December 3

Today, we celebrated our 34th Wedding Anniversary. I was 20 yrs. old when we married - WHAT WAS I THINKING??? LOL!!

I remember the day as if it was yesterday. The weather was unseasonably warm. My father and I walked arm and arm to Aunt Tessie's house for a simple lunch - some homemade meatballs, Italian bread, and a glass of wine. The photographer was coming at 5 and the limo was picking us up at 5:30 - we hurried back to his apartment. A favorite Uncle of mine surprised us with an impromptu visit - a very special moment for both of us...

Finally, we are on our way to the Church - I will never forget the love in my dad's eyes that day. As we stood in the Church vestibule, waiting to make our entrance, he said to me, "I love you and I want you to be happy... Say the word and we will walk out of here and never look back." I assured him that "I was sure, I was in love, I was happy" - and down the aisle we went...

As they say... the rest is history.

And the holidays begin...

After last year's fire, I was determined to start the holidays off with a bang this year - and just continue the celebration all year long.

The wreath made it to the front door on the Saturday BEFORE Thanksgiving - a record for us!!

On Wednesday, 2 of Allison's past roommates from Key West flew up to be with us. Chad and Greg were wonderful hosts during our annual girls' trip to Key West last year, so we were all looking forward to seeing them once again. This was the first time in over 10 years that Allison was spending Thanksgiving with us - I was so happy when the boys planned to join us - It was a special day for all of us!

There is something to be said about having "restaurant people" for dinner - Allison orchestrated the entire clean-up. I never left the table!! Thank you Allison, Chad, Greg, Bobby and Suse - you guys did a fanstastic job - and I know I used nearly every plate, bowl and platter I own!!


On Friday, I am sure most people relaxed or went shopping - NOT US!! Allison, the boys and I trekked into the City for a fabulous lunch at Becco (Lidia's restaurant) - then off to Rockefeller Center for a peek at the tree and store windows - then finally to Broadway to see "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" - We MAY have stopped for a cocktail or two along the way! - What a wonderful day!!

On Saturday - Mr. Wonderful and I ventured over to New Jersey to see my treasured cousins. Lunch with Little Angela and her family, a visit with Cousin Paul and his family - and finally dinner with Cousin Kathy and some good friends. A BIG thank you Mr. W for NEVER complaining about the drive there or back. - (All those faces made sitting in traffic worthwhile)


Last field trip of the weekend: Sunday Brunch with all the kids, then a trip to the airport to send Chad and Greg home...

We had a wonderful time this weekend - more importantly, I am hoping we started some new Holiday traditions.

The holidays are what we make of them.... I am choosing to make wonderful memories...

Growing by 2 feet!

So happy to announce that Bobby has propsed to Suse and she has agreed to marry him. And so our family will grow once again! They are college sweethearts, dating for 5 years. They have done everything "by the book". It is so nice to have something wonderful and exciting to look forward to.

This seems to be the perfect way to jump start the holiday season. So many things have gone through my mind - all of them about the upcoming wedding - but, just for now, I think I am going to enjoy the moment, savor each detail.

Wishing them a lifetime of togetherness.... Joys added, Sorrows subtracted, Happiness multiplied, and Love undivided.

The Sandwich Generation

We are officialy the "sandwich" generation. We are responsible for the care of our aging parents as well as the care of our children.

Thankfully, our children are all adults - but I did not find the switch to "turn off the worry". Please, if any of you know where it is, send me directions!! I am still amazed at how much we worry about our kids. Did our parents worry about us like this??? I think I am still trying to be "Super-Mom" - be all things to all kids. That job is getting old real fast!

Now, we throw my mother in to the mix. She is the only "grandparent" still alive. She is getting on in years. She lives alone. She has chosen to live in Ridge, or as I like to call it, "Guam". I constantly find myself tossed between spending the weekends with Mr. Wonderful and my kids OR trudging out to Guam.

I have spent my entire married life trying to be a good wife and mother. Now, I am struggling with being a dutiful daughter as well. I want to be a good role model for my kids - but then again, I DO NOT WANT THEM WORRYING ABOUT ME when I am older. There has to be an answer to this puzzle.... I just can't seem to figure this out...

Shhhh... Can you hear that?

As I was walking the pups this morning, it was exceptionally quiet outside. There were no cars, no garbagemen, no school buses yet.

The lawn was still wet with dew. The moon was still visible and the sun was still rising. You could hear the birds chirping in the distance... It was still a little chilly, but there was a promise of warmer weather to come later in the day.

