Summer at Forget-Me-Not Farm in northern
Michigan went by quickly. We swam and boated in Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake, biked
the brand new Betsie Valley Trail, and caught up with friends and family. Jay fished,
golfed, played on his riverside garden, and worked his short-term job grading cherries
at a packing plant. I performed a few times singing and reciting my poetry, peddled
lots of my CDs, lay in the sun reading by the pond, and had fun at a neighbor's pool
in a water aerobics class, to which I brought a different batch of made-from-scratch
muffins each week. My 3-day 40th high school class reunion was a blast.
Too soon it was time to pack up the trailer, close down the house, and embark on
our 2000 mile journey to Pullman, WA. In our second year commitment to daughter Jordi's
family we provide loving child care to 3 little girls while Jordi pursues her doctorate
in Pharmacy. Husband Ken works away for periods of time at his paint contracting
business.
The night before we left we were awakened by a violent thunder storm, so loud and
brilliant that we came downstairs and pulled up chairs to the big front window to
enjoy the show.
Next morning, August 21, 2003, we lumbered out of the driveway never dreaming we'd
said our final goodbye to the home we'd lived in for 35 years. We got a call in the
middle of the Mackinac Bridge 3 hours later that our house was in flames.
At first the reports didn't sound too terribly bad. The actual fire damage was confined
to the 2nd floor and boarding up had already begun. The professional salvage crew
began taking out stuff worth saving immediately. Good friends, bless their hearts
forever, were overseeing the whole thing. We figured if we went back we'd be stuck
there for weeks. Jordi in Washington had no back up babysitter and Ken was in the
middle of his busiest season.
It was not an easy decision, but after
several hours in McDonald's parking lot in Sault St. Marie making and receiving calls,
we drove on. The news got worse with each phone call, with extreme water and smoke
damage to the main floor and even down into the basement. Ceilings and walls were
falling and floors buckling from standing water. The cause of the fire has been attributed
to lightning strikes, as were several other smaller fires in the area the same day.
We were glad to see Jordi's family, (tho in a bit of a daze) and also Eli, who'd
worked for Ken all summer and now had landed a job in a pharmacy in his plan to follow
Jordi into WSU's <Pharm.D> program.
In late September I flew back to Michigan on a two-fold mission: to sing at a college
roommate's funeral in Lansing and to go up north to work on the fire. My roommate's
husband, who asked me to sing, graciously offered his frequent flier credits, and
I was both honored and grateful.
The week wasn't easy, from start to finish, but Michigan friends made it tolerable,
and at times soothingly pleasant. I was much appreciated at the memorial service,
and a friend since 5th grade housed and comforted me while in E. Lansing.
Working in the cold, wet, dark, smelly house for the next five days was emotionally
and physically exhausting, but friends came thru with help of all kinds, from working
alongside me in the most miserable working conditions possible, to warm cozy dinners
in their homes, to accompanying me to complicated insurance adjuster's meetings.
The nightmare week over, I flew from Lansing to Portland, Oregon, in time for Jordi's
marathon, meeting Jay and Eli at the huge new airport complex wearing Eli's rescued
varsity jacket - altho I didn't need it in the mild 60 degree air. Three little blonde
girls rushed me in the hotel hallway like I'd been gone for a month instead of a
week. Seven of us cheered Jordi on to a good finish time of 3:50, and we had time
to explore the classy city of Portland a bit before and after the race.
In mid-October we took a day-long boat cruise up the wild and scenic Snake River
gorge, a Christmas gift from Jordi and Ken that we finally cashed in. We visited
our Mohler ranch, and did an overnight in Spokane, primarily to do pricing on fire
losses.
Unbeknownst to us, Jordi
had nominated Jay for WSU's Dad of the Year,
siting his sacrifices and devotion to her family, including our house burning down
not stopping us from our commitment. Lo and behold, he won, over hundreds of others,
and we - all the family - were treated to a day filled with honors and privileges
including watching the biggest game of the year from the luxurious Presidential suite
above the Cougar stadium. Jordi and Jay were introduced at the 30 yrd. line at half
time to a roar of approval from 40,000 fans. We hobnobbed with the Prez and other
notables from dawn to dark, had a photo shoot between the kick-off breakfast and
the President's luncheon, and will never, ever forget the wonderful day. And - we
beat Oregon State 36-30!!
In early November Jay and I went 6 hours up into beautiful British Columbia for 4
days to a lavish hot springs resort where we soaked ourselves senseless in huge natural
(odorless) hot springs pools, relaxed in bed with junk food and reading material,
dined in the lovely hotel dining room, and even took some (short) hikes in the 14i
air. The clear sunny skies and windless conditions allowed for magnificent views
of the gorgeous 11,000 foot snow-sprinkled craggy peaks of the Canadian Rockies.
Now, approaching the holidays, we are hitting the "listing" pretty hard.
Our deadline has been extended due to our special circumstances, but we want to get
it all done soon. We plan to take the trailer down to Arizona again for a couple
winter months, when Ken does not work and is home with the girls.
We have not decided for sure what to do as to rebuilding. The burned house will be
razed, and we have the option of building anywhere we want. Three regions pull at
us. The farm in Michigan, out here in the great Northwest, and Arizona. Time will
tell.
Please find at the bottom of our main page the newest album of family photos.
And have a look at the others, too!
