Well this day officially sucked

[bayonetbrant]

That's an awesome last week.

We've had to say goodbye to several critters over the years, and it's never easy.  We had a schnauzer in renal failure, a dalmatian with Cushing's, and a great dane who made it almost to 12 years old.  Our current guys are a 3-1/2 y/o Great Dane who is luvable lunk that always manages to be underfoot, and a 9-y/o cat who is quite the puking asshole.

[Gusington]

Is the cat's name Star?

[BanzaiCat]

Is the cat's name Star?

[bayonetbrant]

I gotta say yesterday wasn't as bad as Con's having to say goodbye to a great friend, but it was pretty shitty, as days go.  Not going to go into details here, but I don't wish one of those days on anyone

[Sir Slash]

Sorry to hear that Brant. When I used to have a bad night at work, depending how bad it got, I would  go into 'Survival' mode and try to just get through it. The next night would be better-- how could it not? After Hurricane Charlie in 2004, we were without power for 2 weeks. I cut tree limbs out of the yard in the morning, then go into work early to take a shower because we had no water, then work like a sled dog all night because it was summer and we were short of staff, then fill-up about 15 water jugs before driving 42 miles back home, then when I got home about mid-night, go out and fill-up the portable generator with gas to keep the food in the fridge from spoiling. No TV, no radio, no AC, no GAMING. There were no good days during that time but there were days that could've been at lot worse. I saw people that had no roof... or power, so I felt lucky. The good day was when I heard the hum that meant the power was back on and we had beat the worst Charlie had thrown at us.

[Con]

I am sorry to hear you are having a tough time as well Brant.  I really took solace in having a place to write what I was feeling since I couldn't really share it with my kids (they are too young to understand and strong emotions in their parents is supposed to be upsetting for them as well).  I come back and re read the post that I wrote on how Sully last week was and every time I read it and look at him it does make me feel better.  I went back to look at photos and I had forgotten all the great hikes and camping trips we did with him.  I am still grieving but I can feel that its getting significantly better each day and the memories of seeing him young and strong and happy bring a smile to me.
Con

[Gusington]

For me, whether mourning a great canine or human friend, it never goes away but the grief becomes a manageable part of your everyday shit.

BB I don't know wtf is going on with you but I hope things get better.

[Con]

So minding my own business while waiting to make a left turn into a parking lot.  Low and behold I see an 18 wheeler truck trying to turn from the lane to my right to go into the southbound lane past me.  I muse to myself that he looks like he cut that turn awfully tight and then I watch as his back tires of his trailer climb up over my car crushing it like a tin can while simultaneously dragging me backwards into the brand new chevy truck that was behind me also waiting to turn into the lot.

So lots of splintering plastic and metal sounds later I kick my way out of the car luckily no injuries but the car looks like it could possibly be a total wreck.  So through no fault of my own apart from legally being in the wrong place at the wrong time I now have to deal with maybe having to buy a new car when that was the last thing we needed financially was this since  my wife is quitting full time work to go back to school for her PhD.

with a big dose of luck the assessor will declare the car fit for repair and not a write off otherwise we will have to cross that bridge when we come to it.  The bottom line is I am ok the kids were not in the car with me and if the driver of the truck had cut his turn a half second later I wouldn't be worrying about buying a new car because his back tires would have climbed through my windshield onto me thus causing my health insurance to kick in.  However this summer of Hell is going into the record books

Con

[Gusington]

Jesus...glad you are ok. Wouldn't you rather it declared a total loss as not to have to deal with any issues in the future? In January I was praying the assessor would write off my car (even though I loved it) and luckily he did.

[Steelgrave]

Damn! Glad you are ok, brother. I had an aunt who watched helplessly as an 18 wheeler rolled backwards into her car, smashing it and forcing her backwards into another car before stopping. Damn student drivers!!!

Hopefully the trucking company is well insured. With any luck, you might be a new rig owner.

[mirth]

Jesus...glad you are ok.

+1

[Con]

I am honestly still undecided what is the better course of action re write off or repair.

This next year will be very tight financially for us between my wife going back to school and having to pay for twin boys 4 days a week at pre K in an expensive town just outside of Boston.  The car was in excellent condition, ran great I looked after it very well all maintenance etc upto date and had just put several thousand into it a couple of months ago for preventative stuff like new headlights etc.  So I felt pretty confident I could get another three years out of it.  So if they can fix it then I am leaning to getting it back.  On the other hand if the frame is bent then there is no way this car will ever run well again plus now it had a major accident on its title it will be hard to sell privately and for future trade in value the dealership will know I am between rock and a hard place.  Between the price of replacing it with the newest model and what I would get for it from my insurance I am out of pocket about 30K.  So its not an easy decision yet.  Really pissed that all that insurance I pay even when there is nothing I did wrong wont actually get me back into a similar car.  Somehow that feels wrong to me but I guess I have never had a major accident before otherwise I wouldn't be surprised at the royal screwing I am now receiving.

Con

[Con]

I am really OK surprisingly blase about how close I came to a pretty bad outcome but for someone who is a worrier (myself)  dodging this bullet really hasn't bothered me.  I will say I did go to the local brewery (after this was all said and done and I had finished putting in the insurance claim) with a colleague from work who drove me home and had two very satisfying flambec ales.

I honestly dont know what I will get out of the truck drivers insurance I am guessing it wont be anew car though.  He is a Russian living in Alabama and just wasn't concentrating on the road because he was unfamiliar with this area in Boston.  It wasn't malicious or due to drinking etc it was a true accident.  Still it sucks.

Con

[bayonetbrant]

holy balls dude.  glad you're OK and not for nothing, but I'd totally file suit against the driver/company to cover the difference between whatever the insurance is giving you and what the replacement cost of the car would be

[BanzaiCat]

Damn, Con. Glad you're okay and nobody got hurt.

I once witnessed a guy pull out of a parking lot right under an 18-wheeler's trailer, and its back wheels of course ran right over the engine compartment of his car, flattening it. I think the guy was drunk, but damn, it just underlines how much damage those behemoths can do. Especially if their driver isn't experienced or all that good a driver.