So What Do You Do now?

If the Bird can do it, So can we...

 There certainly are a number of things you are supposed to do after a fire consumes everything you own.   I simply do not know what those things are...   

And who would?   Unless this has happened to you before.   And you have not forgotten all of the steps and procedures you had to take to make things right again.    It's kind of like setting up your new computer when you don't work at some tech store.   After 4-5 years, all of the processes you did to make your old computer work are long forgotten.  ( I know this, because I just spent three days setting up this new computer!   Forgotten passwords, set ups, apps, preferences...  etc.) 

So for me... I can only start small. First, attempt to recover anything you can from the burned-out hulk. Mostly clothing that was flooded from the fire department. I was lucky!   Dave lost ALL of his clothes!  And although my clothes were spared from the flame,  they were fully saturated with that terrible smoke smell.   Even the ones inside the dressers!  So for a good portion of the day on Wednesday,  I worked on doing Laundry. 

There is a funny thing about Laundry.  I find the folding part a rather "Zen-like" experience.   And since I was only there to get the smell out,  I did not hesitate on dumping in as much detergent as possible.   As a result, I think my clothes have never looked better!  ( It could have simply been the lighting in the laundromat.)   

Regardless,  They still smelled like smoke... a little.   But not nearly as bad as they did before.   So I deem that a success.  I'm still having my suit and blazers  done by the dry-cleaners.   Even they said it might be impossible to get all of the smell out, but dry-cleaning is a rather smelly process as it is.   I'm sure thy will do the best that they can.

Plus!  I was able to get all of my clothes organized and tightly folded so they all fit inside my car.  Rolling things up was a nostalgic trip back to the Army days.  When I was forced to live out of an A-bag for months on end.  I did it then so there should be no reason I can't do it again.  

 By the way... The interview with Zebra went well.   Paul and I go all the way back to the beginning of the GXO days at that warehouse.  So he said it was merely a formality for me.   He says I should expect a welcome E-mail on Tuesday and from there we begin the onboard process.   It still could take a few weeks! But at least the ball is rolling...

 A good Friend offered a place for me to stay for a few days while Dave and I hatch our next plan for shelter.  I think it is a little easier that we split up  at this moment, since most people probably can take one person, but not two. ( I can hardly imagine what happens when a family of four or more have to go through a disaster like this...)  It also probably helps us focus on our own small section with autonomy.  But what do I know?   It's just a thought. 

To help be less of a burden for the person who was kind enough to take me in,  I have offered to walk her dog while she is at work,   Ladybird and I have been doing laps around the apartment complex and enjoying the great outdoors as much as the weather will allow.  ( it did rain yesterday...)  

But after a dozen or so laps around the buildings,   I thought Lady would want a little more adventure and exploration today.   

So...  We went Mushroom Hunting! 

Honestly,  I should take her with me more often!  We found a full sack of Oysters and a couple of Fawn Mushrooms.   There were also several clusters of Ink Caps ( Non-edible...  Sometimes.)  No reason to pick those last two when I have a full  bag of Oysters to bring home.   Perhaps we can have some tonight...

Other than that,  I now feel the hardest part is the waiting.   Waiting for the insurance to kick in,  the job to call back,  the apartment to  be applied for AFTER you get the income squared away.   There is an order and a process to everything.  And Murphy's Law dictates that the time between processes with always take longer than expected.  

So buckle up!  It's going to be a long, bumpy ride. 

But there are lessons that the Army and Life have taught me.   Be patient.  Be understanding.   Be flexible.  And Trust that God knows what he is doing.   ( And it never hurts to pray a little for all of the above...)  Because, after any disaster where Survival was the hard part.   Anything that follows should be easy by comparison.   No matter how long it takes.   Because, at the very least, you now have more life  to complete things.   And every second counts. 

And Then There Was nothing....

Last Tuesday,  there was a fire.  Dave's house burned down.   The details are sketchy  as it happened so fast,  but we both got out safely.   (Though, with only the clothes on our backs.  And No Shoes!)   It was a "Dumbstruck" experience.  (Shell shocked., Gob smack, Thunderstruck....)   All I could do was stand on the neighbor's lawn and  watch.   Which was difficult, because I ran out without my glasses! 

The fire department took both of our statements, and I know that memory gets more fuzzy as time goes by, so I will refrain from any story drama.   The house is gone.   Along with pretty much everything in it.  

 

 

 

 

Remember the dragon I was working on?    

Gone.  

 

Remember the Oyster Mushrooms I was so excited to find?  

