1:40 p.m.
Thank you MOMS!
The MOMS Club of Salt Lake has been taking care of us this week. They've fed us very well, and even sent over a load of kitchen and bath items. Thank you so much!
Diet?
My parents have both lost weight in the past 19 days. This has to be the extreme method of dieting and decluttering combined. Still, I think I've gained weight, and Drew has twice as many clothes as she used to. No fair!
More cleaning-out of the house
My mom keeps saying, "I think after today we'll be done," but there really isn't that much left to do. If any would-be looters go in there now, they'll likely die of mold poisoning (and it would serve them right, too!)
How mamy exclamation points can I use in one small paragraph?!?
Jennifer & Lyman's good friend Dempsey Bowling works at Doug Smith Autoplex in American Fork and volunteered to be my personal car shopper. He's totally awesome! Today he called with the perfect car! It's a Subaru Legacy with everything that we needed (although Hunter is going to whine that there's a tape player instead of a CD.) I've never bought a car outright before and it was almost bizarre to write a check and walk out with the keys. I also learned while I was there that I snuck in under the noses of several other salesmen who had people looking for a car like that, so extra extra thanks to Dempsey for nabbing it for me! Yay! Now my mom can have her car back!
P.S. I caught a cold, but cannot blame anyone because I knowingly kissed a sick baby. It was worth it. Sonora is such a sweetie, she can give me a cold any time she likes.
After repeatedly being asked, I made a book wish list at Amazon.com. It can be found by moving your mouse pointer over the image of a "gift" near the top ofthe screen, and entering my email address (ladanea at gmail dot com). I am also going to be using this list to order from. If you can find these books somewhere else (such as half.com) for less money, please just email me and I'll take them off the list.
11:30 p.m.
The news report from KSL.
12:45 a.m.
Yipee! The police nabbed the looters! Ben went on guard duty and found a car driving back and forth on the street, honking as it went by our house, as if trying to alert someone. The police showed up immediately with three cars and a dog! Totally awesome! They got three guys that were already inside! I hope they throw the book at them.
More looters. These people make my blood boil! Even boarding-up the windows doesn't work because they kick in or pull off the boards and go in anyway. Once inside they don't find much (an old coil of plastic thread for a long-gone weed whacker? huh?) and just make a huge mess of things. Last night they pulled over the two bookshelves of burned books that I was going through to write down titles so that I could determine what needs replacing. They went through drawers and knocked over a refrigerator, then went out back and broke down the locked door to our shed and made a mess in there, too. It hadn't even burned! I am tempted to go back and play security guard again tonight, but I'm worried that if someone showed up I would go ballistic on them. Really, officer, I didn't mean to kill the guy, but he was trying to steal some worthless stuff from my parents' burned-out house...
Tomorrow I'm going to play taskmaster and make my kids finish sorting through and cleaning up the many clothes that they have been given. They're getting bored, but I ordered new math books today so they should have that to do soon enough. Muahahahahaha!
Thoughts on Refurnishing and Replacing Things
My little family had the greatest percentage of things burned-up and totally lost (as in, "Wasn't there a desk where that pile of rubble is now?") but what we had was not nearly as valuable nor as numerous as the things my parents lost to smoke and water damage, and some to fire. Since it was their home and we are only living there out of their great kindness and desire not to see us in a homeless shelter, I want to see as little as possible of their insurance reimbursement funds going to replace my stuff. There were a few things that were valuable, but most of what we had was just second-hand stuff anyway.
I'm picky about a very few things - a TV with AV inputs, a computer I built myself, an aversion to pastel-colored clothing, for example - but honestly my kids and I have had many opportunities to recognize that there are so many things in life that aren't worth spending extra money on just to get the latest fashion. To put it another way, I have only been in Nordstrom once in the past 20 years, and that was just to go along with a friend who was picking up a skirt. I have the same attitude toward most furnishings, and am happier with an old bookcase from a friend than something nifty and new.
