Sometimes you have to have something smack you upside the head to make you feel blessed. I guess this fire was the thing that whacked me upside the head. I realize it’s OK to complain when you don’t feel good and when things aren’t going well. But just today I’ve been walking around and I’ll pick up something like my little China rabbit I have that someone gave me when I was very small. Can’t even remember, but he’s been with me all my life. Or the Greyhound things I collect that go back 30 years, or just a particular shirt that’s in the laundry room that I enjoy. So many things— pictures of my dad pictures of my mom that are sitting around— things that are memories of family now gone, and I thought to myself— so I turn around and somebody says grab your dogs and cats and your spouse and just RUN!!! there’s a fire coming. It’s gonna consume everything. And that means everything from the tiniest thing to the largest thing You will have nothing except the clothes on your back, each other and your pets and that will have to be enough. I’ve never lost everything all at once before. Joe’s family has. When he was in Vietnam, his family‘s house burned to the ground. I tried to wrap my mind around that when he told me. I really had a hard time and I can’t really tell you I ever could. So that’s the way it goes, and I am a very blessed person not to have gone through what these people are going through, not to have gone through hurricane and flood, and losing everything. Just never to have lost everything in the wink of an eye. My prayers go out to these people the ones we’ve lost the ones who grieve them. The ones who have lost everything. Let’s just hope that in the golden era of America that’s coming we help each other.