I wonder how many mornings I missed these same occurrences? When was the last time you witnessed the serenity of a Fall morning??

Life is way too short, and we only get one shot at it. This morning I had a wake-up call to stop and enjoy all the beauty that surrounds me. I hope this serves as a reminder to you, too.

Hurricane Irene

Long Island had its first hurricane in many, many years. We live 3 houses away from the water, so naturally, we were under mandatory evacuation. So, naturally, we went nowhere!!

We were the only ones left on the block. Bobby lives on the fourth floor of his building, so we told him to stay put! Michelle lives on the water, so she packed up her husband and their dog and camped out with us.

Since Allison was the one who has had so much hurricane experience - (nicknamed FEMA by the other restaurant owners) - she took control of the situation and we were all given assignments:

Mr. Wonderful got on the roof and secured the flashing around the chimneys and taped up all the skylights. He brought in everything from outdoors that could be moved (furniture, plants, small trees, etc.) He made sandbags and put them by the garage doors to stop flood waters from invading us. He filled the empty bottles from our water cooler with water in case we would need them to flush the toilets in later days.

I was in charge of food - I cooked up lots of things that were in the freezer in the event that we lost power. I could always heat things on the gas BBQ. I had enough food prepared to last a week!!

Allison made sure we had plenty of ice - and "adult libations".

Michelle took care of snacks and "adult libations".

Michael was in charge of keeping himself sober enough to get his sisters safely to bed!

We already had an ample supply of flashlights, batteries and candles. All that was left was to wait for the storm to hit.

We set up a makeshift bedroom with an air mattress for Michelle and hubby in between the livingroom and diningroom. We designated the garage as the smoking section. And we proceeded to do what we do best - HAVE A PARTY!!!

I am happy to say that we did not sustain any damage during the storm. We did lose electricity for a couple days AFTER the storm and we adapted just fine.

When we look back at "Hurricane Irene" - I am sure we will each remember all the laughs that we shared that night. We managed to make a wonderful memory from a "natural disaster". I am so proud to be the Mom in this family.

Change is good

I do apologize to my faithful readers... I know it has been a while...

It has been an amazing Summer in that I made up my mind to enjoy every single day of this lovely weather. I have been going to the beach as often as I can, basking in the sunshine and enjoying the gentle roar of the ocean. I have been cleaning the house less and reading more. This is a major change for me, but I figured it was about time I re-prioritized my life.

I am not sure if it was the fire.... or Allison moving back home.... or watching Mr. Wonderful turn 60 - but I know I have changed this year. Change is good.

I am in touch with more family members on a regular basis (you gotta love texting, email and facebook!!) I formed a book club with my twin 10 yr old cousins! This simple little task has brought us close even though there are 100 miles between us! I play scrabble (on my phone) with several 'out-of state' cousins everyday. I am watching one of my "newest" cousins grown up with a new picture everyday - thanks to my iPhone as well!

Allison and I took an impromptu trip to Florida just to visit my sister. It was wonderful just relaxing in her pool each day and sitting around the table each evening re-connecting. There was something magical about that weekend...

We spent an extended weekend in my Aunt's house in NJ - where I spent all my Summers growing up. All 8 of us slept in a teeny tiny house with one bathroom. This was the kids' idea of how we should spend Mr. W's 60th birthday!! Happy to say that these kids did not miss a beat all weekend long; they laughed and partied and we made wonderful memories. I am sure the police officer who showed up on Saturday night will remember us fondly, as well!!

I am paying more attention to my friends - making more time for "Girls' Night Out" - even if we are all home by 8:00pm!! This is always a successful therapy session for all of us.

I am buying fresh flowers to put in the vase for me to see as I enter the house each day. I am using the 'good' wine glasses all the time. I have finally tossed the frayed towels in the linen closet and spent a couple bucks to buy new ones.

The biggest and best change of all..... I have convinced Mr. Wonderful that when we get an invitation to go somewhere we should ALWAYS accept if possible. Life is too short.... and getting shorter every day...

a side note

I normally do not fill this page with nonsense.... but, just this once, I digress...

So, I was standing in the doorway to my kitchen the other night observing my Mr. Wonderful as he was putting some items in the dishwasher. All the silverware went in no problem. He was even able to put in the dinner plates without any hesitation. THEN THE FUN BEGAN!! He proceeded to spend the next 15 minutes rearranging the top shelf of the dishwasher so he could "squeeze" in one bowl.

