January is fast coming to a close. I've often considered January a long, cold, and dark month. This year has been an exception. The temperature has been above average. We didn't have any snow until last Wednesday when we had a heavy wet snowfall that has melted since. Yesterday, the temperature was almost 50, odd for the middle of winter in Indiana.
During most of the month, we have dealt with an unplanned event. On January 4, we were waiting for oncoming traffic before making a left-hand turn into our subdivision when we heard a loud bang. I said, "What was that?" but instantly knew we had been hit from behind. The driver of the car that hit us was a very young lady. She must have been distracted because there was a passing lane she could have taken to go around us as we waited to turn. She apologized several times, and I felt some compassion for her as this was her first accident. How long has she had a driver's license, I wondered.
We exchanged information and, nine days later, had an appointment to get an estimate. Several places didn't have appointments for the next several weeks, so we felt fortunate to get an early date. The collision shops must have more business than they can handle. The damage estimate was more than $9,000. The following Monday, the insurance company said our 2008 Nissan Maxima was a total loss. We had driven more than 229,000 miles in it. Fortunately, the car was drivable. We taped the rear signal lights to ensure they didn't fall off. The brake lights and turn signals still worked, and we continued our usual routines but had to also look for a replacement vehicle.
A week later, we had leads on two possibilities. Ray and I headed to the used car lot at the Nissan dealership to look at a 2013 Altima with only 46,000 miles. After a test drive, we committed to purchasing it and didn't bother to look at the other car that had 100,000 more miles than this one. Last Monday, we drove home with our new Altima. Several hours later, our Maxima was picked up from our driveway. We replaced the battery only a month earlier, so I'm hoping someone gets some use from it.
 |
| Rear End Damage |
 |
| Taped Tail Light |
 |
| Warped Trunk Frame |
 |
| Ray arrives home with the new Altima |
Besides our concerns about our transportation needs, we had time to spend an afternoon with Kylie and Steven at the Indiana Historical Society's Festival of Trees. We enjoyed lunch in the cafe and wandered the three floors to see all 75 decorated trees. We visited on the last day of the 2022 Festival, as did many others. Officially, that was the end of the Christmas season for me.
 |
| We took advantage of the photo opportunity. |
I have to share one more story regarding our new car. Last Tuesday, I left for a run, planning to end at Anytime Fitness, only about two miles from our house. We had done this several times before. Ray would drive to join me at the gym. We both would do our workouts and then go home together. But this time, Ray didn't show up on time, and as the minutes passed, I grew increasingly concerned. Finally, I had to run back home to see what was happening. As I drew close to our house, I could see the garage door open and the car parked in the garage. Ray explained that he couldn't start the Altima. I found the quick start guide for the car and learned that you need to step on the brake to start the ignition process. When we took our test drive, the car was already running, and the same thing happened when we picked up the car on Monday morning. Nobody thought to tell us how to start the car. Our older 2008 vehicle didn't have this process. I was relieved that Ray hadn't fallen ill or forgotten to pick me up from the gym. All ended well, and now enjoying a good laugh!
