First Friday Night Of The Year + The Road = Never Ends Well

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Had I even thought about it, I would not have been driving tonight.

A few years back, on the first Friday night of the New Year, I totaled my first Jeep in a tangle with a semi truck that left me with 2 broken hands and unable to drive for months.

Anyone who’s ever been in an auto accident will tell you about “flashbacks” while driving.   Mine always happened on a Friday night — feeling very jumpy when seeing lights of a car or truck, traffic noises would make me nervous as well.  I would usually get off of the road until the nervousness (or the traffic) subsided.

Tonight, I wasn’t feeling that type of anxiety and I was on one of the dark Rancho roads, close to home.  I was thinking about what I was going to make Dad for dinner and should I stop at the grocery store or not.  I was looking straight ahead and then I see them, a pack of bigger dogs crossing the roadway.  I barely had time to swerve but I felt and heard the loud thud and impact of one of the dogs hitting the front of my Jeep.   It’s the worst sound.

I pulled over and called CHP and waited until they got there.  I was too afraid to look back and was pretty sure that at least one of the cars behind didn’t have time to stop either.  Mr. CHP assured me that, while the dog was hurt, that he was still alive.

Y’all know that I am not an animal person but I certainly don’t wish them any harm.  Hope that the dog makes it.  My Jeep is a little banged up from the incident.  Mr. CHP says it could have been worse … for whom?

Needless to say, I drove home in full Friday flashback mode, nervous and thankful that my shaky butt made it home with no more incidents.

Note to Self:  No more driving on the first Friday of the New Year, it never ends well.