Spinning out.

I hit a patch of ice or something on the road today. Maybe it was some oil. Maybe at 45 miles per hour I hydroplaned. Spun out. Well first I swerved a bit, then spun. Ended up perpendicular to the road, staring at a big oak tree that was about 6 inches from my front bumper.

The strangest thing was the silence. There wasn't any sound when my car started just going where it wanted to. I didn't make a sound. Maybe I said "hmm." I can't really remember. But I just sort of stayed calm.

Thought maybe a tire went out or something at first. You could say I wasn't thinking straight. I put on my hazards and checked. Everything was fine of course, my car just slipped. Nobody stopped to check and see if I was okay. I was glad I wasn't stuck out in the country with no cell reception, I tell you what.

So I got back in my car, started it up, thanked the gods for watching out for me, and drove like a grandma the rest of the way home. Very stressful drive, I tell you what. I'm pretty shook up. But I made it. I feel pretty lucky.

Some of the not freaking out at the time was shock. Some of it, I think, was experience dealing with horses, who sometimes will go where they want instead of where you expect them to. At great speeds. Hah. And when that happens, you HAVE to stay calm, you absolutely HAVE TO. To freak out when on the back of a horse is to invite a big wreck.

I'll update about my day tomorrow probably when I have calmed down a bit. For right now, I have a glass of mead under my belt, and I think it was a good choice.