SERIOUSLY????? He could have washed that bowl 10 times in the time it took him to rearrange everything. WHO DOES STUFF LIKE THAT?????

....hands off, ladies.... He's ALL MINE!!!...

Didja Ever?

Didja ever wonder if you were doing it right?

Didja ever wonder WHY?

Didja ever wonder if there were pieces missing?

Didja ever wonder if you were missing "the message"?

... I was just wonderin'...

Father's Day

This past Sunday was Father's Day - so while the rest of the country was honoring their dads - we were having a regular Sunday dinner - with the exception of a few extra greeting cards and gifts to open.

I did not host extended family this year - just Mr. Wonderful and the kids. It was a PERFECT day. No stress, lots of laughter, good food and a general "happiness in the air". The older we get, the more we appreciate being around our children. They are so diverse, so fun, and when they get together, all they want to do is laugh - IS THERE ANYTHING BETTER??

I always say that we had our kids when we were young, poor and stupid - perhaps we were not so stupid afterall???

Summer List

OKAY - Summer is here - time for a new list:

For the grill:
Hot Dogs
Homemade Turkery burgers
Skirt Steaks
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Chicken Wings
Kielbasi

For the yard:
Hammock
Swing
Umbrella and Picnic Table

For the Deck:
New cushions for the chairs
Plant all the herbs
Strategically placed flower pots

For the Mental Vacation:
Margaritas
Sunrise Margaritas
Ice Cold Beer
Sweet Peach Tea Cocktails
Assorted Bellinis
Mimosas

CHECK...CHECK.....CHECK.....CHECK!

Bring on the Sunshine!

The Reveal

This is what it looked like when we bought the house

The FIRST makeover - 2007

This is the morning after the fire - still so grateful that no one was hurt.

Here it is! The TV is not hung yet, and we need a screeen for the fireplace, but you get the idea!

RAISING FUNDS!

As my little cousin, Edward, is fighting pediatric cancer, our family participated in a fund raiser to support research to help fight this deadly disease.

I love my cousins. I love how they did what they had to do to make this event a success. I love how over 20 cousins showed up to walk on a Sunday morning.

This event raised over $40,000 that morning. I am proud to say that the "Smiles For Edward" Team raised nearly $10,000.

Edward, Mr. Wonderful and Brandy


Lots of Cousins!!




TOP FUND RAISERS!

More babies = More blankets!

For "Isabella" - our great-great niece in Colorado


This one is for "Lucinda" in Michigan. This is where Brandy came from.

"Roll Call"

Louie

Brandy

Sammy - (Bobby's Dog)

Sloane - (Allison's Dog)

Emma (Little Michael's dog), Sammy and Louie waiting for me to come home

Mr. Wonderful and his "entourage" sharing some frosted cheerios


ALL PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR!!

5 months in

It has been nearly 5 months since "the fire". I am happy to say that the "re-build" is about 99% complete!! I will publish before and after pictures when everything is done.

The interior of the house has been completely washed.
Living room, Dining room, Kitchen, Hallway - all repainted
New fireplace - COMPLETE
Living room floor - REPAIRED and refinished
Downstairs bedroom: new walls, window, paint and floor is repaired.
Vinyl siding - COMPLETE

There is just some odds and ends that need to be finished.... not too bad.

We ordered new couches for the living room about 3 weeks ago. They will be ready in September - FOR REAL!! - LOL!!! It's just as well, Mr. Wonderful has been shopping for a new TV for the living room for the past 2 months and he has STILL not found anything to his liking.

I hung the old "silhouettes" in the bay window - (still waiting for the new ones to arrive) - Brandy has been enjoying standing on that windowsill perusing the neighborhood. Time to break her of THAT habit!!

Slowly, but surely, the home office is being emptied and things are finding their way home.

I am happy to have my dining room and kitchen back. Let the entertaining begin!! We don't really need the living room until the Winter!

Mr. Wonderful, The Fisherman

Mr. W and I have been together for 35 years - married for nearly 34. He has MANY wonderful characteristics, and a few minor flaws - (and I am entirely grateful that I can say (a "few").

I am not sure if it was my 12 years of Catholic School or a very strict mother who would impose severe consequences if I was even one minute late - but I am ALWAYS on time for whatever I have to do. In fact, I am usually early. I plan ahead and always consider all factors that may make me late and leave enough time to get where I am going in ample time. Mr. Wonderful..... well.... the man has no sense of time!!