My point, then, is that I'm going to slowly alter the list here (below) of things that we will need to replace and would like to find second-hand or dirt cheap again. My parents get to spend their insurance money on nice new furnishings and decorating for their home, after it is built. In the meantime, this list will become something that you can come back to later when you think, "Hey, I've got that old couch in the basement that's taking up space..." or "Check out the chest of drawers I found at a garage sale for $5!"
Updated List of Things We NeedBarbara - Basic pantry and kitchen items, sewing kit
David - Filing cabinet
Duncan - Cub Scout Wolf Handbook, neckerchief & slide, Cub Academic and Sports manual, rollerblades or Heelies, a football
Hunter - Boy Scout Handbook, rollerblades or Heelies
Drew - Jazz shoes/boots to fit size 1.5/2, Junior Girl Scouts Handbook and Badge Book, Junior Girl Scouts vest
We have received so much that there is no possible way to thank everyone for all the amazing gifts and all the love that has been shown to our family. We are forever grateful to everyone who has touched our lives in even the smallest way during the past two weeks. It has been a most humbling experience.
Surprise! There really is an updated list following today's entry. I know, I'm slow and really uncomfortable asking for help.
Happy Mother's Day everyone! I hope everyone gets and gives lots of hugs today, and remembers to be grateful for life and for each other. Everything else in life is just stuff and doesn't really matter.
Day 12 - Sunday
Lady - my dad's dog - got to go to church today. There wasn't anyone to ask to take her on short notice this morning (Oops! We forgot!) so she sat with my dad through all the meetings - mostly out in the hall. I bet if anyone else had brought their dog to church they would have been politely asked to leave, but how can you tell the nice "elderly" man whose house just burned down that his dog needs to stay home? Now I wonder how many parents are going to have a hard time explaining to their kids that Fido can't come to church next week...
Thanks to Jennifer and Lyman for hosting our family Mother's Day dinner at their home. The weather was perfect for grilling chicken and eating outside, and the kids managed not to drive anyone crazy - yet. Jennifer taught Rose how to make a killer chocolate pie out of avocado, too! Yum!
After dinner, some of the family - including my mom! - watched news reports from the day of the fire (isn't DVR awesome?) I'm still fuming that there was ever any report of possible "children playing with matches." GROWL Oh sure, no one is going to believe the mom who says her kids would never play with matches. Those same people don't know their own kids half as well as I know mine (homeschool has lots of side benefits), don't know how much we all hated going in that garage, and don't know my kids' past experience with fire. If they had been home and actually had any free time that day they're far too smart to choose playing with matches in a spooky, cold, smelly garage over the chance to play on the xbox. Duh! Besides, they're all such tattletales I'm sure I would have heard about it within 5 minutes. NO, no one in our family was playing with matches. The boys did get up early and sneak downstairs - I heard them whispering and then caught them playing their most recent favorite game on the xbox. They all spent the rest of the morning working frantically to finish their homework before we had to leave. We hadn't been home for at least two hours when it started, and the investigators told me right off that it wasn't a smoldering fire. I have my own theory, if they're done blaming my children (who were 50 miles away at the time) and want to hear it.
My favorite thing that was reported in the news was all the ammunition that was going off inside the house. Gasp! It made for a great story and sure, something was exploding in there. Funny thing, though, I found only one spent shell afterward. I did find the remains of cases of aerosol cans (which had been full of an expensive machine lubricant) that my dad had stored on a top shelf in my office and school room. Ever heard an aerosol can explode? I'm betting it sounds something like a gunshot.
Whew! I need to stop fuming now. I think I'll go eat another piece of pie.
Day 11 - Saturday
It looks like my dad's old new laptop is now my mom's new laptop, is wireless enabled, and works just fine! It was in the one place that was not damaged by fire or water, and was rescued and put away. I have been trying very hard not to overuse it ever since I discovered it! And to think a few months ago I didn't even know what war driving is... *flex*
I did manage to find almost all of the lost library books for awesome prices at Amazon and Half.com, and should be able to get them all replaced very soon. Being unable to reserve or renew books online due to $300 in fines is almost as frustrating as not having computer access at all. I really am a library addict!