 

Gone.  

 

Remember the boat I just cleaned up?  

 

Not so clean anymore....

 

And Dave lost even more.  To help you understand... Here are a few pictures.   I'll let you be the judge.  

 

  

 

 

 

 So now begins the part of rebuilding.   I have fast tracked my search for employment,  choosing not to wait for Haribo's next phone call.  ( That could take several weeks, according to the the contacts I have.)  Instead, I have made a play for Zebra.  And hopefully I  will get a call from them soon.

 Currently,  I am staying with a friend and I think Dave is staying with Family.   We will have to discuss our long term housing a little later,  when the dust finally settles. ( Figuratively speaking...)  I may have the opportunity to continue posting updates.  ( Free internet at the local Library!)  

And finally,   I wanted to thank God for bringing us both through this ordeal.   Kind of stressful....  Losing everything and all...   (including your Home!)   But we are both safe and unharmed.   Looking back,  that is nothing short of a Miracle itself!    And things can be replaced, but you only have one life on this Earth.  When you lose everything,   the things that remain suddenly become more important and in focus.  It is difficult to put into words the flood of feelings I currently have,   but an overwhelming sense of Gratitude washes over me every moment.  People have come out of no where to help us and offer their assistance.  The first 24 hours after the ordeal was a blur as to "what do you do now?"   So...  I want to send  a special "Thank You" to all of the people how sent us their help and concerns.  Your support during this time has been immeasurable!  

 As of the writing of this post,  I just got news from Zebra to come in for an interview.   All of my Old coworkers are wishing me the best to get the position Paul has in mind for me.  Fingers crossed that I will be a good fit.  

And today is a Beautiful Day.  

A Beautiful day to be alive!  

 As long as you have a breath in your lungs you should be grateful.  And I'm still breathing....  So that means I am still alive.   And I want to make the most of the time I have left.   Because, now more than ever,   Every second counts. 

 

The Cleaning Of The Boat!

Saturday, I spent the lion's portion of the day cleaning Dave's boat.   There is a rumor floating around that he may want to sell it to a motivated fisherman who will get more use out of it than he currently is.   Truth be told, he has had it for nearly three years now and he has never taken it out fishing!  I simply takes up space in the garage that could be used for the Truck....   So.   What are you going to do? 

So while Dave decides the Boats fate,  I took the liberty to clean it up for a proper display.... IF the event ever presents itself.  A moment where Opportunity meets Preparation.   

I used to love cleaning out our boat in preparation for the summer fishing months.   I even spent a Spring putting in a floor. ( With a LOT of help from Dad.)  There is something very satisfying taking a messy boat that smells like last year's fish guts and cleaning it to the point it looks and smells like a new car!  (Well,  at least it no longer smells like dead fish.) 

The Boat had been being used as a "catch all" for things.   And it was outside for an entire year where some small animal got inside and set up shop.  I should have snapped a "before" pic of the boat before I even began...  for Dramatic effect.  But in actuality,  I simply removed the clutter,  gave it a good vacuuming, and  made sure things were where they should be.   

I even separated and organized the fishing material and boat material.   I'm not sure if the boat flares are safe or functional,   so I set those aside.  I also tossed a lot of redundant tools. If there were tools that were meant for the boat,  they are staying inside.   Everything else,  got tossed!

Now you might be wondering why the boat is never used?   Well,  Dave has a number of people who offer him trips out of the lake all the time!
  The only thing he needs to bring is himself, a cooler, and a beverage or snack!   The Charter brings everything else!  ( Including the boat!)   So,  why own a car if everything is within walking distance?   And people are giving you rides for everything that is farther away! 

Overall,  I was happy I could help.   And Dave was impressed with the transformation.   I had a Student who said she liked organizing and cleaning things in the kitchen.   This often made her late for my class, because she would get "stuck" cleaning everyone else's "mess" and the teacher would not let her go until she had things picked up.   ( She was the responsible one,   everyone else bailed when the bell rang....) Anyway,   I often gave Bobbi a Pass because I know the feeling of being stuck with cleanup when everyone runs away at the buzzer.  

And also,  I didn't mind it too much.   ( Well, at least in my old age.   I'm sure I complained plenty when I was younger.) 

Other than that,   Yesterday, I attended a number of Graduation Parties with Dave.  That was fun!  And there was even free food! ( And Beer!) I brought Dave as my Wingman because some of these students were not in my class!   It is kind of awkward for me to be at a party where I only know one or two people..  And those people are NOT the man of the hour!

