These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Friday, September 21, 2007

Never Boring, My Life!

OK, some of it is mundane, but not ever for very long.

Geez, the last two days have been crazy! Yesterday I left early to go to Roswell for some personal and some business errands. I got everything done in good time. Then at my last stop I was in Office Max spending a bunch of The Bosses money and a little of mine, when I noticed that all the employees were at the front of the store, looking out the window. I had looked because I heard some strange noise, sounding like very strong wind, and I wondered if it had begun blowing.

Uh, yeah!!! It was raining so hard that I couldn't see my truck in the closest parking spot!! Not only that, it was blowing so hard that the rain was going sideways!!! I realized, with a booming "OH, NO!!!!!!" inside my head that I had left the windows down about four inches AND the dogs in the car because it was a nice mild 72 degrees when I went in!! OK, the choice was to dash out and certainly get soaked, if I could even make it through the horrible wind, or stay put and hope for the best. I waited.

I checked out while waiting, and stood for another few minutes till it let up enough to brave it. It was still raining, but not terribly hard. I dashed to the car, got everything inside, since I didn't dare put it in the bed as I had planned. In the process, I dropped a sketch from an artist which I had earlier had scanned and put onto a disk. Yes, I dropped it, as in the inch or inch and a half of water that was on the parking lot. Yes, it got wet. Yes, it got soaked because, not only did I drop it, but the wind took it under the truck where I could reach it easily. grooooaaann. I did my best to remove it from the plastic sleeve it was in, but the paper just came apart in my hands. I almost cried. I was very close.

I got into the car, sorted out the pieces and laid them out to dry. Then I looked into the back seat. Ali was completely soaked AND there were pieces of plastic shrink wrap he'd torn off a six-pack of water strewn all over the place, as well as little bits of paper from directions to stores, and there was a big hole in one of my windshield screens. Remember that he is terrified of storms? And probably pissed off about getting wet, too!!!

At the Gallery, I tried to purchase the drawing, but The Boss said it wasn't for sale. I insisted that I had to buy it, and he looked at me and asked why. So I told him and he said there was no problem as long as I had it scanned first. But I was still wanting to buy it so that the artist wouldn't be out anything. The drawing is being used for a poster for an event, and simply wasn't for sale. Then the artist walked in the Gallery and when I showed it to him, he just laughed and said it was actually worthless before my gaffe!! Uhmm, OK. I don't know that I could be that casual about it if it were mine, but OK.

Today I took a trip to Alamogordo for Lowe's to get some light fixtures and some other items. The day was relatively uneventful. I stopped at the vet's along the way because I saw some blood in China's BM, but I couldn't get a sample this morning so it would be fresh enough. Just for good measure she is on a medication that is a combination antibiotic and anti-parasite, and I may take her in with a sample on Monday if she is still having trouble. Doc's not worried. Whew!

In Alamogordo, I got errands done, stopped at the cemetery to check on my husband's family's grave sites, visited a while with a cousin, then had dinner with Gail who was there to spend the weekend with her brother. I left for home about (I think) 6:30. I should have been home in a little less than an hour and a half, but I just got home a short while ago, about 9:30.

Thirty minutes or so out of Alamogordo, I came on several cars pulled out to the shoulder. I slowed down and moved to the left lane, but I couldn't avoid the debris on the highway. A car had just moments before veered off the highway and hit the end of a guardrail, sending the car slightly airborne for a short distance and landing nose first in the embankment. Some of the debris was still spinning across the highway! I considered just going on since others had stopped, but then I thought, "What if no one there has a cell phone?" So I pulled to the shoulder and backed up. There were cell phones, but none that could get a signal. Mine did!

The car had a couple in their 70s inside and both were scraped and bruised with some small cuts, but apparently had no serious injuries. Both wore seat belts and the air bags deployed as they should. They were on their way from San Diego to Roswell for her 55th class reunion. After driving all that way and being just about 100 miles away, BOOM!

I carry a couple small blankets with me year round. Before tonight, I didn't know why I don't take them out in the summer, but now I know. The lady was very petite and was chilling, probably from shock. She had gotten out of the car, and was just standing there, so I also grabbed a folding chair from the bed of my truck, left over from the outdoor movie a few days ago. I'm glad I had it for her to sit in. When the first police vehicle arrived, several of the cars that had stopped earlier just drove off! One young man and I stayed behind and held flashlights and equipment for the paramedics when they arrived. When they finally put the couple into the ambulance, one of the paramedics brought my blankets back to me and thanked me profusely for staying.

