Just Pass Me By

This morning I was on my way to work. I got off at my exit and there was a Semi truck in front of me. I don’t know how I do it but when ever there is a semi truck in front of me at that intersection I play follow the leader. I wonder if they have video surveillance equipment there, hopefully I will not get a ticket. I haven’t yet, but I don’t often run that one. Good thing my insurance agent doesn’t know sometimes I just well follow the leader and at least I have never gotten into an accident, I have been blessed.
We got our insurance update from them and I guess it went down to under 200 for 6 months, which is great. Compared to some other companies. We are being rewarded for our clean and safe driving, but some days I wonder how I got it. Like this morning grant it the other light hadn’t changed yet, so I was okay, good thing no cops where around.

This morning I was driving to work. It was a little rainy out and I was running on time. So I wasn’t rushing but boy I wish I would have picked a different route. I got off the highway where I normally do for am shifts. I had no trouble on any roads and the garage door actually open on the first try. Normally in the garage I am tempted to drive right throw it after about the 5th time of driving over the tubby thing which tells it to open. I think people in MN haven’t learned polite road manners, which means winter driving will be a nightmare, seems people are getting ruder and ruder. Normally I try not to lay on the horn but this morning I felt I needed to. I drive a van and well there’s not much room for me to go right or left before I eat up the space. I think maybe during the winter instead of staying home, I should do a orlando vacations.
This morning I made my left turn on the road which will eventually get me close to work, and was behind a guy going 20 miles an hour. I decided to pass him it was on a 4 lane street. Well when I went to pass the person they started speeding up and coming into my lane. I honked tried to warn him he was getting a little to close, they honked back and kept trying to get close to me. I was actually worried the guy was going to run me onto the median and into the tree coming up. I finally hit the gas and speed up I figured if he was dumb enough to keep at it I would call for help. Being a woman, that feeling threatened by someone with a big truck would get me help pretty quickly.

I am starting to wonder if my van has a red bulls eye or a sign which says hit me. Lately it seems like drivers have gotten dumber. On friday I was driving home form work and had 2 people decide to make a right turn from the left lane right in front of me, and then when I finally got home, some idiot almost hit me head on, in the driveway. Had I not been just about on the grass she would have hit me. This is the 2nd or 3rd time they have almost hit me. I think they see my van and they like to get as close as possible to me. Not sure why.
Winter coming and with people driving this stupidly, I not sure i want to see them on the road once the snow starts flying. Seriously vehicles can kill a person, and some people don’t drive with the responsibility they should, they drive like they are the center of the world. oh well, so far I been able to keep my self out of trouble.
That’s the important thing I tend to anticipate what people will do. I drive assertively, and try hard to keep my eyes on the road and what’s around me. It’s important with anything you do to know what you getting into and what where your going. Driving isn’t like writing alli reviews it takes concentration and doesn’t end until your off the road and parked safely.

The other day I was driving down one of the major highways from work. It was the noon hour rush which isn’t really a rush. They have been doing a lot of construction on this highway, and doing a lot of work. At first I thought it was just a truck working up head as I got closer I saw a car spinning out of control, on the side of the road. Praise the L-rd she or he stayed on the side of the road in the grassy area and didn’t get into the highway man traffic that would have been a mess and I am sure some drivers would have needed to look for someone like the New York accident lawyers here in my state.
I drove a little further and saw a car had pulled over, I am wondering if maybe someone bumped into the other and one of them lost control of their car.
There is one thing we need to remember about construction and lane changing. Lane changing is not always easy especially when people get into that lovely blind spot. I have learned to give at least 10 to 15 more minutes.

