Seriously. You're welcome any time.
I'm so glad you're safe. I think you might be a little blue from the flu; you'll start feeling better sometime soon.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived there something similar happened to me at the intersection of Race and University, by that Collins gas station. I braked for the stop light, my car skidded through the intersection and fishtailed into the other lane. Despite rush hour, NoBody was there. NoBody got hurt, nothing happened.
Like you said, Nothing can be a blessing, too. Isn't that a central tenet of Zen Buddhism?
Hmmm...perhaps I used the word "depressed" too many times in this blog; "blue" would have been the better word...and "cabin fever" should have been emphasized, I think. Lying around for 4-5 days makes me GONZO!
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, stacy-deanne, thanks for the good cheer.
Tracy, I love your snow-playing spirit! I had every intention of mucking out with the camera, but the stuff had already turned back to rain by the time I made it home.
And thanks for the invitation, but I've already committed to a dinner party. Happy New Year to you both!
SS: I'll bet you miss this defensive ice-driving, don't you? They were as bad as I've ever seen them here; got stuck in stop-and-go traffic on Mattis Ave, a pick-up truck in front of me had to run up on the curb for every stop, and I watched an MTD Bus fishtail through an intersection, geez, that thing could have wiped out 4 lanes at once!
But it didn't!
You're right. Sometimes we need to be grateful for what isn't in our lives as much as we are for what is. I'm glad you're safe. Happy 2006....
ReplyDeleteit was horrible for that brief time. woman i work with was slammed into by a car that just kept on going, so she's stuck for the repair
ReplyDeleteUgh, See that is the kind of Somethin' that I was happy I didn't encounter. That poor girl.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Years, Paul!
you too. i ran into lori last night ,and i was kinda blurry -- what's her man's name
ReplyDeleteI was sitting by the pool in Chile while it was snowing here. (Actually working in the corn fields)
ReplyDeleteGlad you're ok. RS
Paul: Jim.
ReplyDeleteRS: Time for gloating's over; welcome back to the midwest!
That snow came crazy-fast!!! It was raaally weird. I am glad you made it through unharmed.
ReplyDeleteThat little something you bought for yourself was HOTTTT! You looked fabulous, dahling!!!