These were taken Monday July 7, 2008.

It was supposed to be a fun day for my daughter and I.  We were taking her back to her culinary school,  and we planned to arrive early in the afternoon, as we were looking forward to going shopping together.  She was going to take me to some malls on the outskirts of Pittsburgh Pa.  I was looking forward our time together.

Instead we spent most the day in Erie Pa, another victim of the Peach Street Jam.  That's what the firefighter called it.  Not so funny to me though.  I guess I am too annoyed to find it amusing.  My detail orientated brain can't seem to stop adding up all the costs, and the costs are not all monetary either. 

We are one of four vehicles that were involved in this accident.  We had exited off the interstate and were sitting at a red light on the exit ramp waiting in a line of cars to turn right.  Next thing I knew I heard the words come out of her mouth, we're going to get hit...and then whammo....a chain reaction was set into motion.  The car that started this chain ran into the SUV behind us, the SUV then ran into the back of my car with enough momentum to push us into the Jeep in front of us.  The Jeep was one of those that carries a tire mounted on the back, so it was the tire that did the most damage to the front to my car.  I can still hear the sound of the impact as I type this!

The best part is that no one was seriously hurt from the accident.  The worst part is that there was an accident in the first place....actually the worst part is the cause of the accident.  The driver that started the chain reaction, was alone in the car driving herself to the local hospital because she had re-injured her right knee and ankle.  When she got off the exit ramp and tried to brake her vehicle, she wasn't able to.  She stopped her car from moving forward by slamming into the SUV behind us.

I guess I am writing this because I need a place to vent.   My car is still in Erie, because it can't be driven, and the police report hasn't been filed yet and my insurance agency is anxious to get this process moving forward. I am without a vehicle, it puts lot of pressure on myself and others, and it's as if things have come to a halt.

Normally I would have collected all that information from the other drivers at the time of the accident,  The gal that started this accident was taken to the hospital in the ambulance and I don't think anyone was able to get her information.  I know the trooper did at some point.  I was also taken from the accident in an ambulance, and my daughter came with me.  We were in a strange place with no one that we knew nearby to call to help us.  I couldn't leave my daughter with the car because it wasn't allowed to be driven and she wouldn't be able to get around.

My husband left his job immediately and drove the 2+ hours to meet up with us in Erie.  Finally around 6 pm we headed to Pittsburgh to finish the task we had started in the morning.  It was wonderful to all be together.
After my husband and I left Pittsburgh, we drove home and arrived at 2 am.  We were so happy to be home!

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT.
DURING SOME POINT OF THE  JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT;
AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND: 'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE'


THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL T HEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH.  THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE !  AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE WROTE ON A STONE: 'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND  SAVED MY LIFE'

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,
YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED:
'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND,
WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.
WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT.'

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND
TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

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