Updated List of Things We Need
-- moved to most recent post --
Missed another day in there, didn't I?
Day 10
11:00 p.m.
Yeah, that time is correct. Poor Jen & Lyman. They may never get to bed on time again.
In that light, here's a quick update: Somehow the order for a bed for my parents did not quite get communicated correctly, so we're back at the hotel for another night. The guys who moved-in the rest of the furniture today were obviously very good at what they do. I've moved a lot of times, but never with anything remotely close to that skill or efficiency. Still, I'd like to hope for not too many more occasions to work on that particular skill.
Drew took 6th overall at her meet. Woohoo! Go Drew!
11:30 a.m.
We're working on getting the utilities set up at the new place. We may be able to get it all done this afternoon and not have to spend another night at the hotel. I think this means I have to start cleaning my own bathroom again...
Apparently a looter finally managed to get past our security last night, but I don't think there was too much left in there that was valuable to anyone but us.
Tonight is a gymnastics meet for Drew. Life certainly goes on - faster than you'd think! I have to say thank you to Cindy K. for letting Drew use her daughter's competition leotard. That was the one gym thing that we lost. Also, many many thanks to all the wonderful people at the gym who have donated clothes and other things to our family. I have to laugh because Drew now has a leotard collection to rival Shireen K.!
Day 9
We were able to secure the little house on Browning Ave, so it looks like we'll be moving in there in the next day or so! Yay!
Thank you to the Soulliers and Wilma M. for delicious dinners! Thank you also to my sister Sylvia and to Kathryn L. for washing and rewashing loads and loads of laundry. My kids were especially happy to have some of their "own" clothes back. I think it's comforting to have something familiar like that.
More thank yous to all the wonderful families in the MOMS Club of Salt Lake. They have given us so much! Plus, Brian K. came to the meeting today and helped watch all the kids (my usual job) so I could attend and learn some bellydancing! Too cool!
I also need to thank my incredible friends from the June '96 Moms group. These amazing ladies from all over the world gave us an Amazon.com gift certificate that will go a very long way in rebuilding our school. Thank you so much!
On the computer front, I have been offered a nifty laptop, but I think I'm going to have to pass and let someone else benefit from that gift. I have all the specs I need to rebuild my desktop (stronger, faster... and for significantly less than 6 million dollars.) What I really need most is that internet connection because my greatest need is to be able to use email for work. The rest is not at all important right now. I promise I don't just want to go play World of Warcraft. ;)
Thank you also to Lyman & Jen for letting me bother them repeatedly to use their computer. I think I'll bother them one final time to help me build that system and set up a wireless network, and then hopefully they'll be able to get to bed earlier.
Updated list of things we need:
There's not much to list here any more! Is that wonderful and amazing? We have been given so much that it is overwhelming. I'm sure there will be things to replace as we get into a new place and then later when we get the house rebuilt, but for now we all feel very well-taken-care-of.
Salvaging
One week down, and I think we're starting to feel like we know which direction we're going now. My poor dad has had it the worst because he lost the most "stuff." My mom is still sad over some things, but she's starting to get past that, too, I think. Today she poked around and started collecting little things to put into a shadow box and create a little memento of the adventure. I'm going to have to go dig around and find a charred Yu-Gi-Oh card now!
Moving?
I think we have found a house to rent! We should be in it soon, if our hard-working new friend Cherylea (with the insurance people) was able to secure the lease for us. I'll have more details later. Hooray! Hooray!
A Delivery
The Fed-Ex delivery man had a package for me today - something I had on backorder from weeks ago - and he actually stopped to talk for a minute. I think that was the longest conversation I've ever had with a delivery person like that! It was kind of cool to chat for a minute instead of having him just race away. This has made me realize more than ever that we all need to slow down a bit and take more time for meaningful interaction with other people. After all, not much else really matters, does it?
