The crashes Echo is being restored

I know so many of you are sitting on pins and needles waiting to find out the final report on my Echo after that deer incident.

Well yesterday morning, we took the crushed little echo to the "car hospital" for her plastic reconstructive surgery. So, for the next few days I am driving a rental - a silver PT Cruiser - also a cool car (even though its a Chrysler).

This is what the echo looked like when we took her in -

I will post pics when we get her back. They said it would take at least 3 days - so, maybe Friday I will have the new, improved, Echo.

Last year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Echo had a nose job done because of the remnant of a blowout from an 18-wheeler as I was driving to ATL on I-20... this year, it is because of a deer... hmm.. I REALLY don't want this to become a yearly thing for me!

Our puppy was not amused by me bringing the PT Cruiser home. She got so mad she growled at me the whole morning, and refused to chew on my shoe as I walked to the car (well, maybe that wasn't so bad... I tend to like to keep my Clarke's with as little doggy slobber as possible). She is such a creature of habit - she just refuses to accept change - Lord forbid if we ever move! She may go into full depression!

Wait...

I said that wrong... I do want to move eventually - I do want an oven and a stove one day - I do want a house that is grounded properly so we don't lose at least 4 electrical things every time it lightenings.... and maybe even a dishwasher??? But we may need counseling for our dog when this move occurs:)

Anyway, I should be running today - I am not doing that as well as I wanted to - and in this comfortable (too warm to be December) weather - I really should be doing my exercises - it will be too cold soon.

Well - the writers block is continuing - hence the good sleeping material I have done today - but I will keep writing until something comes out that makes sense. Maybe I will see you tomorrow.

A deer+A dark country road+Julia's driving = Smashed Echo

Friday night was an adventure! I won't bore you with tons of detail - because the most exciting (terrifying) part comes at the end. However, Ronnie and I got off work around the same time, I went to Wal-Mart and the Post Office, he met me for dinner (with coupons of course:)) and we went to pick up some tickets that were given to us for a concert on Saturday night. We also delivered some of the tickets to some other friends that were also going - we went by Toys'R Us to shop for non-lead filled toys for Aubrey for Christmas. I might end up getting in trouble with my Christmas present this year - but that is another story. (Jen, I got the list of approved toys - I have studied it and Ronnie and I will make our decision accordingly).

Anyway, after a fun-filled adventure at Toys'R Us, Ronnie and I (being in separate cars since we came to work at different times today) had to drive both cars home. Now, we live about 20 miles outside of civilization (Yet another long blog one day... city girl in the country). I was driving along, having a good ole time listening to the Radio. (A station in town is already playing Christmas music... shhhh.. don't tell my mom!!) All of a sudden, a deer JUMPS out from the woods that are dangerously close to the side of the road. He runs along beside me for a second, and I did what I thought I should do. I slammed on the brakes... HARD! This gave plenty of time for the deer to jump in front of my car. Now, I was still doing a good 50 MPH... (no comments about my speed are necessary.. thanks) and I hit the deer..... HARD! It flew up in the air, I thought it was going to land on my windshield - but due to the miracles of God, and the angle at which I hit the deer, it flew to the side of the road. I continued to slide, still riding my brakes, and came to a stop on the side of the road. My heart flying out of my chest, my arms shaky from holding the steering wheel, my mind racing with OH MY WORD!!! Ronnie pulled up behind me (he was luckily far enough behind me to begin with that he didn't also have the joy of crashing his car.) - he pulled over and helped me calm down, called the insurance guy, made sure the car was still drivable to get it home etc.etc.

All is fine with me - my shoulders were sore Saturday and Sunday, but are much better now. No, we didn't go try to find the deer for our roadkill dinners.... (if this costs too much to fix we will wish we had!) :)

The rest of the weekend was relatively uneventful. We went to Charlottesville Saturday with his family to visit his great-grandmother, we went to a concert Saturday night, had a good day at church yesterday, and had a very productive Sunday afternoon (including getting the window unit air-conditioners out of the windows, finding the few Christmas decorations in my boxes that are stored outside, gave him a needed haircut, and began the process of cleaning the extra bedroom since in a couple of weeks some of my friends will be staying with us for a weekend and they might want to be able to sleep in the bed). Basically, other than the smashed front end of my Echo.... life is good in VA.

AND - 4 days and counting till I get to see my family again! It has been two months, and I can hardly WAIT!

(PS. note to Jon... I will try to do better this week... I promise:))