All this made me think about how precious just a few seconds can be when you are barreling down the highway at speeds of 60-65 in a couple tons of metal, plastic and fiberglass, and look away from the road at the dashboard, or someone in the car, or the radio, or lighting a cigarette (the cig will kill ya, anyway, but you might as well wait a few years), or checking your make-up, or ... for the love of god ... at a cell phone!!! I've done all of these and more, and I know yo have, too. This man looked at the gauges on the dashboard and when he looked up, there was the pole at the end of the guardrail rushing riht at the windshield. People who saw the accident said he wasn't speeding but just suddenly turned toward the road's edge. Be careful, folks. It can happen to you.

On a lighter note, Gail and I heard what we thought might be a cat in distress a couple nights ago. I muted the music, and we listened but heard nothing. A few minutes later, repeat the same scenario. Nothing. Then the next night we heard it again, but without the music, and it was an elk!! Yep, it is rutting season! We've heard it every morning early and each evening since. In fact, one officer at the wreck tonight said he suspected that he was going to find an elk involved in the accident, as it is common at this time and in that location. And when I was unloading the car tonight, making several trips back out, there were mating calls all over the neighborhood! Loud ones! I suspect one or two of them were very close, and I chose to leave the last couple items in the car until morning! An elk in rut has less sense than most humans "in rut," so I don't care to push the limits!!

And the dumb jackrabbit keeps jumping in front of my truck and racing down the road ahead of me! What the heck is that all about?? He's done it four or five times now! Does he have a death wish? Does he love the blue color and want my truck to follow him home? Stupid rabbit.

The sun is rising later these days, and I'm seeing more sunrises again. Yay!! I'm betting that I will have more pictures soon. The air is crisp and cool in the mornings and evenings. It's not cold yet, but it probably won't be long. I'd better consider getting out the winter clothes pretty soon. Fall is certainly here, per calendar and per weather, too! Yippee-skippee!! I love this kind of weather. Again, probably more pictures coming this way soon!!

Good weekend, everyone!!


Life is beautiful!!!

....but don't push your luck; keep your eyes on the road.

7 comments:

  1. Some people believe a rabbit in your path is a good luck sign.

    As for being where you were needed at the right time, I have no doubt you had those things in your truck because they would be needed as well. I'm glad the couple was basically ok.

    The sketch story is pretty funny!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, you seem to always be in the right place at the right time...with the exception of the pouring down raining & sketch thing :-). I bet that couple was very glad that you stayed around to help out with them. And even happier that their accident wasn't more serious. What a great person you are.

    What'a up with that rabbit, in deed! I've seen your truck, so it must be the blue he's attracted to, like you said :-).

    You too, have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Traci - Well, if that is true, I'm in for lots of good luck! Hurrah!!

    I believe that nothing happens without purpose. Yes, I'm sure I was meant to be there with my "blankie"!!!

    It wasn't funny at the time!! It's the favorite joke around the Gallery now! :)

    Dawn - Who knows why things happen, but I just take what comes and do my best. I'm awfully glad they weren't badly hurt. The potential for that was high, cause the car was seriously broken!

    Maybe the rabbit was leading me to being there right after the accident. But I'm sure he likes blue, too!! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lynilu, in my experience animals never do anything without a reason.

    I'd recommend that you look around that area or remember it in your mind - would there be any reason for you to slow down or stop. What's around that area - where you see the rabbit. What's near there. That's something to consider for starters.

    Just remember, always drive very slowly through that area and keep in the back of your mind - there's a reason. That's what I recommend.

    Goodlife.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am glad you were there to help those old folks!
    glad the sketch story turned out Okay too. I was holding my breath on that one! (poor Ali!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Patti - If I'd had any idea how casually everyone would take, I wouldn't have been half-crawling under the truck to retrieve the silly thing!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Robert - I overlooked your comment! Thanks for the input. Interestingly, it has been several times in an area very close to my house where I drive slowly anyway. I *have* become more alert when I drive there. It is also close to where I have stopped several times and put a baby goat back inside his fenced yard, and just a little bit down the road from where I "rescued" a wandering dog. I also photograph the plant life often in this area. So there are many things that encourage me to proceed softly here.

    ReplyDelete

If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!