Kids & School
My children have adopted two of our neighbors as second families. That old Nintendo has probably not seen this much play in years! And Dori T. has a new daughter, I think. The kids aren't bored quite yet. We'll be able to get them back into some of their usual school work within the week, I think. Year-round homeschool is turning out to be even more convenient than I ever thought it was! I just hope we're not cramped into that little house too much, so that we don't drive my parents insane.
Computers
Thank you to all the many people who have offered to help us get new computers! I have my favorite crack computer geek on the task writing up what components we should use, and hopefully we'll be able to get that all set up again vey soon. It is absolutely amazing how dependent we are on our computers.
Thank you!
My brother's wife, Jennifer, says that my friends from wikiHow sent a gift card. Wow! I can hardly believe how kind everyone has been and how much we have been given. It is incredibly humbling to think that so many people care and are willing to give of their time, money, and belongings for our family. My sweet friend Alyson - who has 7 kids and is homeschooling and I know does not have anything to spare - also sent a gift card. That one was the toughest to accept so far. I'm still not very good at being on the receiving end of so much generosity, and can only hope to be able to do more for others in the future.
Responding to Email
I've been a slacker about responding to email, but I promise to get back to everyone who has written! I read it all and it is wonderful to know that so many people care!
Updated List of Things We Need
Ha! Would you believe I deleted this before I copied it over? I'll write up a new one tonight. We have received so much. What more could we possibly need, anyway?
One week ago today. A moment of silence, please?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
4 minutes left on my library computer time! We cleaned out a lot more today. The guys from Alpine Restoration have been incredible. Thanks also to my cousin Dan for coming by and helping as well, and to the Frosts and the Lindseys (whose name I'm sure I spelled wrong) for wonderful dinners the past two nights. We have such great neighbors!
I'm making a list of all the school books we lost. It's amazing how many books I had - and how many are not so very necessary and will probably not be replaced. Must overcome that new library anxiety quickly!
My time is up! More tomorrow!
I'm behind on my reporting duties here. I really miss my computer! My sweet and generous friend Heidi (from the MOMS Club) loaned me her laptop but I am Mac-incompetent and can't figure out how to get it to work. I'll keep trying! Today Dori T. allowed me to spend a whole lot of time using her computer. Thank you!
Saturday Report - Day 4
This was the worst day so far - for me. I think I proved that my parents have 30 years additional life experience because they were calm and I lost it a few times. I imagine God sent an angel with a clipboard to check off the various tests from this experience. Can she deal with losing everything? Check. Can she deal with thinking something's lost, finding it mostly safe, then losing it again? Bzzzz! Try again. I hope He gives me another 30 years and a much smaller test next time that one comes up.
Our family cannot possibly express our thanks to the many people who came to help clean out and sort through things on Saturday. It was absolutely amazing. I will never forget the incredible outpouring of support and the hours and hours of hard work so many wonderful people put in here. Thank you all!
Sunday Report - Day 5
This was a very emotional day at church. The Primary leaders were incredibly kind to buy new scripture sets for all of my kids and me! It also happened to be testimony meeting, so we went through a lot of tissues. The Cowies had us over for dinner later and it was absolutely wonderful to get to hang out and chat and be normal for a while. They have been amazing this past week, and we are so grateful for everything they have done - big and small. Special thanks to Kathryn L. who carefully cleaned the last load of laundry that I recovered from the washing machine - including Drew's newest gym leotard which she was so excited to see! The rest of them were literally melted on the wash line downstairs.
Monday Report - Day 6
3:20 p.m.
I almost forgot! My great friend Dan had saved a copy of the little childrens book that I wrote and was going to get around to submitting to publishers "one of these days." I am so happy! I thought it was lost and gone forever! Now, if he happens to have a copy of the completed outline for that novel...
3:00 p.m.
I finally broke the news to the library that we lost a huge stack of books in the fire. I think they didn't quite know what to do with me! They eventually decided to mark the books as "lost" and put a note on my account so I can still check out more books - which we immediately did, of course. I'm a library addict. I think I have a complex about library books now, though. I'm paranoid that I'll take their books and something bad will happen to them. Funny how strange anxieties come out of things like this.
