I'm Screaming MERCY At The Top Of My Lungs
Thing the First: THIS HAD BETTER BE THE BOTTOM OMGWTFBBQENOUGHENOUGHENOUGHENOUGH.
Thing the Second: Everybody is fine. Absolutely, totally, and completely fine. Promise.
Except, well, my car isn't fine.
Soooo . . . I grew up in North Dakota. I learned to drive in North Dakota. I took my driving test in the middle of a blizzard. In fact, I got to skip the parallel parking portion of the test because it was snowing too hard to see the cars in front and back of the parking space. What I'm saying is I know how to drive in less than ideal conditions. It's second nature to me. Even in retrospect, I don't know that I would do anything differently. Apparently this evening was just destined to end the way it did.
Which, again, I repeat Thing the First: WTF DOES THE UNIVERSE WANT FROME ME? I WILL DO IT. TWICE.
Anyway, it was a pretty typical Thursday. Alexis rolled off the school bus and straight into my car so that she could go to dance class. Mr. Husband was off of work today and was going to accompany us, but decided at the last second to stay home to work on a few things. There was a discussion about me taking his car which went a little like this, "HAHAHAHAH! No! Your car sucks in the snow."
I stand by that statement.
Once dance class was over, Alexis and I swung through the bank drive-thru and then headed home. Now, the roads were lousy. Truly lousy. In response, I had slowed to well below the speed limit and more than quadrupled my following distance. Still, it was mostly an easy drive home as we live in a part of town that takes clearing the roads very seriously. They do a fantastic job. Truly.
Except for that little part of the main road right in front of where the snowplows get parked. THAT part of the road wasn't so fantastic today.
I saw the brake lights in plenty of time to stop. I was driving 20 mph under the posted speed limit for that road, so, truly, I wasn't thinking anything was about to happen. But as I pressed on the brake pedal, I heard the sounds of ABS kicking in and . . . nothing.
WHAT GOOD IS ABS IF IT DOES NOTHING?
Ahem.
With Alexis in the back seat and me driving, my beloved car that we bought brand new just a year ago slid . . . and slid . . . and slid . . . and slid. We slid easily 200 feet.
Somewhere around the 150 foot mark, I realized we weren't going to stop in time. I surveyed the situation. Again, we weren't moving all that fast, so I had time to think about it. There were two cars in front of me. The front one had its turn signal on as the driver was trying to turn left into their driveway. There was another car coming from the opposite direction.
And there was us. Not stopping.
I looked to the right and tried to mentally measure the berm. That particular road is a two-lane road with houses on the left and a deep ditch on the right. There's a creek at the bottom of the ditch. But! But! There looked to be just enough flat land for me to maybe creep through on the right and maybe only hit a mailbox. Hitting a mailbox is WAY better than hitting a car, right? Right.
The thing I forgot to consider is that the narrow span of flat land was just as slippery as the road. My car slid and slid and slid and . . .
BAM. Alexis and I were upside-down in the car.
In the ditch. In the creek.
We hung there for a minute completely disoriented. Fortunately, a good samaritan (which, if anybody knows who it was, PLEASE CONTACT ME) had somehow found his way down the ditch and was standing in the water with a flashlight. I carefully undid my seat belt and then moved to the back to get Alexis free.
Oh, Thing the Third: My kid HATES that I make her sit in a full-back booster seat with a five-point harness. She says all of her friends get to have the little booster seats that just use the car's seatbelt. NOW SHE'S KEEPING THAT FIVE-POINT HARNESS UNTIL SHE'S THIRTY. See also: we flipped completely upside-down and she was TOTALLY fine. Another possible factor: she doesn't wear a coat in the car, so her seatbelt is always nice and snug. Paranoia is my friend.
Back to the story . . . eventually Alexis and I managed to crawl out of the car and then mountain-climbed our way out of the ditch with a rope and the help of a whole lot of people. Now that I've been on the other side of that ditch, I need to call it a "ditch" because it's a 90-degree drop for about ten feet.
But we're fine.
Totally fine.
My car isn't.
It was too dark to see just how bad the damage to the car is, but I'm thinking "upside-down in a creek" isn't the start of a story that has a happy ending.
Let's review, shall we?
December: I was laid off from my job without severance.
January. There's a thing that isn't fit for the internet, but trust me when I say it's currently looming like a huge brick wall in my life. After that thing, our dog died suddenly. Now I wrecked my car.
This had better be rock bottom because I've had quite enough bad in the past two months. Anybody know any spells or potions or ANYTHING that might break this streak?
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Reader Comments (78)
OH MY GOSH! I'm so glad you guys are okay. How scary.
