If you don't like entries that are not at all upbeat, then you don't want to read this. Read this or this instead.

If you read my journal, you will know that I have had a rough time of it since I came back from France. My dog died, I had a car accident, and I have had strep throat. I should have known this all was going to happen, because it was in my horoscope.

Yesterday, I found out that the attending police officer - who I called to the scene of the accident believed the other party's version of the accident. In my version, I was driving along behind the row of parked cars at the QT, when (Crash!) they backed up and rammed my two side windows with an over-hanging ladder on a trailer behind their truck. I assumed that it was obvious that this was what happened.

Apparently not. The three (Hispanic) gentlemen said that they were PARKED in the lot, when I grazed their ladder, breaking my windows. NOOOO!!!! But it made me doubt my own sanity. They also argued that - if I was exiting the parking lot the way I said I was, then why was I so close to their truck? When they presented this argument on Friday, I was so sure that I am in the right that I dismissed the whole thing. After all, THEY backed into ME!!! Did they think I said to myself: "gee, the exit is over there, but I think I will freak out these guys in the painter's truck!!!" I could have been swinging wide of another passing vehicle.

So, let's see: three of them against one of me. No, I did not stop immediately - so they could have easily pulled up and turned off the engine and jumped out. The pictures that my husband took of the car show NO mark at all in front of the first side window - which is what I would have gotten if I would have grazed them. Instead, what I have is a broken window, obviously hit from somewhere in the middle. Then, the frame is gashed and there is one more broken window and a rip in the corner of the second door frame. It takes two to gash...

It is all so unfair. I also found out that it is going to take 2-3 WEEKS to fix my car. I was driving a rental car, but since I don't want to pay for 2-3 weeks worth of rental, my husband and I returned the car and he is now going to be my chauffeur. I don't know well at all how to drive a stick shift - and I am definitely too rattled to up my learning curve now. My husband is a trooper, though. He is going to try and argue my side to the claims agents, and he is going to drive me everywhere. He's great.

I have my Reading class tonight. I am soooo fed up with obligations and deadlines. Even deadlines I have chosen (such as completion of items I sold on E-Bay almost two weeks ago!) are stalled. I just want to go to bed and curl up in the fetal position. My students are annoying me, I am tired, and I don't want anything else to happen or to be expected of me. That's the bottom line.

I have had the energy to work on my new CafePress Shops. El Cantarito, or "the jug" is not a very popular Loteria card, but I have given it new life - cobalt blue life!!!! I love it!!! I also have many of my collages up, available as posters and prints and cards, etc. French Harlequin is understated, but the design and colors are great!!!