Today's really bad news: The organ is a complete loss. My mom is so sad! I was hoping it could be repaired, but the organ people told her that although they have repaired them like that before, they stop working again in just a few months. So it looks like she'll be getting a new one, instead. It was a sad week for organ lovers, as the cabin organ was in the garage and likely part of the original fire, pre-explosion.
New school study subject: "How is a backdraft created?" We have lots of real-life experience with the results! I think I'll skip the movie for that topic, though. Just a bit too close to home at the moment.
Today we have Cub Scouts and gymnastics on the agenda to help keep the kids grounded in some sort of reality. I have to laugh that Duncan has gone through 2 neckerchief slides and 1 neckerchief in the past 3 months. In fact, the slides were each lost within a day of their first use. I think I'm going to glue the next ones to his scout shirt!
Updated list of things we need:
--list moved to most recent entry--
So many people have generously shared with us, and we are stunned by the outpouring of love and support. Thank you all! Thank you, thank you!
11:00 p.m.
News Flash: Unrelated to the fire but newsworthy all the same - my sister Heather was just accepted into the Ph.D. program in instructional technology at Utah State! We are all so excited for her! She is awesome!
- Dori T. and her cute girls found an orchid for my mom and gave it to her today. They are so sweet! Thank you!
- Progressive Auto Insurance took only a few hours to complete my claim on my poor car. They are so awesome! I was very impressed and will happily plug them here.
- I uploaded some more fire photos to Flickr, but forgot that my camera had decided (all on its own) to take super-high-definition photos instead of my standard setting, so apparently I also managed to use up all my bandwidth/space there for the month. Oops! I also didn't get them added to the set yet. I'll try to find a few minutes to tackle that tomorrow. There are still a few more photos so I'll have to find a place for them this weekend and post them up, too.
- I found some Phonics Game cards on the driveway today and remembered more things from our homeschool that we lost. I know there was more just in the daily basket of books and notepads, and that's not even mentioning the three ceiling-height bookshelves that were completely filled. There were also game cards and mini "LoTR Risk" pieces all over the driveway. Careful! You just stepped on an orc!
- I also had a chance to talk with my mission buddy, Alyson, this afternoon, and she was so wonderful to go out of her way to contact the publishers of the books we were using for school, and Peace Hill Press - the publisher of "Story of the World" and "The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading" actually agreed to send us new copies of the entire set! I am absolutely flabbergasted! I'm also totally thrilled because those were books that we loved and used daily. Everyone else said we'd need a receipt for proof of purchase. Um, which part of "house fire" did you not understand? Then again, I would hardly expect any of them to agree to such a thing. That's why I'm so stunned that Peace Hill Press actually did! Remind me when I get around to actually writing those books I've been going to write, to go to them first.
- Shhhhh! Lyman's family is asleep, Hunter is passed out on the floor next to me, and I think it's way past time for me to go back to the hotel.
3:30 p.m.
We were able to recover some clothing today, so that will be good. My mom's miniatures work-desk in her office is in recovery mode and there is great hope that much of its contents can be saved. I went digging through the bedroom. It's kinda fun to dig and chuck stuff all over the room and know that I don't have to worry about cleaning it up later. Drew's Nutcracker photos were saved, and most of my computer software that was in a filing cabinet upstairs. I found a cute little ceramic cup that came from Japan and was so excited about it! Then the boys carried it out in a bag and its lid broke. I had to laugh. Really, the irony is too much and it's not worth crying over. So many books are ruined or likely ruined (i.e. totally soaked-through). The baby grand piano is a complete loss, but looks kinda cool sitting there.
Tonight we're going to see Lyman and Jennifer perform in their roadshow. My dad had gone through an old box of really old ties last week to find an ugly old tie for Lyman to wear as part of his costume. Funny that it's now probably one of the only ones to survive.
Thank you to the Monument Park 16th Ward Relief Society for lunch. It was perfect! So many people have come by to chat or to help, and it has been absolutely wonderful seeing them all.
10:00 a.m.
Stories! We have stories!