But eventually, I found a few people to talk with and it made the afternoon fly by.  A nice way to spend a Sunday.  

And finally,  Today I did a little work on the Dragon head and had some time to go Fishing.   The small pond was recently stocked with fish, according to the locals.   Bass, Crappie, and possibly bluegills.  I caught a Golden Shiner.  I don't recall catching any of these last year, but then again, I doubt the DNR planted golden shiners in a small pond for kids to catch. And they were awfully large for  a forage fish. Perhaps there are a few bass that would be large enough for these guys.   But there are already plenty of smaller bluegills and sunfish for the Bass to eat.  Either way.  it was a fun way to kill a little time outdoors.   

The Dragon head is finally nearing its painting phase.  I will be happy to finally get the initial base coat on it.   I t seems to be taking on a life of its own.   And I am leaving it fairly plain instead of adding all kinds of scales and horns to it.  ( just more of a bother to paint in the end...)  It is huge and heavy enough without adding any more frills. 

And finally,  I'm continuing the Job Search.   I'll see if I can find at least one job that is closer and pays as well as Zebra.  I may end up going back there after all. (Which would not be that bad... I was just hoping for a bit of an upgrade in the pay department.)  We shall see how things work out.   Because, I still believe God has a plan for me. I just pray he makes it honest for me, since I can be pretty dense sometimes.  And every second counts.

A Fine Day For Fishing...

 Another first for me here in Kenosha!  A Lake Michigan Charter Experience!   With success!   

Although I have been out on charter boats before... In Alaska.   And I have been fishing on Lake Michigan....  From a small 14 foot boat only about 400 yards off shore...  I have never been fishing several miles off shore  in 200+ ft of water! 

Nor have I ever been fishing with Down-Riggers or Dipsey-Divers, or Plainer Boards!  That is a lot of tackle for simply trolling for open water fish!  But that is what has to be done if you want to locate and present your baits to the fish.  It was quite the change from the Lake Michigan fishing I was used to. 

I have seen all of that tackle before in the various sport shops back in the day.  And I was even familiar with how they were used.   But I have never had the opportunity to use them until today.  

Thankfully,  Lake Michigan was nice and calm.   Even the weather held for us,  since it was predicted to be rainy this morning.   There was a slight breeze.   And it was slightly chilly in the beginning...  But as the sun dipped through the clouds,  it was enough to keep the unbearable chill away and lighten up the mood.  

Our first hour was unproductive.   The other Charter Boats were out far and deep.   We Managed to mark a few fish here and there, but finally,  we managed to catch one.  Mark ( Our Captain, And one of the bus drivers at Shoreland High school.)  Did most of the netting and hook removal.   Dave and I took turns catching the fish as they triggered the Down-Riggers and Out-Riggers.    At one point, we had three fish on at the same time!   Talk about a brief moment of Chaos! 

But we managed to catch everything that hit today.   Landing a total of ten fish in the time frame we had.   We might have been able to catch our limit, but Dave had to head out to make sure Yuan got to the Airport on time.  (And deal with that Chicago Traffic!)  In the end, it was a fun day of fishing on Lake Michigan.   Perhaps we can do it again  in the future. 

After cleaning the fish and getting back home,  I went out once again for a brief mushroom hunt.   I found a couple in the "secret spot".   Along with a few other gems of nature:  

Another  Mourning Cloak butterfly!   

This time, I had a better shot of him, as he was attempting to get warmed up in the sun.   If Only I could get closer to capture those colors better....

And finally,   Another Robbin's nest.   

I'm not sure if this is the same nesting couple that I was keeping tabs of earlier this Spring,  but this time,  the mother was slightly more aggressive.  Also,  the nest was higher in the tree and better hid from view.   I had to reach up and take a blind picture to see if there were any eggs inside. 

There were!   And hopefully they will hatch and remain secure enough to fully fledged . I will see if I can keep  posting updates. 

And that was my Friday.   Not a bad day at all.   We caught fish,  Said goodbye to Yuan, and found some Mushrooms!  I even had the opportunity to work on my Dragon Head for a bit.   Nothing too fancy, but a key part of the construction.   I will post pictures of that later. ( perhaps tomorrow, When I have time.)    As for now,   time to relax a bit and see what is happening online.   A little bit of news and a little bit of Job research will pass the time  Not to mention posting this little entry for the blog.   Each one of these little posts manage to eat up several hours!   But it is all worth it in the end, as I catalog my life and have a record of these moments that I can relive and share with others.  

Because every second counts.