Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Triumphs and Tragedies

I usually reserve Triumphs and Tragedies for my weekend walk around the garden but this past week has been unusual.  I suffered a Tragedy last week when I was involved in a car accident.  Everyone involved in the accident is alive and that is a blessing.  We don't often think about how dangerous driving a vehicle can be and it's a traumatic experience, to say the least, to see your life flash before your eyes when cars collide.  There has been a lot of stress and details to take care of so I haven't been able to post as I normally would.  Another downside is that I am sore with neck and back pain right now and that is keeping me from my garden.  The half finished flower beds and weeds are taunting me.  And finally, my beloved truck Betsy Bear has had to be put to rest.  We had previously talked about exchanging Betsy for a smaller more ecomical vehicle but now we have no choice.

Betsy in better times
She has done us well, towing our trailer across country and getting us to our new home.  Carrying plants, mulch, furniture, lumber and countless other items.  I'm going to miss the old girl.  (I know I know it's just a car!  What can I say, I've been a touch emotional this week)  The good news is that a new car is now residing in our driveway.  Meet Alfie.

Jody did a glamour shoot in front of the garden.  Very pretty.
It will take some time to get used to a new (to us) vehicle and we're still working out how bikes, kayaks and other items will be carried but these are issues that can be dealt with in the future.  The last thing I feel like doing is kayaking right now!  The good news is I can tell already filling up the gas tank will be much less painful.

On a more positive note I have been lagging behind in my posting lately.  Caught in a blogging time warp there's much work that has been done that I haven't caught you up on.  So in the coming weeks while my back takes a break I'll be taking you around the yard and catching up on the work that I have done thus far and spending some time visiting all my favourite blogs.  Hope to see you all soon.

21 comments:

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Yikes! So glad you are OK, sorry you have had an enforced change of vehicle, even more sorry that you have back and neck pain. Knowing it could have been worse is not much compensation for that.

Christine @ the Gardening Blog said...

Marguerite - I'm so sorry to hear about your accident but thankful that you are all alive and well. Take it easy so your back and neck can heal.

Laurrie said...

Marguerite, so sorry! About the accident, about the old car... all of it. Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans. Isn't that true. I am glad you are ok. The new car will become a beloved old vehicle in time.

Gardeningbren said...

Very sorry to hear about the accident...((..do be sure your back injury is recorded in med records. It might not seem like much now..but in two years ... it's there if other probs arise.

Dr. B says a masseuse and osteo are good friends to have right now.

Betsy looks beautiful under that blue sky...I'm thinking a prairie photo???

Skookum Alfie!

Off to SSI..."oh it's good to (go) back home again".

Marguerite said...

Janet - looking at the state of our vehicles I'm just so glad everyone was able to walk away. Air bags save lives!

Christine - it's hard to stay out of the garden knowing how much work there is to do but I have no intentions of hurting myself further so low key is the name of the game!

Laurrie - I'm infatuated with the new vehicle already. It's funny, I'm not even remotely a car person, but I do associate vehicles with times in my life. We've entered a new era.

Bren - Alfie is a looker isn't he? prairie photo spot on. That was taken somewhere in Saskatchewan. Take pictures of Salt Spring and enjoy every minute. I look forward to hearing tales of the west coast.

Jane said...

Marguerite - I can understand your attachment to Betsy, I was the same about my previous vehicle. However, Alfie is pretty cute! I think he's going to grow on you:) Hope you heal up fast!

lanniedee said...

Dear Marguerite: I was shocked to see you were in a car accident but so glad you weren't more seriously hurt and hopeful you will heal quickly..take some time out from gardening, it will wait for you...take care Lannie

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Car accidents are so scary. I am glad you are ok, as well as the others in the car. I thought you were just busy with summer fun and weren't posting much because of that.
Nice new car!! Hope it gives you many years of service.

Anonymous said...

Marguerite, I'm relieved that you were not seriously injured. I hope your neck and back are feeling better. (I've had some neck and back problems in my life, and I consider physical therapy one of the miracles of modern medicine!). I like the glamor shot of the car and garden. :-) -Jean

Anonymous said...