Kangaroos?!?
Yesterday morning, my parents and Hunter were eating at the Residence Inn breakfast buffet when an animal that jumped and looked very much like a small, grey kangaroo came leaping through the breakfast room! Someone tackled it, and then a very embarrassed-looking woman came and led it away with a casual, "Have a nice breakfast everyone!" We knew they allowed dogs there, but that was quite a surprise! I thought, "Hey, I should look up and find out what it was," and then remembered I have neither books nor a computer. Ha! I keep forgetting.
There's something humming in there!
On Wednesday when I first ventured upstairs to take a peek at what used to be our bedroom over the garage, I heard a spooky humming noise coming from the center of the room under the rubble. It sounded like something electrical! I was too scared to go in, but yesterday the sound was still there - just a bit fainter - and Ben dug down to discover: our smoke detector! It is melted into a funny shape but was still humming frantically.
Guard Duty
During hours with the least bit of daylight, nearly every single car that goes by the house stops or slows down to gawk. The first two nights we had a security guard there, and last night we took over that duty. I had fun! I had to laugh at the people who actually rolled down their windows in the pouring rain to get a better look! Some of them go by once, turn around, and come back for a second look.
Just think of the marketing opportunities! Set up a toll booth at each end of the street. Better yet, target the gawkers by holding a Boy Scout/ YMYW/ cheerleader car wash fundraiser at the bottom of our driveway! No need to stand on the corner with a posterboard to advertise; these cars come right to you! Get some buckets of soapy water and towels. I'd offer the hose in our front yard, but last I saw it was melted to the plastic hose wheel.
On a more serious note, the security guard that was here the first two nights told my brother Ben that at one point in the middle of the night, some would-be looters drove their minivan right up into the driveway before he flashed his lights and they sped away. Sylvia and I both had similar experiences last night. It's educational to realize how many opportunist looters there are out there. Lock your doors, please, especially if your house hasn't burned down recently!
Thank you!
To the Andersons, for a wonderful dinner and their time chatting with us last night, and for letting me use their computer for a few minutes.
Updated list of things we need:
--list moved to most recent entry--
Thank you all! Thank you Thank you!
8:15 p.m.
Announcement! We're having a work party on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. If you'd like to come help, we would be so happy to have you! (Adults and teens only, please. It's not quite like taking a tour through a model home.)
Salvaging sure is an interesting experience. I got to walk through the kitchen today on top of about a foot of what used to be roof. I felt so tall! And we found a library book that wasn't sooooo horribly damaged that it might actually be good enough to clean up and return to the library! Woohoo!
3:25 p.m.
Photos!
I also corrected that pants size that I forgot earlier. (see below)
3:15 p.m.
I forgot to mention earlier that the 2nd Grade at Indian Hills Elementary is gathering resources to help us set up our school again. This makes me cry every time I think about it! Those kids are so awesome! I want to give them all a big hug. Hopefully I'll get a chance. (Sylvia, I'm going to call you. Really, I am. If you don't hear from me, call me because it means I've forgotten to get your number.)
2:00 p.m.
Wow! So much to do, so much to say, so little computer access. I'm going through withdrawl from my computer. We're staying at a Residence Inn and it has wireless internet, but I tell ya, it's pretty useless without a computer.
Last night we got settled in at our short-term home. I got all the kids' clothes sorted and put away, and rather suspect that Drew has almost as many clothes now as she did before. Wow! Thank you all so much! The familes from her gym were incredibly generous, and I think she has as many leotards now as she did before.
Short leotard story there. I had been working on an article "How to Wash a Leotard" for wikiHow and had hung all of Drew's leotards - including her competition leo, which I had just washed - in a neat little row in the laundry room so that I could take photos for the article. I haven't been able to get back in there yet, but from what I have seen the entire basement was completely torched. She had one leotard left - the one she was wearing to gym that afternoon. It's one of those things that I keep thinking, "If only I had just put the leotards back in the bag, they'd be smelly and wet but recoverable." My favorite musing so far was, "If only I had loaned out my computer to the Tidwells, instead of the old garden clippers." Ah well. I can dream, right?
