What a loss for you and your community, libkitty! ~ma for rebuilding.
Daniel has been doing his imitation of Jimmy Stewart and Sean Connery as Tony the Tiger.
Angel's lame. His hair goes straight up, and he's bloody stupid!
Buffybot ,'Dirty Girls'
Spike's Bitches 29: That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure.
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risque (and frisque), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
WindSparrow - Mar 12, 2006 5:07:05 pm PST #3282 of 10001
Love is stronger than death and harder than sorrow. Those who practice it are fierce like the light of stars traveling eons to pierce the night.
libkitty - Mar 12, 2006 5:24:40 pm PST #3283 of 10001
Embrace the idea that we are the leaders we've been looking for. Grace Lee Boggs
Thanks so much, everyone. From what I've heard, it looks like somehow electrical wires or something else sparked a fire on a boat that was parked between the house that burned and the church. The boat had a fuel tank, which caught fire, and then spread to the house and the church. Both buildings are very old, as are most buildings in the area. Normally, our weather is very wet, but we've been having cold, dry, windy weather recently, which didn't help matters. It's really a tribute to our fine firepeople that no more buildings were damaged, although I think they evacuted about four blocks as a precaution.
I went to look again this evening. You can see the floor plan for our undercroft, and I could pick out where I sat for my class. Where we stored items for our food collection for Head Start families and for our thrift shop. The office. All this with a chimney standing tall, two stories above it all. There is absolutely nothing of the sanctuary, not even walls or the floor.
It's a bit daunting, but the community is really pulling together, and I know we'll be ok. Actually, I'm much more concerned about some of the other groups that use our space, such as AA and the local arts community. I'm hopeful that at least the theater group that rented storage space from us may get something from our insurance, since it was an official arrangement. We'll see.
Regarding building funds and finances, I don't really know anything yet. Our bishop is coming in this evening, and the vestry (kind of like a board of directors) will be meeting with him tomorrow and trying to figure out insurance. I don't know how much the insurance will cover. I imagine it won't be everything and that we'll have some sort of fund, but I just don't know details yet.
Most of what we had can be replaced. I'm saddened by the loss of some of our artwork, including our stained glass windows. I'm saddened by losing the space - there's a special feeling worshipping where people have worshipped for so long. But really, we were very fortunate. I'm so glad that no one was hurt, that we have insurance, that our most special paintings had been sent out of state for restoration, that our priest and his wife are wonderful, strong, courageous, and stable. If this had happened two years ago, I really don't know if our church would have continued as an entity. Now, I'm confident that we will.
I'm sorry this ended up to be so long, but it really does mean a lot for me to be able to share this here.
Zenkitty - Mar 12, 2006 5:53:11 pm PST #3284 of 10001
Every now and then, I think I might actually be a little odd.
I'm so sorry about the church, libkitty. But it's wonderful that you live in such a close-knit and loving community! The church really is the people, and it's times like this when you realize it.
(Not meaning to preach, it just reminds strongly of a similar situation, in which I realized that "our" church really was just the building.)
libkitty - Mar 12, 2006 5:57:50 pm PST #3285 of 10001
Embrace the idea that we are the leaders we've been looking for. Grace Lee Boggs
It wasn't preaching, Zenkitty. I agree wholeheartedly.
Trudy Booth - Mar 12, 2006 6:29:32 pm PST #3286 of 10001
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart
Nyquil has been taken. Sleeping sitting up is a beee-yotch. I do not know if I will make it to work tomorrow.
WindSparrow - Mar 12, 2006 6:56:53 pm PST #3287 of 10001
Love is stronger than death and harder than sorrow. Those who practice it are fierce like the light of stars traveling eons to pierce the night.
Snuggles and ~ma for Sail and family.
Lee - Mar 12, 2006 7:55:20 pm PST #3288 of 10001
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.
So sorry to hear about your aunt, SailAweigh.
Lee - Mar 12, 2006 7:55:27 pm PST #3289 of 10001
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.
oops
Pix - Mar 12, 2006 7:57:42 pm PST #3290 of 10001
The status is NOT quo.
Love and strength to you and yours, Sail.
Libkitty, I'm so sorry.
Beverly - Mar 12, 2006 8:04:47 pm PST #3291 of 10001
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
Strength and peace to you and your family, Sail.
Strength and easing of pain to you, vw, and a knowledge of just how strong you are. You'll get through this. You're one of the strongest people I know.
I'm sorry I missed Cass' pause at Perkins'. But I can vouch for the view (and the wireless!)
All crossables crossed about the job, sj--it sounds perfect!
libkitty, I'm so sorry about your church, and the local groups that depended on the building. I have a feeling though, from what you've said here about your community, that rebuilding will be just as much a community effort. I hope that's true.
MG, I'm glad you and Kbug got to have a great vacation. KatieBee, I'm so sorry the hearing did not go your way. But you know you were in the right, as we all do. Comeuppance shall be theirs, never fear.
In local news, our temps hit 86 today--they're supposed to be 81 tomorrow and then 61 on Tuesday with a low of 38. Does that seem right to you?