Back from the Fair!

I'm finally back from my whirlwind trip to Atlanta. I had SO MUCH FUN!! I'll be posting some pictures soon. I ended up attending 6 seminars, which were all excellent. I learned so much that I could take back with me and immediately start using at Kindred Spirits. I got to watch a lot of the grooming competitions during the breaks between seminars too. It was so interesting. I just wish that I could go to grooming school NOW!! I brought back a lot of good literature and handouts to use everyday. The weather in Atlanta was absolutely beautiful. I couldn't have asked for better weather. It was nearly 70 degrees and sunny everyday. Casey and I decided to go out for a fancy dinner on Saturday night. We ended up at the Cheesecake Factory. It was absolutely divine. I had the four cheese pasta and for dessert we had the Godiva chocolate cheescake. Needless to say, Casey and I waddled back out to the car. We took our leftovers back to the room with us. There had been a mix up with our reservation, so we ended up in a suite at no extra charge!! We had our own little mini kitchen, microwave, and refrigerator. So, we ate the leftovers on Saturday night, and believe me, there were plenty!! After I finished my last 2 seminars on Sunday morning, we stopped for lunch at my very favorite place . After lunch, as much as we didn't want to, we headed for home.

As we pulled into the driveway, we received a call that involved some rather bad news concerning Casey's cousin Andrew and his fiance', Lupe. I've talked about them both here before after we spent the weekend with them at his aunt's house back in January (See the Whoosh post from Jan. 18th, 2005). Andrew is in the army and scheduled to be deployed to Iraq in June. Anyway, we received the news that Andrew and Lupe had been involved in a bad car accident on Saturday night, and Lupe had been killed instantly. They were hit by a drunk driver. Andrew was driving their car and escaped with only minor injuries. He loved Lupe so much and we are all absolutely devastated. Lupe was only 23. Such a brilliant life taken away all too soon. She was a wonderful girl, got along great with us all, and we just loved her. Below is the article from the local paper in Clarksville, TN.

Article published Mar 7, 2005 Charges pending in fatal wreck

By CHANTAL ESCOTO The Leaf-Chronicle

A 20-year-old Clarksville man might face charges in connection with a woman's death after his 1992 Honda Accord crashed into the car she was in Saturday night, police said.

The impact split the 1999 Honda Civic in two and killed Guadalupe Aguilar, 23, of Tynewood Drive. Her fiance, Andrew Bond, 25, was driving, said Officer Jimmy Dill, of Clarksville Police Department's Fatal Accident Crash Team.

Bond was turning left onto Ringgold Road about 9:15 p.m. Saturday, when the Accord, driven by Fernando Ruiz Hernandez of 2871 Fort Campbell Blvd., hit his car, Dill said.

The officers said Hernandez ran a red light on Fort Campbell Boulevard. Speed did not appear to be a factor, but Hernandez might have been drinking alcohol, Dill said.

"The impact hit on her door and spun around" Dill said. "It wasn't so much he was speeding, but he just hit a weak spot in the car."

Aguilar, originally from New Mexico, was living with Bond, who is a soldier at Fort Campbell, Dill said. Both were wearing seat belts. Bond and Hernandez received minor injuries and were treated and released.

Aguilar died at the scene.

Dill described the wreck as chaotic.

"I've never seen a car ripped in half like that. It was one of the worst ones I've seen," Dill said.

Hernandez, who is from Mexico but living in Clarksville, was charged and held in the Montgomery County Jail for driving with no license, having no insurance, and possession and consumption of alcohol under 21. Dill said he expects to get blood-alcohol test results in about two weeks to determine if more charges will be filed.

My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends at this time. May she be granted peace. They are also with Andrew at this time. I hope that with time he will too find peace and be able to move forward.