Step 87: A Major Catastrophe

So, I've been gone for a bit, but with good reason. I moved, and no longer live in South Dakota. I live in Missouri now, and so far I really really like it! We're closing on our house tomorrow and I'm excited about it, even though it's technically not my house. I'm excited for my mom, I guess, because she's wanted her own house for ages, and now she's got a perfect one.

Anyway, once I got here and helped get some semblance of an organized home set up, I took off to Minnesota to visit one of my BFF's, J and her husband, D. It was a great time once I got there, but not so much on the way. See, I had the brilliant idea to just print off driving directions and go, without also checking the weather. By the time I got to Des Moines, the snow was falling so heavily on I-35 that 45 mph was living on the edge speed-wise. It was stressful, but I managed to make it most of the way without incident.

Then, about 40 miles from my destination, disaster struck. I was on MN-109, a road that Rand McNally told me I should take, and also a road that, if it was plowed, it was by the new guy who didn't know how to put the blade all the way down. The road surface was entirely white, and I was driving down the middle of it, because I couldn't see any lines to know where my side ended. All was well for quite a ways, until there was an oncoming car. I slowed down from 45 to 30, and moved over to let it pass. I moved over a shade too far, and my tires slipped off the road. The wheel-jerk that happened as a result of the startle reflex was enough to set my car fish-tailing, then a chunk of ice sent it spinning, and then careening backward into the ditch.

When my car stopped, I uttered a profanity, realized that I was fine, and so was my car, other than now being stuck in two feet of snow.

Enter The Oncomer. Turns out it was a Very Awesome Dude who not only dug my car out, but flagged down two more Awesome Dudes to help push it out of the ditch and back onto the road, where the last 40 miles of my trip took three hours to drive, with me anxiety-ing all over myself the whole way. Also, I called my mommy and had a break down once it was all over.

It was totally one of those moments like when you're a kid, and you get hurt, and you act like it didn't hurt at all, until you see your mom, then you become a big sopping mess of IWANTMYMOMMY. Here's how it went.

Me, to myself: "I'm fine, I'm cool, I'm just gonna let her know what happened."
*phone rings*
Mom:"Hello?"
Me:"...MOMMYYY!?!!?!"
Mom: "WHAT?!"
Me:"I'm fine, but I went in the ditch and three guys pushed me back onto the road and my car's fine, but I needed to call my mommy and have a breakdown and cry a little."
Mom: "You're okay?"
Me: "Yeah."
Mom: "Do you want to stop, and I'll come get you?"
Me: "No, I'm only 40 miles out."
Mom: "Are you sure?"
Me: "I'll be fine, I just needed to cry to my mama."
Mom: "Okay, well, call me if you want to stop, or when you get there."

Which, how awesome is my mom for offering to come get me when I'm on mile 360 of a 400 mile trip? XD Anyway, once I got there J hugged me and I felt better, until I went to bed and began dwelling on all the thousands of things that could have happened and while I'm aware that I should feel lucky that all it took was three guys and some digging, I'm still dealing with "what if" anxiety. I think it's all part of processing the traumatic event.

The next night, J's dog had a moment and wound up biting me in the face (I'm not even a little mad at him, and infact feel worse for him and how bad he felt than I did for myself and my face). Actually, the bite didn't even hurt, though the skin under my eye tore and needed a butterfly closure and will likely scar (COOL!). I think by the time the adrenaline wore off, it was done hurting. Now it just feels bruised when I push on it.

The day after that, though, was awesome, as we spent it at the Mall of America. I grew up going every weekend, as we lived in the Cities, but it's fun to go back and see how it's constantly changing. We visited the Aquarium, incuding a behind the scenes tour, I pwned the mirror maze (and even had to go in backward to help J and D find their way out). There was shoe shopping and Godiva chocolate and meals at both Fuddrucker's and Ruby Tuesday, and it was nothing but a great day. The only downer was having to come home early because another snoowstorm is set to wreak havoc tomorrow, and I didn't want to be a part of it.

So yeah. That's where I've been.

I earned nothing, spent about $50, and am a tensandaire.