One of My Nine Lives

Jeffrey, my husband, always said I was more cat than human. If so, I lost one of my nine lives yesterday. On my way back to Spike's house, in the little community of Niwot, I just missed being hit by a car. I had left the bus stop at the Diagonal, and was walking east on the north side of Niwot Road. I was walking on the sidewalk; I was wearing a fire-engine red T-shirt, faded jeans, and sneakers; I was highly visible in the sunshine.

I admit I was looking at two bicyclists in the east-bound bike lane; I was not looking specifically at Franklin Street, which I began to cross. I could see with my peripheral vision that the way was clear; I could also hear the approaching sound of a vehicle's tires - but it didn't really concern me, because there was a stop sign on Franklin, before one turns onto Niwot Road. Stupid me! I expected the driver to obey the traffic laws. My eyes were still on the bicyclists on the other side of the road; I stepped into the street and was aware that the vehicle approaching me was slowing. I continued to cross the street, glancing at the on-coming vehicle - it was a large black SUV - that's all that registered. I looked back at the bike riders, continuing to cross Franklin. My brain registered the fact that the SUV was now accelerating, not slowing to stop. I looked over my shoulder, as I was more than half way across the lane, and realized that the driver was not going to stop, was, in fact, speeding up, and that if I didn't throw myself forward, I'd be struck full force by the bumper and grill. I yelled as I threw myself forward. The young blonde driver, wearing sunglasses, opened her mouth in an "O" shape, and hit the gas even harder. I landed just clear of the SUV's tires, on my hands and knees, in the middle of Franklin Street. I looked over my shoulder and watched the blonde drive through a red light to get across the Diagonal, and then run another red to turn towards Boulder.

I have a mild case of road rash and bruises on my knees; my hands were spared because I was carrying a Sunflower grocery bag, and I somehow managed to land with that under my hands.
Talk about an adrenaline rush!! I finally calmed down and started shaking about 8 pm - and the near-accident happened at 4:30. Spike got extra cuddling, snuggling, and loving last night. I head on home to my kits late this morning.

Gov. Palin is appearing at the JeffCo Fairgrounds this morning - the GOP just cancelled the Pancake Breakfast part of it. One local news station is reporting that a mother with a young special needs child arrived at the gates at 4 a.m., so she could get a seat. - Poor misguided creature!

Senator Obama is appearing this afternoon at the state Fairgrounds in Pueblo; tomorrow he'll give a speech at the School of Mines (which I think is in Golden). All I know is that the evening news casts are sponsored by nothing but political commercials right now - and the majority are from 527s (special interests groups). Some are laughable, some are funny, some are downright irritating - but if these folks want to pay for air-time, that's fine with me - I usually press the "Mute" button as soon as they start.