A friend once told me: When you're at the bottom, the only way to go is up.
She was right.
xoxo
Ack. I'm glad you and Alexis are okay. And crap, it sounds terrifying. I have no spells but I'm sending lots of things-just-gotta-get-better vibes your way....
I'm so sorry, Michelle. I'm so thankful that you guys are okay. Thank goodness there are nice people in the world. I wish we could do something to turn your luck around. Hope that I can give you an in person hug soon!
:( I'm really glad you're okay.
So. I cried. Because I just can't imagine what I'd do if something happened to you. I am SO glad you are okay. and I am so glad for good Samaritans and five point harnesses and all that jazz.
Sending so much love.
OMG! I'm so glad you both are ok!! I'm really sorry at the overwhelming amount of shit.
So glad y'all are ok.
Thank goodness you guys are ok and that you had the calmness to judge what to do as you were sliding! Upside down in a creek? Alexis is going to love telling that story in school!
So sorry to hear about your accident, but also so very glad to hear that everyone (excluding your car) is fine. Sending many, many positive thoughts your way in hopes that everything turns around!
Holy hell. I'm doing cartwheels (really. It's hilarious you should see) you guys are ok. If I had the magic to flip your luck it would be all yours. Terrifying, but thank god for good people.
So glad you and Alexis are ok. Thankfully there are still Good Samaritans. Hoping that things will go upward from here.
.
I am so glad you are ok!!!
And I would be shaking and completely freaked out - upside down and cars are a very bad combination. I'm sorry that everything is so difficut right now - you do not deserve any of this.
I know you are not a hug person but HUG HUG HUG! I am so very glad that you two are okay.
A break. You need it. Universe hear that. SHE NEEDS IT. Now. STAT.
OK, who has the Michelle voodoo doll? Take it out of the dryer, right now!
Holy...
I am so glad y'all are OK.
So glad you are both unharmed. I have been having a "rough spot" myself over the last several months. I have found that if I acknowledge all of the "good" in my life it makes the "bad" easier to take.
Keep your chin up...it's got to get better soon with so many people sending you good vibes!
Oh my goodness! So glad to hear that you and Alexis made it out ok. I hope the universe listens to you soon! Sending supportive thoughts your way!
I'm so glad you two are okay!! I'm so sorry that this happens to be the two months from hell. I'm hoping everything goes up from here!
Omg!!! I am so glad you guys are ok! And that makes me want to put my 7 yr old back in his harness! What? He's less than 65 lbs, he'll fit! Lol. He was in it until he was 6 and my 3 yr old will be in it just as long.
Hope things look up for you soon!!
Holy cow. Even knowing it ended well - tears in my eyes reading this. I have this incredible fear of crashing my car into water - especially upside down. Obviously, wasn't deep water but still. So so so thankful you are both okay but that really sucks about your new car. Sigh. Hope the big thing looming ends in your favor. And that you catch a break.
Shaking for you and I wasn't even there. Thank God you guys are ok, but maybe consider seeing a doc just to check on everything. Ya know, whiplash and what not?
I am praying so hard that this is the end of hit after hit. And praying serious prayers of gratitude that yinz are safe.
So much love to you.
Oh my goodness!!! So glad you and your precious cargo are alright. I cant believe you even had a steady hand to type your blog. Things will get better. It's been a rough start to 2012 for us as well...i keep telling myself, things can only get better. I hope that's true for you as well.
Sending good vibes your way!
ZOMG MICHELLE! I'm so glad you and Alexis are ok and I hope things only go up from here. Just the thought of all that craziness is making my blood pressure rise!
So glad that you're both OK!! Makes me feel even more confident in my decision to keep J in a 5-pt harness as long as possible. Here's hoping things are only hunky-dory from here on out!
First, thank goodness you two are okay. All the skills in the world can't outrun an accident that is going to happen no matter what. Upside down in a creek is probably better than head-on with the car in the other lane . . .
Second, things WILL get better. THEY WILL. The universe will stop beating you over the head with shitty events and you will get to look back and think how strong you were to make it through without losing your mind or anything like that. You are strong. You can push through. We'll all be here, cheering you on and kicking the universe in the ass for you.
Sending love and hugs.
I read this post and I got all choked up, and then I read it out loud to my husband and I cried. Oh Michelle! Things HAVE to get better. I do believe that there is always a silver lining, a purpose behind every situation, and that the Universe really wants to get your attention for a reason. I will email you later, but My thoughts are with you that your feet are firmly on the ground, and the only way to go is back up. Start climbing back up the ladder, and keep looking up.
