Good-bye, OldLadyMobile

At the time, I didn't have the presence of mind to snap a photo of the car, what with all the police cars and rescue vehicles everywhere and questions from paramedics to answer, so this photo of the police report is the only memento I have of today's biggest event. Just about the time I was expecting Liz home from school, she called. "Mom, I was in a car acccident." Gulp. As she was stopped to make a left turn, a car, traveling at 45-50 miles per hour, rear-ended her. Judging by her voice on the phone, I could tell she was okay, but still when I got to the accident site (a couple miles from home) and saw the back bumper of our Buick squashed all the way into the back seat, the fear rose in my throat. Thank God the younger kids weren't with her, as they usually are, filling up that back seat with chatter and bookbags and band instruments. What a relief to find Liz sitting in the ambulance, shaking with reaction but otherwise perfectly normal and healthy.The driver of the other car, a girl only a year or so older than Liz, was taken away in the ambulance, but I think she was only slightly injured--sore neck, a bitten tongue. The Buick, however, is a total loss. No way to fix a car whose hindmost part is no longer the bumper but a fully-exposed muffler. I'm going to miss that old gal--she's been good to us. But, considering that a similar accident Monday in the exact same spot gave a man a broken neck, I'd say our losses are trifling.