OH! The Poor Deer!

So, my friend Patty and I were driving five teenagers, including Matthew, to French Creek Outdoor School, about 1.5 hours away. We were talking about hitting deer, and I told her the story of the time Marty and I were driving an all-nighter up to Idaho when Anne was only 9months old. A deer had hit the side of our Blazer and flipped in the air coming down in front of the car so we could hit it again. It was horrible.....but the most frightening part was I had just taken off my seatbelt to go back to a fussy Anne. I was leaning over the front seat like a cannon aimed at the windshield, trying to put some lullaby music on for her, when Marty yelled, "Deer!"

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I looked up to see what I descibed above. The most amazing thing was: Marty never put the brake on. He just plowed throught the deer. WE KNOW it was our guardian angels watching out for us....my head should have been in that windshield. We drove a few miles, and then pulled over. I was sobbing, thinking of my motherless child. I have been a seatbelt nut since I was 16 years old....long before it was a law. To have almost died that way, was beyond me.

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I mention to Patty that we have never been hit, or been hit by one since then.........

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..........until.....

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.........less than 24 hours after our conversation....

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I am out on the road early with Garrett and Anne, to take him to meet someone who is driving him up to the same camp, and her to school at the college. Matthew had to go a day earlier for training as a counselor. We are about one mile from home, when a very large doe jumps out of the brush, about five feet from our car, as I am already passing her. Her body hit the side of the car where the panel over the tire resides, and her head got whacked against the windshield. It was such a loud thump. So much muscle. Poor deer! I looked in the rearview mirror, and apparently, she bounced off of the car, and then ran off into the brush on the oppsite side of the road, where she had been intending to go. She was not even limping. That made me feel better. I pray she is okay, she was so beautiful. A fine speciman.....and probably someone's momma.

I drove up the road, pulled over and viewed the damage. So much muscle is right! And her head cracked the windshield, too. The damage is noted below in the photo. I was driving the Honda, which Marty bought for me to use whenever we could all fit, to save on gas money. I actually hardly ever drive the big car anymore. That means it should last longer....I am glad, I just LOVE my new car! I digress. I took the Honda home and exchanged it for the Yukon XL. But first, I went in to tell Marty what had happened....like he needed just one more thing added to his to-be-taken-care-of list! It just never ends! Poor guy!

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He drove it for me last night....to see how it was functioning. He says I can use it again. Now, we need to decide if we drive around a dent-up car, or put out the money to fix an old Honda. Knowing Marty, he will tolerate for only a little while, and then go get it fixed. Anne is bummed....this was to be her commuting car for school.

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Now I feel kind of gun-shy, (or, is that DEER-shy?) driving my new car around, on the lookout for deer. :)

(By the way, a reader mentioned it looked like blood all over the hood.....it is a reflection of my pretty Garnet Yukon XL standing near by :) )