As a girl, I used to pray every single night. I’d get down on my little Catholic knees in front of my little virgin Mary and pray for probably a solid 2 minutes. After turning 12 and watching Exorcist with my best friend, I was horrified with the horns going through the virgin Mary. Despite my best efforts to ignore that abomination floating through my little Catholic head, it would always come creeping back.
Last night and today we were hit hard with snow and ice. So much so my 2 sons got to stay home. They were home this past Friday too so they got to enjoy a wonderful 4 day weekend. I was off with them Friday while my husband enjoyed extra sleep today. As I got up this morning and turned to face the bed. I just stared at him, jealous of the extra sleep, the cozy bed and the warmth he got to feel ALL DAY LONG while I went to work.
‘I’ll show him, I’ll take his car,’ I thought. A SUV does far better in this weather than my crappy Corolla. 30 minutes later I was off onto I-70, fiddling with my music….
Berzerk then Blurred Lines then Blank Spaces…….
Suddenly, I had an epiphany as to why the volume was so low and was excited to blare Taylor because I am really that nerdy. This was the same time I realized I was in the: LANE ENDS IN 1/4 MILE lane. As I tried to veer to the left, it was no use. This lane had not been plowed well enough and suddenly the slush and ice took control of my car. I kept being pulled farther and farther to the right, about to hit the concrete barrier.
I was amazingly calm as I was being tugged to the right while I turned my wheel to the left. Finally, my car was like,
“Ok, ok….we’ll go to the left but your just gonna die on this side now.”
Again, calm beyond belief, the only thought in my head was, ‘this is really gonna hurt. I wonder what an air bag feels like?’
So yeah, I lost control of my car and almost crashed this morning. There were many factors involved with me not dyeing today:
- I kept weirdly calm. Like, I forgot how to feel during this time.
- There weren’t any cars around me so I could afford to suddenly veer to the left.
- It wasn’t my time.
- God
I shook all over for the remainder of the drive to work. Like a child that gets hurt and has that delayed response of crying, that’s exactly what I did. I just cried the whole way to work realizing how lucky I was. When I got to work, I was in no condition to walk in so I sent my boss this text:
I have a great relationship with my boss so it’s not like I have to hide if I’ve cried. Thanks to my anti-depressant, crying rarely happens. So what kind of near crashes have you guys been in?
I have spun out a few times both on highways and on streets, it’s canada. But I drive an SUV now and I am still baffled at how people drive like they are invincible in them. No. It means there’s a bit more meat to protect you they are still totally capable of becoming crunched piles of rubble with a little bit of the wrong ice and the right road rager behind you. My anxiety now calls on me to stay home when roads are dumb. Telecommuting got the win.
Oh man, you can telecommute? You are sooo lucky! I’m sure Canada is worse with regards to weather. I don’t want to drive an SUV except during snow days. And you are sooooo right about the morons who think they are invincible behind the wheel. I mean really! They drive like a bat out of hell and makes my anxiety go through the roof!
I feel like they are worse than the actual road conditions. And yes, I can telecommute, as long as I work it out with my boss and he knows I get my work done. There is a limit and all that but it’s basically ‘if you’re not an idiot we won’t be idiots’. I often get more done at home than at work but that’s because I’m an introvert and I love the quiet of not being around other people
You are sooo right! I always tell myself I too would get more done if I were allowed to work from home. As long as the boys aren’t home from school, I could get SO MUCH DONE! Like the idiot drivers, I guess companies have to watch out for idiot employees that would abuse the policy. Not everyone can handle the responsibility. Ya know?
Thank goodness you are ok!!!! Omg that sounds sooo scary!!
I killed a mailbox once. shattered it into a hundred pieces. I was driving up a hill in the country after a fresh snow fall, and I pushed on the gas I guess at the wrong place, the car was suddenly sideways going up the hill. I’m FREAKING OUT slamming on the breaks, twisting the steering wheel this way and that way (because that’s everything they teach you not to do…) and then we veered off the road into a farmer’s laneway, bounced off the dip in the laneway, and killed his mailbox.
I love that we both read this blog. Crazy Canadians
You are so right though. It’s your instinct to do that. Just like how they say, “if a deer is in front of you, just hit it. Don’t swerve not to.” I tell myself that everyday but when push comes to shove, I bet I would veer! I’m glad it was only the mailbox that was damaged and not you!!! 🙂
Oh yeah totally!! Same here.
And the car had a little dent and we had to clean the tires out cos they had mud and dirt in them. But yes we were very very lucky
Very lucky lady!!!
I totaled my dear friend’s luxury vehicle last year while borrowing it. I was devastated and so embarrassed. He graciously told me that it was only a car and he was just happy that both my son and myself were okay. I’m glad you were okay, too.
Wow! Luxury car? I would have felt the exact same way! I’m glad you and your son are ok. Here’s to 1 life down and 8 more to go! Cheers!!