T-Boned in a Parking Lot and Twilight Zone.

It's was a good day yesterday. I had my ducks in a row. I went to Staples to get some organizational items and then stopped over at Target (same mall) to get some lunch and a few other items.  All necessary items were purchased and the children and I piled back into the car to drive to the office.

I've  never been a wild driver. And ever since I ran a stop sign 5 years ago and then got rear-ended last year while at a red light I've become even more cautious. I am not a timid driver (except at night, I stink at night time driving) but I am a defensive driver. Decisive, targeted but not a risk taker. I am a speeding ticket virgin for goodness sakes! So, as I left Target I drove in the designated driving lanes between the parking slots rather than cutting across.  I noticed a very large black SUV cutting across the parking spots and slowed down until I saw that the driver noticed my car. I carried on but a few feet later my daughter screamed 'Moooooooooommmm' and before she was done screaming I felt the impact of a car slamming into my car and my car tilting almost onto two wheels while being turned 120 degrees by the impact.  I'll add the pictures to this posting tomorrow. My car's right side is smashed. The kids and I are sore but alright. What bothered me is that my airbags did not deploy. Not even the side impact bags. I did call Toyota about that and they are investigating. I drive a Toyota Highlander 2008. Even the woman who hit me, medics and the cop commented on that. The  impact car was driven by a woman who was cutting across the parking lot to save a second. It wasn't the car I had previously observed. It was another one which I didn't see at that time. She came from behind a restaurant and a dumpster which is why I never saw her. Anyway, long story short, my car is wrecked and the seat belt has has totally bruised my chest. But we are safe and no one is hurt beyond bruises and sore muscles.

Now, here is the Twilight zone moment. I am not very superstitious but this is bizarre. Last year in August I was  rear ended while stopped at a red light, shortly after that my mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly and then there was this customer from hell and then my husband went out of the country.  Right now my husband is out of the country, I had a car accident, the same day I saw that the very same customer wants to come back to us. I told Missy yesterday I was afraid for someone's life. This evening one of my employees called me to let me know she may have to leave for a few days, her grandmother the woman who raised her, had another stroke and was expected not to make it.  How can this be? This is like the Matrix. Deja Vous?  What do you think????

Sorry this is so poorly written but I am tired and need to go to bed now.  I'll post the pictures tomorrow.

My Nerves are Shot! S-H-O-T = SHOT.

So, as I take a neat and tidy turn around a residential area (small streets so slow driving)  on my way home from an errand I see a kid on a bicycle coming at me. He had already crossed the midline and was headed bulls-eye for my car. He was coming fast and by the time I realized he was looking at something in his hand instead of where he was going he was maybe 5-6 feet from my front bumper. The boy was busy looking down at something in his hand and just didn't see me. I honked the horn and the kid dropped what he was holding and swerved away. He missed my by then stationary car by mere inches. Damned punk-ass kid! Sorry, I told you my nerves are shot. He comes around, not a word to me and proceeds to pick up what he dropped. I had presumed it was a can of soda or something. Nope, this what appeared to be a 13 year old,  picked up his cell-phone.  He had been busy typing in his cell phone when he almost ran into my car. Did I mention he came down a hill !!!!!!!????????? Slam dunk case, huh? Not my fault you say. Except, at that time I had dialed a friend (address book one button thing)  shortly before I made that turn. So I am sure this would have all been pinned on me. Never mind that I was on my side of the road.  Never mind, that there was a witness outside the house right by that corner who was watching the whole thing while.... you guessed it, talking on his cell phone.  The fact is, had it not been for my wonderful car horn, the kid would without a doubt have left smear marks all over my already bug splattered windshield. And guess what, my hubby is going out of the country tomorrow morning.

Yeah, nerve assassination attempt #1. Now comes part deux.  Hubby has fish tanks. Lots of fish tanks. I mean a lot!!!! And of course he tries to clean as many as possible today. So his right arm has been giving him problems and he proceeds to carry a cleaned canister filter down the basement stairs.  I suggested he might want to fill the canister filter downstairs since it'll be too heavy to carry. His reply, and I quote: 'What would be the fun in that...' end quote.  So, he picks it up and heads downstairs and  I keep washing fish rocks when I heard an awful loud crashing noise from the stairs. Well, as you can imagine I was h-o-r-r-i-f-i-e-d and screamed and ran. There he was sitting on the bottom of the stairs by the shattered remains of the canister filter and all it's freshly washed contents.  He was OK, though, thank goodness. The canister filter a complete loss. The carpet a mess. But my man was alright, if not a bit rattled.

So, what do a lucky, punk-ass, texting kid and a lucky punk-ass hubby have in common today? They shattered my nerves and live to tell about it....

I am going now to drink a cup of tea and calm my nerves.