Goodbye Element

An interruption to this Blog happened. This text was published in Facebook. Yes, I'm still here, but my Honda Element...is probably gone. 

Around 7 PM this evening (Jan. 16) I was in a moderately severe car accident. I was driving my usual route and speed on Route 7 in Tysons Corner when a car suddenly appeared to my left on a perpendicular trajectory going across the big road. This is an unlit crossroads with no sign markers. I had no time to stop and I smashed my car into theirs, my left front fender against their right front fender. My orange Element was severely damaged and may not be repairable. Unusually and thankfully, I had only minor injuries, bruised knees and nothing else so far. The police were on the scene immediately and did all the information gathering and reports in a very professional way. The policeman even let me sit in the back of his car to stay warm. I called my friend Helen with whom I had been sipping coffee and shopping and she came to pick me up. This was a very scary event and I am still shaken up by it, also giving thanks for my luck that I was not hurt more - the airbag did not inflate. I regret and mourn the loss of my trusty orange Honda Element which has served me so diligently for the last 11 years. As for the other drivers, the policeman judged them at fault for the accident and the insurance will settle things appropriately. Now safe at home I am sipping some of Tommy Lee's excellent Scotch and thinking about what car will come next. Many thanks to the help of the professionals, civilized people doing their jobs.

Photograph from 2015.