A Day We Wont Forget...No matter how hard we try....

Life is all about how you look at it.
Good stuff happens - and you need to be quick to recognise it and be readily grateful for it.
And Bad stuff happens. And you need to look around you and remember that things could be worse.
Last night Sam slept fretfully, and awoke with whimpering at about midnight complaining of a clanging head. He was feverish and in need of panadol, but then slept through the night, and seemed not so bad in the morning. Eliza, however, slept through the night, but awoke claiming that she had felt sick in the night, and that her head was thumping....
We went down to the breakfast room where her first mouthful of juice was pretty promptly returned. However, she then went on to eat and drink (and has done all day), leading us to believe that it was the headache and temp leading her to an upset tummy. As the day has worn on, we believe that the cold they have all contracted seems to be related to ear problems. A visit to the doctor is on our tentative programme for tomorrow.
THIS, however, is not why the day will live on in our memories forever. That dubious honour belongs to the Mondeo. Our faithful new acquaintance that seems like an old friend. Or silver work horse which was due to be looked at on Thursday night for a likely sale. Our blessing in disguise (so much more economical than if we had bought one of our other choices.)
So, this worthy car pulled up at a round-about, on a dual lane roadway. We all sat there, the kids nursing their various headaches (Eliza sleeping, head slumped), Shane contemplating changing lanes, and me....I am not sure...listening to the radio and zoning out for a minute....when, BANG! We were thrown forward, then back, then....bang! Forward and back again. It was all so quick, and in the second that it took, one had time to think, 'What the...car crash...are we going to be okay?...this is unbelievable timing - we need to sell this car...', by which time, it was over. I turned around to check the kids, and was met by Lilli (with eyes the size of saucers) asking, "Was that a car crash?". I established that 'yes' it was and that we were all okay.
The culprit was an elderly woman,who was seventy five if she was a day. She had a passenger who looked even older, and both seemed calm, and most thankfully unhurt. She quite calmly said to me, "I don't know how that happened." Her car was amazingly unscathed. The plastic over her number plate was crazed, and there was an odd mark on the front of her bonnet. We figure now, that the second bump was her car coming our from under our car.
And the Mondeo?
Well, that poor old thing has probably seen it's last day. Her boot will no longer shut, and the structure of the boot is severely changed, with the latch no longer able to align with the snib on the lid. The bumber is a mess of broken platic, through which the foam can be seen, and the sides are pushed out a little at the back.
A couple of policemen came along and followed us around the corner, where there was quite literally a B and Q, to make sure that no stuff fell from our boot. It didn't. The back of the car is now closed up with gaffa tape and an occy strap. IT makes me feel sad when I look at it. Poor car - it didn't deserve to end its days like that.
This is of course presuming that it won't be fixed. I can't believe that it would be possible to repair all of that damage for less than a grand, which is definitely more than it is worth.
There are of course many things to be grateful for. Firstly, and most importantly, NO ONE WAS HURT.
You can't really top that one.
And the timing - well, if it was going to happen then now is better than in the first week, or even halfway through. We don't have the dilemma of whether or not to buy a new car.
Our heads were a little sore from the headbanging. And our nerves greatly shaken. Emotions raw. But about two hours down the road we were able to talk about it, beat by beat. Important - especially for Lilli who was mightily freaked out.
Now we just wait to hear back from our insurance agent tomorrow, to find out what the next step is.
So there you go.
A day we wont forget,...and a few days to come which are now highly uncertain. A disappointed buyer out there, and possibly the missing out of a a visit to Shakespeare's town, in order to visit garages. So be it. We are all here, and we are all okay. The trip has been excellent to say the very least and if this is the only thing that goes wrong - we count ourselves very blessed indeed.

Plus there is Sam's ultimate happiness still to come. Legoland.

Tonight we are holed up in a B and B in Oxford, where one feels that the price is as painful as today's crash, for the car business will eventually be sorted out, but this is money that will just be gone. Forever and unavoidable. (our change of plans meant a change of accommodation venues as well, and at five thirty at night, in the middle of a city where the cheap hotels are booked out and you only have about six numbers to call, and a three year old who is in real pain, you take what you can get)
I will end on the surprisingly pleasant note, that the weather today was beautiful, and tomorrow is supposed to be even better. Maybe 21degrees, which is probably about what it will be at home as well. We should be acclimatised on our arrival!
Goodbye for now, from those who are shaken, but not stirred.