Come on seriously you think it’s a good idea to block in a van. I think most drivers in Mn haven’t learned the art of parking behind or infront of another car. I have a mini van. It’s older, and in the last 2 weeks I have had someone kindly leave me a nice scratch in my back bumper and along the side of the car. Did I call my insurance agent No, no sense no one lift me a note. I hate parking by were I work. I got out to my car today and had 2 cars parked by my van made it next to impossible for me to get out. In the back of the van I was barely able to walk through to get to the driver side, and in the front of the van, no even enough to put my leg there.
So I walked around the van, and back it up, with out hitting the car behind me. Now that was tricky but I managed it. Then I pulled forward and started turning the wheele toward the street, got it as close as I could with out hitting the car. Maybe I should have been rude and bump the car out of my way, shoot would have took me a lot less time to get out of the space I was in. After about 5 minutes or so I was finally free with out hitting either of the car, so I felt very proud of myself. I wasn’t about to sit in my car until one of the owners came no telling when that would be.
I start on my way home, and happy to say nothing happened until I got on 35 and 62 and some dumb driver was going 25 in the middle lane, and I couldn’t pass by him. It was frustraiting finally I got to pass him by, and be on my merry way to Target. When I was done with Target it was time to head home and fix lunch and do some homework.
I really wish when people would drive or park they would be considerate of other people be side themselves.

Let me say, I wish I would have stayed a sleep this morning and simply not got out of bed. Yeah I have had a very good day. I got up this morning on time, and started my van no problems there, other then the battery was a little low. I got dressed no problems there, feed the dog no problems there. I got dressed and out to the van and it looked liked the van charged up the battery some so I was hopeful to have a great day. Maybe when I had that stupid fish eating song up in my head I should have realized I was in trouble. I need a vacation at a extended stay hotels with padded walls My morning had a deceiving start off today.
I went on my way to work, and right away my battery power drop to less then half I wasn’t to worried about it because my van been doing that a lot lately. I knew the check engine light was on which was worrying me and I was planning on bring it in for a check up when I got paid and could pay my mechanic. I guess the van had other plans, I got about 5 1/2 miles and ding, with the lovely red check gags I checked and sure enough my battery was blinking at me. I got to a parking lot which was a park in ride. I called hubby had to wait close to an hour, it wasn’t even above 0 yet. So by the time hubby got there I was frozen.
Well I noticed my glove compartment was stuck and I decided I would try to get it unsticked. Not a good idea today, I ended up getting a stupid comb stuck in my middle finger. Yeah I think I just might lose my nail stupid thing been bleeding almost all day and boy it smarts. Ouch, Not a good day. It one of those combs which have the thick and thin teeth and I got the thick one stuck in my nail all the way up into it. Ouchie…. I called into work let them know I was going to be late yet again because my Alternator in the van crapped out, and was waiting for hubby to come and get me.
I get to work at the time I tell them I would be there, okay that is doing good for me, lately. The morning shift went okay I got my kid to do something he hadn’t done yet. He went into the ball pit with me, and played. Good I thought my day was getting better. The jokes on me.
During the lunch hour I did lunch hour with the kids. Don’t get me wrong I love kids and they are all sweet but Come on! Don’t kick me when I am already down. I had a little one who decided it would be good to aim at me and pee on me! Ugh Great!!! What am I the toilet, last time I looked I not white porcelain! Okay at least he only got my sweater and his paints and thank the good L-rd they have a washer and drier there.
I was both of our clothes, and needed up being in a T-shirt, why didn’t I think about keeping my coat on.
Okay no big deal had to walk outside with nothing but t-shirt on, not pleasant but I keep a good attitude to be honest I wanted to go home pretty badly after lunch. I didn’t know anything about my van because the tow truck never called me and it wasn’t there when I called during my lunch hour.
Great! Finally around 4ish my mechanic calls me and tells me the car just arrived, and he would get to it later tonight, never did but that’s okay. He can do it tomorrow.
So my day wasn’t pleasant but you know it’s better then my bad days when I worked in an office at least I can laugh at it.
I broke down, shoved a comb in my nail, froze halfway solid, got peed on. This has been quiet a day I am ready for it to be over!