It is wonderful everyone escaped serious injury. Wow, this is a tragedy, but at least some good came out of it with Alfie. Smart looking car and pretty color.

I wanted at answer your question about my orchids. They have been outside for a four days now. I did not put them out for our heatwave, but they are getting used to the temps. They did not lose the blooms either, since orchids are fussy when their conditions change. Not all of them went out either just in case, I only sent a few on vacation. Plus you mentioned about rebloom. One of them is still blooming from last winter, and the other two are on a rebloom. Ignoring them is best, I did not even know one was in bloom until I went to take them outside. That was a surprise for me!

Aagaard Farms said...

What a scary and difficult week! I'm so glad you're okay and getting back to blogging. Take it easy, though. The aftermath of an accident can linger!

Melanie J Watts said...

Oh no! that is horrible. I hope you feel 100 percent soon. The new vehicle looks capable and up to all the jobs you've listed. I've always wanted a red vehicle. :)

Kyna said...

Glad you're ok!

Marguerite said...

Jane - I guess the giveaway on my attachment level is the fact that I name them! I'm sure I'll be used to the new vehicle soon but it's weird to not see the old truck in the driveway.

Lannie - You're absolutely right, the garden will always be there. In the meantime I'm spending some quality time with the tv.

Janet - Car shopping is probably my least favourite activity ever but I think we did okay. I have my fingers crossed this car will prove to be reliable and be with us a long while. I don't want to have to deal with another car salesman for many years after this.

Jean - I agree. There is so much that physiotherapy, massage and the like can do for a person. I'm considering returning to yoga to help get back to my old self. I haven't been to a yoga class since we moved to PEI but now may be the time to start again.

Marguerite said...

Donna - thanks for the information. I'm new to orchid growing and currently have my moth orchid in an open window for the summer. It seems to be quite happy with the arrangement and is reblooming so this is all good to know.

Aagaard Farms - It really is surprising how an accident sticks with you. Even though I'm okay I still cringe having to get in a car and drive. Couldn't bear to sit inside the truck even once more. Eventually I'll feel a bit more normal.

Melanie - one of my questions while shopping was 'how many bags of manure do you think I can fit in that vehicle'. The station wagon seemed up to the task but I have yet to test it!

Kyna, me too!

Island Threads said...

Marguerite how horrid and scary, so pleased (as you all are) that you all walked away, I don't have a car now and learnt to drive in my mid forties so perhaps I see things differently as I am always amazed at how lightly people take driving to me a car is as dangerous as a loaded gun and few would take that lightly,
take care of your self and don't rush anything, Frances

HolleyGarden said...

Wow - how scary! Glad everyone is alive, and I hope everyone is or will soon be o.k. Sorry to hear of your aches and pains. Take it easy - you don't want to pull something right now! And I hope all the paperwork that goes with something like that is short and easy.

Marguerite said...

Thank you Frances. You have a good point about how lethal a car can be. So rarely do we consider the damage they can do.

Holley - the business part of the accident was quite stressful (insurance is different in this province than our last residence so we had a learning curve). Thankfully it appears to be over and we can concentrate on mending.

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Just catching up here - so sorry to hear about the accident. They are as stressful as painful. Take care and look forward to adventures with Alfie!

Jennifer@threedogsinagarden said...

Marguerite, I am s sorry to hear about the accident. I have been in 3 accidents myself. In every case our car was rear-ended. I always glance nervously in my mirror when I drive. You never forget that crunching metal sound. On the up side I was never seriously injured in any of the accidents. I did have the same stiff neck though! Your new car looks very glamourous in Jody's shot. Love the red color!

Marguerite said...

Ms.S - I have good feelings about the new car, but I fear I won't get as many bags of mulch in it as I'm used to. We'll have to test it out soon!

Jennifer - Much like your nervousness in the rearview mirror I have a feeling that turning in an intersection will never be the same for me again.