I'm Still Here - Just Barely!

Well this week has been a true test of our strength. Last Wednesday, June 11th our town/neighborhood was hit by an EF4 tornado. To say there is major damage and our neighborhood/drive to work is destroyed is saying it nicely. There are 12 houses on the 2 streets by ours that are completely gone! Thankfully no one was killed. Sadly though, this means many of our friends, playmates, neighbors are gone, moved to other places and no longer part of our neighborhood community. Just as we have settled here and only been here 3 years we feel like the kids could safely play, they had lots of friends, it was a fun, clean, and inviting street to live on and a desirable place to be. Right now I can't say I feel that way. It's depressing to drive by each day, the kids can't play outside that much as there is glass & debris everywhere, it's sad to watch, it's frustrating all the "looky-lou's" driving by staring and taking pictures, more frustrating that our trash hasn't been picked up since Monday, June 9th, and even more maddening is the fact that a very "slug" type builder has managed to buy 2 if not 3 lots right on our street from the owners and is "rebuilding" with leftovers and sorting stuff to keep, etc. It's a disgrace that those type of "ambulance chasers" are allowed out there and do what they do to just make a buck.

Our insurance adjuster came this morning. It went fairly well. We're still waiting. We have to get the roof repaired and re-roofed along with 3 windows replaced (which we were told today would take 3 weeks). And our screened in porch needs all new screen, along with patching, painting, cleaning, carpet cleaning, and repairing etc items around the house. It's not looking like a fun summer.

And if Mother Nature hasn't been mean to us enough already, last night, June 17th, a neighbor just 4 houses away had their house hit by lightening twice, it caught fire, the fire fighters were here at 2am. It was in their attic, but it sustained atleast $50,000 in damage and today they were told they would have to take off the roof and probably the top floor as well. They will be out of their house for 6 months. They have a 3 year old and a 9 month old.

So keep watching, I'll post some more very soon. And hopefully I can find some positive stuff to post also.