Dad is having a hard time adjusting, to all of the changes. He thinks it’s mean to say until he learns his way around we do not want him going out a lone. Not to be mean but he is not remembering things and if he gets lost, I worry I or hubby wouldn’t be able to get to him before someone with bad intentions. I feel the need to protect him.
Dad is 86 and a WW2 vet, I try to treat him the way I would want my own parents to be treated at that age. This weekend dad told one of our friends that we was being mean to him, he says it a lot. So I explained to them why I wasn’t leaving him leave by himself. He doesn’t remember things and geesh sometimes it better to say let us go with you, or come with us out places. Lately I been having Dad tell me how to get home, from places. He getting better but still doesn’t know. He can tell me how to get home from about the community college over here, and from Lunds our local grocery store, I think he might be able to tell me how to get home from Cubs our other store. But he thinking about going to the casino by himself and he been there once and doesn’t remember the route of even how to get there, so isn’t it safer for hubby and I to drive him around, I don’t mind doing it. Dad doesn’t always look where he’s going neither which means in the city he could have a accident. I rather see him safe, then see him in a accident. Shoot car insurance is already expensive for him. We have a family plan trying to keep his cost down, he’s paying more then I did on risk insurance when I had no insurance.
There is a community center here that have activities for him, we try to get him involved but it’s all nos, then comments of I feel like I in Jail, Well you wouldn’t feel that way if you took us up on the offer to go out, or go and get involved with community center they have senior lunches, and many activities.
Dad is so worried about those who have taken advantage of him no longer wanting to speak with him. Okay one person I am thinking of took close to 900 if not more from dad, and he worried that she mad at him. She mad because his purse strings are closed to her. He worried about his daughter who honestly should learn to side with her dad on this problem not with this friend of her that a leech. I worry about dad because he so worried about those who take advantage of him, she should be fighting by our side and not yelling at me and my husband. She is very disrespectful towards everyone, and dad don’t even want to be around her. She’s had him so scared once since we living with us to the point of hiding in a dark room. We talked to dad and explained to him what was going on.
Yesterday dad said a lot of stuff that later he felt bad for and didn’t know where or why he said what he said, and expressed fears I want to get raid of him to because he been at 3 places and all three places has been conflict two of which he lift feeling like a failure. I told Dad we wouldn’t get raid of him, and that he can stay her, sometimes we have to place limits it not to be mean or because we don’t want you to have freedom but we do not want you to get lost and have you lost in a bad place and get hurt. He told someone who was a mandated reporter I was being mean and not letting him leave this weekend. She a psychiatrist of some kind, she told me what she does, and does something similar to what I would like to do. She asked me about it what was going on, and when I explained she looked at dad and said you didn’t tell me about that, and dad laughed and said I can’t get away with nothing. By the end of the night I asked if I could have her phone number because there were something I would like to talk and since she been a caregiver she might be able to help me deal with the stuff. I don’t think dad at the place yet where we need to say no more driving but he’s probably close, if he can’t start remembering how to get home form places we go to often, I do not want him driving around, he could end up in TX somewhere. On Monday he has a doctor appointment and I am thinking some of our concerns will be brought up to the doctor about dad. We love dad and don’t want nothing to happen to him.
I know my husband and I are not alone dealing with this but sometimes it feels pretty lonely.

This morning we lift the house like we normally do and headed to church. We had dad today, and finally just got home about 10 minutes ago. Dad enjoys church with us and I am glad it bugs my sister in law. He feels welcome and accepted and people come up and talk to him. They treat him like he belongs there. This is great.
We stayed until about 3pm and then went south to get dad vehicle, and stuff from where he was staying. We decided it was best to take the dog immediately out of where she was staying. Not that we do not trust she would be safe, but we had some concerns.
Dad van has some issues and I am hoping I can get it safely over to my mechanic place, because I have to keep my foot on the gas and break and the car just don’t wanna stay stop with the foot on both. If I dont keep my foot on the gas it dies, not fun at all. I think I would have rather been on a treadmills then parking his van because it kept dieing anytime I lifted my foot off the gas. After we got it home we had to run out to a town East of here a good ways for dad dog we found someone who is fostering the dog for us.
I was about to scream at my hubby because I thought he was going to let the dog in the car to long, and I wasn’t going to have that no way no how! I don’t care if they want to kick me out of here for doing the right thing by dads dog. We got her over to the foster home. The lady was very nice, but was about to need to live to get her daughter. I think our little dog for dad will be better off there Praise the L-rd we don’t have to worry about her now so much plus dads allowed to see the dog when he wants she lives about 25 miles away so this makes it easier on us.

