"Good News"

A few years ago...

I flipped and rolled our SUV several times down the middle of a local main street. (It wasn't my fault - the instigator was charged with dangerous driving) All windows save the windshield blew out, the vehicle was smashed on all sides but the roof, all who witnessed it were terrified but thankfully I didn't hit anyone else and I was barely scratched in the process.

When police and fire arrived, they found an utterly destroyed vehicle and glass for hundreds of feet all around. The first firefighter to approach my vehicle came up behind the driver's side and peeked into my window with a bit of a grimace, no doubt fearing what he might find left behind the wheel. When he saw a slightly bloodied but otherwise talking, breathing, essentially unhurt driver his face immediately brightened he said "I have some good news for you ... you're getting a new car!"

Those words captured the essence of that day - not disaster but incredible good fortune as I walked away from what should have been a fatal accident. Those terrifying seconds were undeniably among the luckiest of my life. After being observed and x-rayed in hospital to ensure no head or neck injury had occurred I was released later that same day. My Beloved and I bought a chilled bottle of wine (we did clear this plan with the physician) to enjoy a bit of a celebratory little party at my mother's place where my sister had taken our kids when I couldn't pick them up from school.

I had cheated death and we toasted my very good fortune.

This past Sunday...

...'preparing to serve nigh on 20 people Prime Rib Dinner, Darling Daughter and My Beloved were fitting our glass dining table with the temporary top we use to house large dinner parties I heard a percussive bang followed by a spectacular crystalline crashing sound. Interestingly the first thing out of my mouth as I rounded the corner to the dining room was "that sounded like a car crash". What I found in the dining room was the glass table top arrayed in treacherous 10" shards across the floor with needle like glass dust twinkling to very edges of the room, Darling daughter, unhurt despite her bare feet, My Beloved without a scratch and the seating plan for our immanent dinner pretty much in ruins. As they were both standing there gap jawed the next thing out of my mouth was...

"I have some good news! We're getting a new dining room table!"

After the car accident I got a new (to me) car and eventually we will once again have a dining room table top of one kind or another. But again, despite the terrible timing and the unexpected expense, mindful of our truly good fortune rather than our bad luck. everyone was okay and on we went. My beloved spent the next couple of hours running back and forth from the dining room to the garage cleaning up glass and then somehow jerry rigging a table top. To be honest I wasn't paying very much attention - I had my own responsibilities (gingerbread, vegetables, potatoes, gravy, prepping/wrestling a 17 pound roast, appetizers etc. etc. etc.) and bottom line, everyone was okay and that's all that really mattered.

This notion of just how fortunate we are - not only about the dining table but to be living where and as we do, in good health and with happy families is what I took with me out into the shopping frenzy yesterday to help Number One Son purchase his gifts. I plan to do the same in the busy days ahead. I am organized but I know unexpected things will happen. Its not about the "stuff" we buy or receive but the folks we love and enjoy that make the holiday.

Getting the odd bit of knitting in would be nice too!

I'm off the to shops - have a great day and thanks for dropping by!