Yesterday I spent the day with new friends watching college football, drinking beer and eating all day long...Sounds great, right? It was. And it was just what the doctor ordered after a very topsy turvy couple of days...
Topsy turvy might be a tiny bit of an understatement when you learn I'm writing this post in a hotel room on my laptop after an attic fire in my home made it inhabitable for the time being!
Yesterday morning I was feeling low thinking about all the restoration work that needs to be done before I can return to my home. Today, after a perfectly normal Saturday I'm happy my laptop is in fine shape and probably many of my personal belongings will be able to be salvaged. (The Dyson and my PC are probably write-offs, but it's the Dyson that gets the most air play when anyone asks!)
This is definitely right up there when it comes to lousy experiences in my life. (And if you read my last post on Remembrance Day you'll know I've been around the block a few times). As it turns out though, this is another one of those times where I have an opportunity to grow. I'm sure I'll have lots to share with you in future posts about what to watch out for if you ever get hit by a personal catastrophe like this.
The biggest thing I am taking away from this up to now is that this is a time when neighbors become new friends and make what is an absolutely awful experience so much easier to bear. The two guys in the picture are meeting for the first time. My house burning impacted three families - and these two are members of the other two families. As you can see, love at first sight... Well, maybe not love, but there's certainly something going on...
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Bless you for what you went through. I can feel your gratefulness in your blog. Sometimes we as agents get so busy that it takes a major event to get us to slow down. I wish you the best.
Hi Barbie ~ You're right that it takes a major event to slow us down. This has certainly given me time to contemplate things other than real estate. And at the same time the ironic part is that this is all about real estate!
Thanks for the good wishes.
Denise
Oh no Denise! I am *so* sorry to hear this. Fire is one of my biggest fears home-wise. What a nightmare. I hope that you;re right and that you'll be able to salvage many of your things. I'll be thinking about you and waiting to hear more.
Liz
PS - super sweet picture!
Thanks Liz ~ Yes it is an absolute nightmare as you can imagine. Restoration hasn't started yet, since of course the investigation needed to be completed before that could happen. Hopefully tomorrow, because in the meantime it's been several days and the smoke has permeated every little nook and cranny. Fire wasn't one of my biggest fears before this happened, but that was then and this is now - This was one of those things I thought happened to others but not to me!
Can't say I was looking for a lesson, but I will learn from this. I'm sure I'll have all kinds of good stuff to share by the time this story is over!
Denise
ps. I agree, that really is the cutest photo, isn't it?
Denise I commend you on your attitude - I'm not sure I'f be writing a blog - don't know what I'd do, but I doubt it would be a blog. The beer thing sounds good, though. At least you are all safe
Hi Karen ~ To be totally honest with you, on Saturday morning I was set to sit down and cry about my misfortune. Instead of doing that I called my neighbor, who had also been displaced because of my fire. Dwelling on stuff doesn't help. Distraction is what helps.
I am having a bit of a tough time getting back into writing my blog regularly, mainly because of time constraints. I've spent an inordinate amount of time talking to all kinds of people to get my home back into shape in double quick time. Turns out this is where my abilities as a Realtor to co-ordinate things is coming in handy. There are just as many people involved in a house restoration as a real estate transaction and it's up to me now to make sure they talk to one another and get things done in a timely manner. This situation is bad enough as it is, I don't want it dragging out any longer than necessary!
Denise