What's in your driveway?

The big boys are spending the week at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Woo-hoo!!! I have anticipated this week with some happiness. You know how it is. I love my kids to death, of course. I will miss them. But, man, there are some things I want to get done around the house. A couple of closets, straighten out the storage room... not to mention that after I clean the windows it will be a whole week before they're a schmeared up with fingerprints again.

Except. I seem to have strained a muscle in my lower back. (Remember that I had to carry Caleb everywhere for a week? It took its toll.) I'm having back spasms now, and it hurts. Jeff left me with strict instructions not to make the bed, not to unload or load the dishwasher, and to not do anything that will hurt. I've followed his orders, even though I gave serious consideration to doing it all. I'm being good.

The one thing that I had to do today was take our minivan to the body shop, where it will have some corrective surgery done.

Maybe you are wondering, "Why did you need to take your van to the shop, Teresa?"

Glad you asked. It's because I'm an idiot.

I hit a parked car.

Okay, here's how it happened. I was going to the gym. It was one of the first times I'd been in their parking garage, and it's a disaster. Very tight lanes, very small parking places. There was an enormous (huge!) SUV parked at the end of a row, and I was trying to negotiate around it, and managed to drag the right side of my van along its front bumper (is that the fender? I can never remember). The kids were all in the car with me. I didn't swear or yell or cry or anything. I'm such a good mommy (she says with at least some degree of sarcasm).

I left my information on its windshield. The owner called later. She was very nice. And told me she had just gotten her car out of the shop that morning. It had been in for two weeks after an accident that also wasn't her fault. She was moving in a week and was clearly distraught. I almost sent her flowers.

Anyway, my van's in the shop to repair the thousands of dollars of damage that I caused in a parking garage while driving less than three miles an hour. I. Am. Brilliant.

I'm driving this monster around right now. The big boys are going to be sorry they missed it. I just hope I don't hit any parked cars while I'm renting it.