525,600 Minutes . . .

Yesterday, November 14th, was the anniversary of the car accident I was in last year.  It seems like a very long time ago, now, and yet, while I was at a large Christmas market yesterday way out in Grundy County, I dealt all day with the effects of the PTSD that I carry as my lingering reminder.

I managed it pretty well - my normal breathing exercises and coping skills worked pretty well for me this time, although I did have to leave some of the buildings - in fact, I was hugely relieved every time I was able to get back outside of every one of them.  Unfortunately, the fair - the 3 French Hens French Country Market's Holiday Market - was not well laid out and merchants and vendors were jammed in to both buildings and tents in such a way as to leave almost no room for a center traffic aisle to walk down.  In addition, there was only one way in/out in all locations (although one merchant took pity on me and let me slide out the back of one of the tents at their stall).

I know they manage building, tent, and outdoor vendor entrances and exits for theft avoidance and control, but if there had been an emergency in any one of those buildings or tents, it would not have been pretty.  I mean, think about it - stall after stall of highly flammable items jammed into a fair building or tent that was itself jammed with far too many people - and in the buildings only one SMALL (regular door size) entrance/exit . . .

I'm surprised I did as well as I did.

It was more an antique/Christmas market, and nearly all the Christmas stuff was "antique" in some way, either actually old, or the Shabby Country Chic look, where things and fabrics look sort of rusty/seriously faded/weatherbeaten.  That style was the order of the day and pretty much every vendor had, if not the same stuff, the same look.  It's not my style.  I love Shabby Chic as much as the next person - but the chic part was missing yesterday and most stuff just looked shabby and used to me.  I would have liked some variety in the offerings.

I don't think I ever have to go to this particular Christmas market again . . .

The good news, is that I made it out of there without spending any money (except on some food items)  :-D  That's a first!!

Some of the food there was good - some Mennonite folks from Shipshewana were there so I got some bread and butter pickles which were really good.  I got some kettle corn because it's usually amazing, but this stuff wasn't even a patch on what we get at the Michigan Fiber Festival.  Thankfully the bag was not giant. I had some yesterday afternoon and threw the rest away.  The other interesting food item I got was a cupcake in a jar, which has layers of cupcake alternated with layers of filling (in my case, strawberry) and then frosting on the top, all tucked in to a small, straight-sided Mason jar.  It looked better than it tasted, and, of course, was a sugar bomb so I'm feeling pretty lucky this morning that my joints are not aching.  I also got some dip mixes, as did my friend, C.  The ones I got were for my cousin's husband R., who loves stuff like that, and who was planting my two little bare whip trees in my back yard yesterday morning.

I wish I had taken some photos to share with you - unfortunately, I was so focused on keeping myself together in the crowds that I never thought to pull out my phone.  I did see at least one interesting idea for my own Christmas decorating using a small birdcage, so that was great and I'm going to try it.  And, it was also great to be able to catch up with my friend, C., who met me out there.  We don't get to catch up as much as either of us would like because we live on opposite ends of the city now.  Oh - and sorry to the very short woman whom I apparently kept bumping with my purse in an effort to move past her every time I thought there was an opportunity but there wasn't.  She was pretty irritated with me.  I hope she's over it by now.

It's been a year - and, in my experience thus far, the first year after a life-altering event is always the hardest.  I am definitely changed from who I was a year ago, but I'm still standing, and I still believe that everything happens for a reason.  What happened to me was awful.  But I was so, so lucky. I was injured, but mobile.  My bruises and my eye have healed.  My new car was totaled, but I have a newer - and safer - car.  I hobbled away from a serious car accident, and have healed and lived my life this last year.  I didn't always live it well, but I did my best.

It's time to keep moving forward . . .

Happy New Year

:-)




Comments

Liz said…
I'm happy to hear you got out and about even if it wasn't the best day. Staying home and focusing on the accident would have made things worse. Too bad there wasn't yarn to look st!
A :-) said…
I didn't really think about it all that much until I sat down to write, and then processed a lot of what I was feeling and how well I did at the market. Sure wish it had been laid out better . . .

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