In Minnesota it is winter, we had our first real snow. It is staying around for a while now. Today dad was outside having his smoke, because I don’t let anyone smoke in my apartment. I am highly allergic to smoke, so for health reason dad needs to smoke outside. Maybe he will stop smoking because it will get to cold to smoke outside.

I am wondering if it is forgetting to drive in the winter or simply just being careless drives. Yesterday dad and I had to make a emergency run to the store, it wasn’t a thing where we could have waited to go. I was driving in the parking lot going maybe 8 miles a hr. Which is slow enough here, this truck came blazing through almost hitting the front of the van, I slammed on the break and prevented anything from happening, didn’t even both turning on his signal when there are 2 ways he could have went. Then on the way out of the driveway, to the street a car decided to make that turn a little to fast and took up way more then their share of road. I noticed them turn and was able to react in time. This is why I am cautious because if I am not I will be sorry.

Today dad was out on the balcony, and this dumb driver was driving clearly to fast for snow and icy condition. He hit his break and went spinning around. Luckly the person didn’t hit anything, like someone park car, I know I would have been livid if they hit my van.  Dad came in and told me what had happened, my first question was did he hit anything. Dad said no I was happy.

Remember people who live in the Midwest where we get plenty of snow and ice during the winter, slow down, take your time. Do not worry about getting some where fast because it probably not going to happen. Keep a blanket and survival kit in the car just in case you break down on the side of the road. Leave earlier than you normally do to get to work on time if it has snowed over night because the roads may not have been plowed. Speaking of Plows remember they may not see you so if you must pass them do it carefully.

If you have to stop remember slaming on the breaks in the winter can cause you to lose control of your car. So lets remember our good driving skills the ones we should have learned every other winter that we have driven. If you do not know how to drive in the Snow and Ice stay off the roads, don’t become someone else headache. Remember don’t get distracted by your cell phone or texting your friends they can wait until your safely to where ever you are going.

People are so impatient. This morning, I lift for work I was running late but wasn’t spending. I figure if I am late I am late, it’s better to not get a ticket so I try not to drive to fast. Plus in my area soon there will be deers out and about along the way. I started off to work, and had 2 people cut me off and lift me no time for stopping. Thank goodness they didn’t hit their breaks or no animals ran out in front of us.
I made it to work on one piece. I got to work and I kind of wish I would have not gotten out of bed today. It was far more nicer, resting and sleeping then having to deal with everything. They boxed me in to my work station and I now have a bruise on my leg with no protection. Maybe I need to start using bubble wrap as mybody jewelry, I would never be bruised but boy could you just imagine all the noise I would make. I almost tripped over another box just what I would need another problem.
One nice thing happened today I got a gift certificate to Dairy Queen, and meet one of the ladies I been speaking with a lot on the phone from my company.
I lift early and decided it be good to go over to Lunds, I needed to grab something for dinner that I forgot yesterday. I got up to my cross street for Lunds, and decided I would go to the next intersection. The light was clearly yellow, and soon to change over to red. It changed to red by the time I got to the intersection, but I had to run a clearly red light. The person behind me was going way to fast in their nice little brand new car. Had I stop she would have hit me, so I floored it and prayed no one would rush through the light she followed me right through that red light and stayed on my tail. How nice, I must have a target painted on my van. I got to my next street and she almost hit me, again.
I went into the store, kind of annoyed with the feeling of having a target painted on. I got out of the store and then this guy decided while I was still in the space he had to occupy the same space. I barely missed him hitting me. It seems that I have to be a very defensive driver, or I might have to many problems. I am a good drive and can’t count how many accident I have avoided, guess what man who thought he needed my space, it would have still been there in 10 seconds.