Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Virtual Home Tour
For those of you who haven't made it to visit Lou and I, I'm posting some pictures my mom took last time she visited me. I wanted to do this on the anniversary of the fire, but forgot to email me mum in time. So, welcome to my home!
Come on in the front door!
First stop, the living room.
Next is a 360 of the kitchen, cause it's so dang cute!
We really should clean up the front of the fridge. If there weren't so many papers, you'd see the smiley "face" the fridge makes - even it is happy to be here!
A peek out the kitchen door to the deck and the back yard! (Sarah, aren't you glad you live in Texas? No cruddy snow to shovel!)
The all-important throne room! I have a teeny half-bath upstairs (I call it my Poop Closet), but Mom forgot to take pictures of that. It's decorated in an International Travel theme. (You know all those postcards I collect? Yyyeeeaaahhh....)
Finally, my bedroom, though I really don't want you to see it, since it's not done the way I want. But here's the general idea. I will post more pictures of it (plus my office) when they're closer to being "done."Thanks for stopping by! And if you can make it for real, all the better!
Monday, February 5, 2007
The Anniversary
Tomorrow will be the one-year anniversary of the fire that destroyed my aunt's condo - our home.
Granted, we are in a better neighborhood, in a house we like much better than the old condo. Granted, the community and our friends and family really stepped up and gave so much more than we could ever have expected. Granted, God is continuing to bless us all the time.
And we definitely do not take these blessings (and lessons) for granted.
But there is something wrong still. It's been a year since the fire completely destroyed Building B at Hidden Cedars Condominium complex. The one that left nearly 16 families, some renters and some owner/occupiers (such as my aunt), looking for a new home. So what's happened in a year?
Nothing.
The grass has grown over the old footprint of the building, but no ground has been broken to rebuild it. While we, and other families, had to move on out of necessity, those who owned units in Building B (such as my aunt) are still paying the price for a home that doesn't exist anymore. And will not exist any time in the near future.
The problem lies with the leadership - the board of owners at the complex. And the majority of the problem with the board is a man by the name of Herbie Howard. Mr. Howard is constantly in the news for various reasons (not all of them positive, which doesn't surprise those who've dealt with him), and is a major real estate "developer" in the region. I use quotations because, in our admittedly limited experience in dealing with Mr. Howard, we've found him to be a slum lord, pure and simple.
I'd go on and on, but there's no reason to set myself up for allegations of libel. Suffice it to write that I'm sure there's a really juicy story about Mr. Howard's business conduct if anyone had the courage to investigate.
Meanwhile, my aunt is stuck with paying for a home that no longer exists.
Granted, we are in a better neighborhood, in a house we like much better than the old condo. Granted, the community and our friends and family really stepped up and gave so much more than we could ever have expected. Granted, God is continuing to bless us all the time.
And we definitely do not take these blessings (and lessons) for granted.
But there is something wrong still. It's been a year since the fire completely destroyed Building B at Hidden Cedars Condominium complex. The one that left nearly 16 families, some renters and some owner/occupiers (such as my aunt), looking for a new home. So what's happened in a year?
Nothing.
The grass has grown over the old footprint of the building, but no ground has been broken to rebuild it. While we, and other families, had to move on out of necessity, those who owned units in Building B (such as my aunt) are still paying the price for a home that doesn't exist anymore. And will not exist any time in the near future.
The problem lies with the leadership - the board of owners at the complex. And the majority of the problem with the board is a man by the name of Herbie Howard. Mr. Howard is constantly in the news for various reasons (not all of them positive, which doesn't surprise those who've dealt with him), and is a major real estate "developer" in the region. I use quotations because, in our admittedly limited experience in dealing with Mr. Howard, we've found him to be a slum lord, pure and simple.
I'd go on and on, but there's no reason to set myself up for allegations of libel. Suffice it to write that I'm sure there's a really juicy story about Mr. Howard's business conduct if anyone had the courage to investigate.
Meanwhile, my aunt is stuck with paying for a home that no longer exists.
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