I have learned to tell him that we have to leave 30 minutes before we actually do. Inevitably, we leave 15 minutes late - OR MORE! It is the one crazy-ass habit of his that I cannot seem to break. Just this past week, we had a funeral in Brooklyn - the stress involved in getting that man out of the house was just mind-boggling! On Sunday, we had a Christening in New Jersey. We were doing well on the time, until we had some choice words in the kitchen prior to leaving the house. He was making himself a cup of coffee "to go". I reminded him that he has never successfully drank coffee while driving without spilling some on his shirt. I mentioned how cranky he would be if he spilled something on his brand new white shirt that took me 20 minutes to iron. He assured me that he had it all under control and off we went. SO.... I could not help but giggle to myself when he did indeed spill coffee on that pristine white shirt..... Then I started to squirm as he pulled in to the parking lot of a 7-11 in search of a "Tide Pen", only to emerge with a bottle of seltzer. Again, it was hard not to giggle as I watched him desperately try to clean away that stain - THEN I SAW THE CLOCK!!! Sometimes I swear he does these thngs intentionally just to make me crazy. SO, the man drove like a maniac and we made it to New Jersey in plenty of time.

Those of you who know Mr. Wonderful, know that he is (was) an avid fisherman. Over 3 months ago, he and his friend planned a charter for striped bass. He had to leave the house this morning by 4:10am. It will never cease to amaze me how he made it out the door by 4:00 without any prodding from me....

Guga to Many!

First, I make the blanket.


Then I see a picture of it in the nursery - awaiting the birth of the baby


At last, Clara has arrived. Look at the proud big sisters!!

So happy to have these children in my heart!

Easter? Already??

It is mind boggling to me that Easter is upon us - Wasn't it just Christmas??? I guess having the house in disarray for so long has just interfered with my internal calendar!

Clearly, my house is not ready for entertaining, so my mother has graciously offered to take the family out to dinner on Easter Sunday. I wonder if the restaurant staff is ready for our family?

Are they going to be amenable to each one of us venturing into the kitchen and lifting the pot lids? Will they let us drink our "before dinner" cocktails in the kitchen while we nibble on little goodies that the chef leaves on the counter? Do you think they will mind if we ask questions such as, "Is that fresh oregano or dried?" "Did you slice the garlic or use the microplane?" .... inquiring minds want to know.

Secretly, I hope we are all restricted to the diningroom! I would hate it if everyone preferred going out to dinner in a restaurant rather than mulling around my house from morning to evening on any given holiday!

I had better start working on the menu for Mother's Day!@!@#!%@#^%

The Re-Build

I refuse to refer to this as "construction" any longer. The fire was January 9 - Here it is, 3 months later, and we are still living in what could be deemed as a "bomb shelter" in most war torn countries!

I thought of posting some pictures... but I looked at the pictures - and they just do not depict the misery we have been dealing with. Picture a GIANT BUBBLE (not unlike the one the infamous "bubble-boy" lived in) - this is what half my house has looked like for the past 3 months! They "hermetically" sealed off the livingroom from the rest of the house. The diningroom was filled with the items that used to be in the livingroom. Thus leaving the kitchen, bedroom, the office and bathrooms as the only usable portions of the house. Mr. Wonderful and I have eaten over 150 meals on our bed.

In all fairness, it seems we have finally reached the last stages of this "re-build". After much discussion (read that: I just nodded my head to whatever Mr. Wonderful wanted because I really had no energy left for viable input), a new fireplace design was born. It is nearly completed.

Then we had to prepare for the painters - Mr. W asked me if I wanted to change the color, I told him I would rather not and he agreed. So the painters arrived. Imagine my surprise when I came home to find my kitchen a different color. Not to mention that my livingroom, diningroom and hallway also a shade deeper as well!

Today, we are moving to a hotel for a couple days. The "re-build-ers" are coming to refinish all the wood floors. Mr. Wonderful helped prepare for this by putting anything he could carry by himself into our home office. (kindly hum the theme song to "Sanford and Son" as you view this picture)

Last night we dropped off Brandy and Sammy at boarding school. Gladly, they are rooming together and they will return on Monday. The little dogs will be treated to a trip to the hotel with their perspective owners. Bind Cat is also coming with us as Mr. Wonderful cannot bring himself to leave him home with the other cats.

I wonder if Mr. Wonderful thinks that this is going to take the place of my "island vacation" that we missed in January due to this fire????

GO WEST AND CONQUER!

