Friday, February 20, 2009

Daughter Comes To Visit

My daughter came over Wednesday night for a visit and we've been having a good time. We've talked, played Guitar Hero, talked, watched a couple movies (Mama Mia and High School Musical), talked, played with Hannah the puppy, talked, worked on a jigsaw puzzle, talked.

Did I mention we've talked? We are both big on talking. I can talk the ears off anyone. Cashiers, strangers.. basically anyone I run across when I go out of my apartment.

Last year I posted about a time my apartment manager came by for a routine inspection. She did a quick walk through, then tried to leave. But I was still talking. As she kept trying to edge her way out my door, giving me a STFU look(If you don't know what that is, then don't ask) I kept talking. She was able to finally make an escape.

I may not have to have an inspection this year.

Not too long after I'd posted that I was telling my daughter about it during a phone call. She said she was the same way. She told me she gets so excited to have anyone over the age of six talking to her that she gets all twitchy and darn near pees her pants.

So, anyway.. we've been talking. Some of it has been fun and some has been quite serious. A couple of you can make a good guess at what the serious talk is about. And, of course, there has been a lot of "remembering when" kind of talk.

One thing in particular comes to mind.

If I recall correctly, she was sixteen-ish and was having trouble breathing due to her asthma. She drove herself to the doctor's office for a breathing treatment. She was grounded though and I'd told her she was only allowed to go there and then come straight back home.

The time I expected her to be back came and went. More time came and went. She'd left late afternoon and it was dark now. I went from pissed to worried.

Then there was a knock on my door. To my surprise it was my ex-husband. My daughter was standing behind him. And she was wet. More wet than the drizzling rain outside could have made her.

He said, "Barb.. don't get mad. She's OK." Then he told me..

Although it was only drizzling rain that night, there had been a lot of rain over the past few days. On the way home, daughter had decided to stop by a park's river to see how high the water was. As she was turning the car around near a boat ramp, the tires lost traction in the mud.

My daughter.. and my car.. had gone sliding into the river. Luckily the car hadn't gone all the way under. The tires hit an obstruction underwater and had come to a stop. Still.. half of it WAS underwater. At a diagonal tilt.. front end down. Trunk in the air.

Daughter had climbed out a window, found a pay phone and called her dad. (Smart choice there. Haha!) Dad came with a tow truck, got the car out of the river and taken it to a garage.. and brought daughter home to me.

After the recounting had been done I looked at my ex. I looked at my daughter. She had been whispering "I'm sorry" the whole time ex had been telling me what happened.

I said to her, "Ya know. As I sat here waiting for you to come home I was thinking a lot of things. I'd thought maybe you'd gone off to visit some friends. I'd thought "this or that" (I don't remember what else I said. I've blocked it out probably.) But never.. NEVER.. Did it occur to me that you had driven my friggin' (I didn't say friggin') car into the RIVER!!!"

And I was laughing.

I'm pretty sure that's not the reaction she'd expected. But the whole thing was just so far removed from something a parent would expect a child to do, I couldn't help myself.

Maybe if she'd had a GPS device for the car (that she may have found on sale somewhere)..???? Nah. Those are pretty spiffy things and me and hubby do have one that's invaluable when we travel.. but I don't think they tell you when a river is flooding. And they sure don't tell you when to expect your kids to do.. um.. unusual things.

Oh! I did get my car back after the lines had been flushed a few times and after it had dried out. It never did smell quite right again though.

6 comments:

Carolina said...

Oh my gosh, lots of LOL again! Thanks for that. Lucky escape your daughter made there. Phew!

Anonymous said...

Gee, I can't imagine what it's like to talk & talk & talk...I seem to remember a friend of mine trying to have dinner with her husband one afternoon... Hmm...
It sounds like you two have had a good time. That's wonderful to hear.

Lucy said...

hahaha That story is just too funny! How could u not laugh! It sounds like you two still have a great relationship skits! i think that's great!

Misty DawnS said...

Got news for ya on the GPS - it can NOT find my address - so, you'll just have to ask me directions... no, wait - ask HUBS directions. Seriously - according to GPS devices... Middle of Nowhere Turn Left at the Cow (more specifically MY road) does NOT exist.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you had fun with your daughter. Hopefully the two of you get more opportunities to get together.

Jan said...

Oh wow! Thank God she was ok!! I'm a big talker too...at times! So I can totally relate. hehe