I couldn't say it better than Jayna @ Yankee Drawl. So immensely glad that you're both okay and THINGS WILL GET BETTER. Hang in there. Sending good thoughts your way.
OMG. So glad you are both okay. Cars are replaceable even if the timing STINKS. It has got to be over with that. Eeeks. On my way home this evening I was all "I learned how to drive in the snow during a blizzard", blah blah. Next time I will remember this and be more careful. Prayers for a quick turn around in the luck department. So glad it was just the car.
We had a year, well 2 years really, around 2001-2003 so horrible and disastrous I can't explain. We came out stronger. Better. Faster. Practically bionic. It suuuuuuuuucks. But you are so rock solid at your core I know you will be ok. Eventually. Meanwhile? That's of no comfort or help. I'm sorry you are going through all of this.
I am glad you are ok. OMG that must have been scary.
So, so glad you ladies are okay. Sending hugs and good thoughts your way. Also, THANK YOU to all the people who helped you today - they should get gold medals or something. And cake.
If you find that magic spell, would you mind sharing it with me? I've been floundering for about 2 years now, and every time I think I've hit rock bottom, the rocks slide :-|
Just terrifying...I can't imagine what it was like. And so symbolic. Just like your life, you were turned upside down. But you "mountain-climbed your way out of the ditch." You're on your way out of the ditch. As Winston Churchill said, "If you're going through hell, keep going." I'm so grateful you guys are okay...and for that good samaritan.
Holy crap. Thank God you're all right. That's terrifying! FWIW, I know I would have done the same thing you did, and I wouldn't have thought the land would be slick either. Poor thing!
I love what Jonathan said about the symbolism, so I'll second what he said. :)
So glad you both are okay, but that still sucks.
Hope things start turning awesome for you!
Holy. Crap.
Tonight and ... well, all the rest too. But especially tonight.
So very glad you and Alexis are OK.
Things WILL get better. They really will.
Holy heck. This makes my getting stuck/spinout story from Monday look like nothing (stupid ice).
*hugs* to you guys and I'll send good vibes your way.
Holy heck. This makes my getting stuck/spinout story from Monday look like nothing (stupid ice).
*hugs* to you guys and I'll send good vibes your way.
Holy heck. This makes my getting stuck/spinout story from Monday look like nothing (stupid ice).
*hugs* to you guys and I'll send good vibes your way.
Holy heck. This makes my getting stuck/spinout story from Monday look like nothing (stupid ice).
*hugs* to you guys and I'll send good vibes your way.
Holy heck. This makes my getting stuck/spinout story from Monday look like nothing (stupid ice).
*hugs* to you guys and I'll send good vibes your way.
Holy heck. This makes my getting stuck/spinout story from Monday look like nothing (stupid ice).
*hugs* to you guys and I'll send good vibes your way.
Holy heck. This makes my getting stuck/spinout story from Monday look like nothing (stupid ice).
*hugs* to you guys and I'll send good vibes your way.
No words. Glad you are ok.
Michelle,
First let me say I'm so glad to hear that you and your daughter are fine. What a scary experience and I am just glad that the two of you are home tonight safe and sound. But as for the universe piling up against you? It gets better. Last year, my year started off very similar to yours...the bad piled upon the depressing piled upon the terrible. And it was hard and sad and it's probably a wonder that I didn't cry every day. Actually, I probably did cry about 5 out of 7 days of the week for months.
I know you already know this. But you have a loving family. You've got people to get you through it all. And when winter clears...you'll see just how far you've come.
It may sound cheesy, but trust me that I know it's true. <3
Holy crap! I can't even imagine how freaked out you were/are after today. Thank goodness you're both okay. Bad things come in 3s, right? The brick wall notwithstanding, that's three. It sounds hokey and cliche but I really do believe that good stuff is coming! Great big take your breath away hugs to you, my friend.
Wow, tough few months. But it has to get better, right? So glad you're both okay, as much as you can be after landing upside down in a creek. On the bright side you can look at it this way, it's just one more story in the book of your life, and it's a pretty good one for retelling later. Seriously though, really glad you guys are okay.
Oh, It seems like I'm watching the whole thing happening with this post of yours...My heart is really pumping fast!
Holy CAKE BALLS!!!! I am so glad you are both okay. Sorry about the car, but I am so glad you are both okay!!! I could probably say that a few more times. Hugs!
Awww... this totally sucks. Hoping things get better for you and your family. You all deserve a break.
Thank God you're both okay! I've been trying to convince God and the universe that Mr 2012 needs to let go of all his grudges towards us and accept our hand of friendship... Sending across same prayers for you and your family too... Hope each day from now keeps getting better than the previous one for all of you...