I recently returned from a trip to Colorado to help out our nephew. Jon is fighting cancer (melanoma on top of his head). He had gone through two long bouts of chemo and he was ready for his first surgery. I made the trip out there to take care of Jon and his son Nicholas. I am happy to say that the surgery was a success in that the doctors feel they have removed the melanoma in its entirety and all the lymph nodes in his neck as well.

It was an interesting and memorable 5 days. It was my goal to get Jon back on his feet and keep his spirits optimistic after this surgery. He will be facing some reconstructive surgery for his head and 2 more bouts of chemo.

One of my favorite memories is when I was washing Jon's hair. He could not take a shower because of the drain in his neck (ok, admittedly he was a little Frankenstein-ish - but I do not have a weak stomach!) Jon's hair was caked with dried blood and it was driving him crazy. Now - how exaclty does a 5'2" little Italian Aunt wash the hair of her 6'4" nephew?? - PICTURE THIS: Jon laying across the kitchen counters with his head nestled in my hands over the kitchen sink - THAT'S HOW!! I will never forget how he looked at me and thanked me over and over for doing this for him....

I was also able to spend some quality time with my Great-Nephew, Nicholas. He is not quite 8 yrs. old and he just touched my heart.... I loved how he called me "Aunt Angela" the whole time! Since I got lost on my first solo trip to the grocery store, I took Nicholas with me on the second trip. I offered to pay him to get me there and back safely - AND HE DID!!

I loved cooking and fussing over my two nephews - clearly, this was something neither was used to - and they were both so grateful.

I know Jon was so thankful that I was there.... I wonder if he realizes how wonderful it made me feel to do this for them???

Uncle Al

Everyone has a special Uncle - Mine is Uncle Al. At age 95(ish), he is now in the hospital suffering the effects of a couple strokes. It is so sad to see that this is the way he is spending the last stage of his life.

Uncle Al lives his life with no rules - except these few: In the Winter you drink Rye. Always red wine with dinner. In the summer, beer with lunch, then gin and tonic with a piece of FRESH LIME!

Everyone has some fond memory of Uncle Al - but I think he will most be remembered for his crazy expressions. Just to name a few:

Ball 4, Take a walk
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, over the fence is a home run
There are flowers on the wall
Hey kid, you look like Gina Lollabrigida - walking backwards
What a "maroon"
Wrong Way Corrigan
Rube Goldberg
I'll drink to that!
TO THE MOON!!
What's up, doc?
MY NERVES!!!
Win, Place and Show
Your Raspberry Pie
Next Case, 30 Days
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - and the Holy Ghost ran 4th
Frick and Frack
Flip and Flop
I've seen better heads on stale beer
Nicknames for people: Zelda, Mabel, Zeek, Horizontal, Pain-in-the-ass

When we were kids, he used to make huge "bonfires" in his back yard and give us each twigs to roast marshmallows.... He could curse like a sailor, but always excused himself by following up with a loud "OOPS" after the profanity left his mouth. He was different.... he was ours.

quick update

Contractors have finally begun the reconstruction process (it's been 2 months since the fire). Will post before and after pix when it is complete.

I have come to realize that Mr. Wonderful and I can exist with just a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom - AND we are sharing that bedroom with 2 cats and 4 dogs most of the time. This is actually good news.... I had been worried about scaling down to a smaller house when I retire. Apparently, a 3 room apartment will more than suffice!!

All the kids have been busy on their own private quests:
Allison is getting her restaurant in tip top shape
Bobby is working hard and saving money
Michelle is waiting to hear about the mortgage they applied for
Little Michael is attempting to figure out his next step
Tricia is busy raising my beautiful granddaughters

As Robert Frost so profoundly said, "In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: IT GOES ON"...

Baby Boom?

It seems 2011 will prove to be a "baby boom" - at least in my little corner of the world. Below are pictures of baby blankets I finished so far this year. If it is true when they say, "Idle hands are a devil's workshop" - then Satan should be staying far away from me!!

What's for dinner?

So Bobby calls me Sunday morning and says, "So Ma, wanna come here today?" - Who could turn down such a heartfelt invitation??? I said, "Sure, I'll bring dinner".

Mr. W. and I left our house 3 hours later carrying:
- a stack of automotive magazines that Mr. W wanted to share with his son
- a stack of mail for the kid who has not changed his address in a year
- a tray of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies
- a tray of piping hot chicken cacciatore

Awaiting us at Bobby's house:
- Suse
- a platter of fresh bread
- fresh mozzarella
- imported Portugese Cheese
- roasting Portugese sausage
- a good bottle of red wine
- freshly brewed pot of coffee for Mr. W.