I have photos to post, but will have to work on that in a little while.
We're working on salvage today. I think the only things that will be coming out of our two rooms downstairs are the kids' xbox games and the few dvds I had on a bookcase down there. I maintain hope that my Spiderman dvds will be recoverable - if I can get into the bedroom upstairs.
The room I was using as my office is completely unrecognizable. My desk, computer, and everything there is now a little mound on the floor. The front room with all our school-related bookshelves was only recognizable by the misshapen lumps that used to be shelves and furniture. Water poured out of the beloved - and now melted - xbox when we picked it up.
Hunter is proud to be helping with the salvage efforts, and thrilled that we're considering him old enough and mature enough to do things the other kids can't - like have his own keycard to the hotel room. He really is mature enough, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to show him that we know it.
We may be able to find Drew's dance bag under the rubble in the bedroom. It would have shoes, tights, and leotards - if they are recoverable. Someone braved the floor in there and found the boys' scout shirts in the closet - unsinged! They are being cleaned. I don't know where Drew's scout vest was, however. It may turn up somewhere - possibly in the basket of mending to have a patch sewn on? That was upstairs, too, and may be recoverable. (Why do I want to recover my mending?)
I'll have to think about what school resources we had that we could actually contact a company about. Hunter & Drew were using Saxon math books and the DIVE CD's, but they disliked them and I had been checking eBay this week for Math-U-See products, instead. Duncan was working in the 3rd-grade-level Miquon math workbooks.
Funny math story there. Duncan loves math and sarcastically commented in a tragic voice just hours after the fire, "Oh nooo! Now I'll have to do my math workbooks all over again!" We just rolled our eyes, because we know that's probably something he'd be happy to do.
Updated list of things we need:
--list moved to most recent entry--
Thank you all! Thank you Thank you!
Updated 4:10 p.m.
My mom's quarter-inch-scale miniatures survived the fire! The curio cabinets in the living room were not burned. That was one of the things we weremost sad about because they are all originals and completely irreplaceable. It also looks like her office, at least some of my dad's office, my sister's storage stuff, and possibly some things from the bedrooms (the beds!) came through with nothing but smoke and water damage.
See the bottom of this entry for updated information about what we need and what we have received. Thank you everyone! We love you all and are so grateful for your love and generosity.
------
Yes, it's true. Our house burned down.
Yes, we're all okay.
Yes, we have places to stay for now. Working on more permanent arrangements.
Yes, we think everything burned. We can't really go into the house yet, and don't really want to. It's scary and totally charred. My car was also parked right next to Ground Zero (the garage) and had the rear blown out and is completely charred/melted inside. Note to self: call car insurance company.
Yes, the people from my parents' insurance company are totally awesome and have been wonderful. We think everything will turn out OK.
Yes, we are much loved and well taken-care-of by our many wonderful friends and family.
Yes, we could use a few things to get us settled.
If you want to contact me, see details and"View My Complete Profile" up in the corner of this page.
We have set up a specific account at Zions First National Bank for financial donations and other such things related to the fire. Thank you so very much to those who have given us money, gifts, and so much love already! We are more grateful than we could possibly say.
Thank you a million times over to Nancy & Walt Cowie for playing home base for us. They let us invade their home and take it over for a while until we can get moved into our temporary hotel quarters. We love you! Thank you to our fantastic family and friends from church and the neighborhood who brought clothes and pajamas for us all last night, fed us, and hugged us. You are all so wonderful! Many, many people have come by and taken time for hugs and a good talk, brought things, sent things, called, and emailed. Thank you all! We love you and wish we had a happier occasion to see you. Party at the Hornes... date TBA!
We don't need much, really. I know you'd never believe it from what was inside that house, but we're not into stuff. We are most grateful that everyone was safe and not even injured.
I made a list at 4:00 this morning. It seems really weird to have to write this sort of stuff down:
--list moved to most recent entry--
Thank you all! Thank you Thank you!
