Home, Sweet Home

My plan was to return home today and for a couple of days, I wasn’t sure I was going to feel like driving 10 hours. I told Vince I’d drive as far as I felt like driving, then stop and spend the night. I dropped Addie at school at 7:30 and started my trip. I got to Joplin, about 50 miles from Chad’s, and wondered if it was too early to stop for the night. At that point, I was hoping I’d make it to Oklahoma City but I made it all the way home.

Just east of Claremore, OK, there was a huge accident. Apparently no one was hurt but the news said the interstate was closed for 8 hours.

I came through as it was mostly cleaned up. The report I saw said the interstate was totally reopened by 10:30 and my picture was taken at 10.

One lane of the westbound lane was open but none of the eastbound lanes were open yet.

The tow trucks were still using the eastbound lanes as “contraflow” to haul pieces of the 18-wheeler tractor and trailer back towards Claremore or Tulsa .. not sure where they were going with it but it was kinda weird to see no traffic on the eastbound lanes.

The news reported that the driver had a blowout, the cab and part of the trailer crossed over the center median and no other accidents occurred. That is just amazing. Seeing the little bit I saw .. I figured there had to have been multiple accidents and serious injuries, especially since it happened after dark.

I think seeing that was unsettling enough that I stayed wide awake and payed attention . . all the way home.

Of course, I miss Chad, Nicole and Addie but it’s so nice to be home. I always knew there would come a time when I’d have to drive home feeling bad and today was that day. I think if I don’t stop coughing, Vince may send me back!