A combined effort.... a perfect day.

Storchevoy Sunday

I have long started this tradition of the kids knowing that Sunday dinner was always going to be at our house. I figured, if I wanted them to bring my future grandchildren, I better start planting the seed early.

I love our Sundays. It's like having a little holiday each week. There always seems to be something to celebrate - a birthday, a new haircut, a new pair of shoes - you get the idea. I feel that it is a parent's responsibility to instill the importance of family.

I am sure I can think of 100 things I would rather do on a Sunday other than cook a big meal.... well, maybe I can think of 50 things....10 things? Let's face it - there is NOTHING in this world I would rather do on a Sunday than cook a meal that will bring all my children together at my table.

Things have been somewhat difficult since the fire. I am proud to say that one Sunday, Allison hosted "Storchevoy Sunday" at her restaurant. And Michelle hosted it at her house one Sunday also. I am so happy that my kids also feel the need to see each other on Sundays!

My Angels

"I carry your hearts with me. I carry them in my heart."

May God forever bless my angels.
Ally - 9 yrs. old
Ava - 4 1/2 yrs. old

UPS Delivers!

As many of you know, my cousin's 10 yr. old son was recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. Cancer is a scary word - no one ever wants to hear it, but all too often, we hear it in a "too close proximity" to our hearts.

In an effort to comfort my cousin as his son faced the first step in his treatment (a huge surgery), I decided to send him something special. My Dad was my cousin's Godfather. My cousin has asked me, on more than one occasion, for my Dad's "custom" rosary beads. (My Dad, in his infinite wisdom, had shortened his rosary beads thinking it would be more efficient for him to say his prayers.) I carried these rosary beads with me daily since my Dad died. I thought the time was right for me to send these to my cousin..

I wrote a heartfelt note and sent the rosary beads UPS RED for delivery the next morning to my cousin's house. They were to be delivered by 8:30AM. Well, when the package did not arrive by noon, I started making calls. They assured me the package was on the truck and would be delivered that day. Happy to say, the envelope finally made it to my cousin's house at 6:00pm that evening. The envelope was ripped in half and re-taped closed. The letter was enclosed, but NO rosary beads.

I was furious, to say the least! I called UPS and spoke to a lovely supervisor and explained the whole situation. She was entirely sympathetic and assured me that she would do all she could to find the rosary beads.

My cousin was just so sad that there was a possiblity that my Dad's rosary beads were going to be lost forever. I assured him that this was a great story and my father LOVED a good story.... There was nothing to fret over...

My UPS ladies called me every single day to tell me what they were doing to try to find the rosary beads - but most of all, they wanted daily updates as to how my little cousin fared after his surgery.

I am happy to say that the tireless efforts of these ladies paid off as they did indeed find the rosary beads and delivered them to my cousin's house - 4 days later!! I wonder where those rosary beads spent those 4 days... Do you think my Dad was involved?

Our Blessing

As most of my faithful readers know - we had a house fire 2 weeks ago. Yes, there is damage. Yes, it was frightening. Yes, we are SO lucky as it could have been so much worse.

As I think of the events NOW, there are several little incidents that come to mind:

1. Mr. Wonderful refusing to come to bed as he "sensed" something was not right as he stared at the glowing embers in the fireplace. I can recall being aggravated that he was being totally paranoid. - So glad to say I WAS WRONG (hey, it was bound to happen after 34 years!)

2. Mr. W. being SO calm as he rounded up all the animals and bellowing at the top of his voice for me to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE - all at the same time. (First time ever that he multi-tasked)

3. Little Michael suggesting that they remove the 8 foot mirror that was attached to the wall next to the fireplace - (smart move, kiddo!)

4. Me, standing in my bedroom, gazing at its contents, wondering what I should take with me - (I grabbed Louie and my pocketbook - in that order)

5. The hoarde of volunteer firemen that appeared in front of my house - just happy to do their job. The two police officers who helped find the last cat that was scared and hiding. Virtual strangers who came to our aid - I am forever grateful.

6. The outpouring of love and support from our friends and neighbors. The reassurance and offering of lodging for us and our animals was overwhelming. I will always remember the warmth and kindness we were shown.



As I tell the story, over and over, I find myself reassuring others that we are okay, and this is just an "inconvenience". As I write this now, I realize that this was so much more.... It was a miracle that our house was not consumed in a full blaze (the fire marshall said we had approximately 6 more minutes before that happened). From now on, I will refer to this as an example of God's handiwork. God was watching over us, cradling us in His hands.