Near Death Experience

Well, not really - I didn't see any lights or actually have a physical brush with death. 

Kind of disappointed in myself that my almost last words were "Holy" and an obscenity.  My husband says I should be happy that at least I got the Holy in there. 

I picked up my niece who is on an exchange with our local university this semester and was driving her up the mountain to ride Gibby this afternoon.  Two cars were turning right onto a road and decided to drive on the shoulder which obstructed the view of the truck who wished to make a left turn onto the highway.  As I passed the cars which were on the shoulder, the truck pulled out right in front of me.  I had no time to brake, so I swerved (while saying my almost last words).  Tires squealing, I thought I would lose control of the car, but I swerved back into my proper lane.  If there'd been an oncoming car, I would have had to run right into the truck, but thankfully, there wasn't. 

Since my car is so small, I think my front end would have gone under the big pick-up and my niece and I would have been killed.  Even the airbags wouldn't have helped. If I'd been driving our SUV, I would have for sure hit him - the smaller car has great maneuverability - but we wouldn't have died.  I guess I am glad I had the maneuverable car because we got to come home and ride.

Riding is always important - and it took my mind right off the near car accident. 

Gibby did well - he's really stiff on the right, so we worked on circles (my niece and my daughter who are novice riders) and side passes (me).  I found that it isn't the mounting that he minds, it's the person stepping in the stirrups.  When I gave the girls a leg up, he did great.  He knew the rain was coming and started getting a little antsy after 90 minutes (walking pretty much exclusively) in the arena. 

I spent the first few days of my school break on Oahu.  I had a follow-up with the breast care center and I got to see my daughter and my parents and a few friends who live in my hometown.  I also walked/ran 20 miles over three days - 10 in just one of the days.  It started me thinking about trying a marathon.  One of the friends I saw has run in over 30 marathons - as well as had a marathon battle with an inherited kidney disease and cancer.  She's always been an inspiration - and ever since I saw her run a marathon when we were in middle school, I have wanted to do just one.  It will take me a long, long, long time to finish, but at least it will be a goal I accomplished. 

Maybe I will do it.