It's Officially Fall

After a stalled Fall, it finally feels and looks like Fall.


This morning I watched a front of some kind blow in. The clouds rolled in and as Pooh would say, "it is a blustery day", and we watched hundreds of golden leaves flutter to the ground.

I'm no where near ready for winter as we still have firewood we need to chop and stack and I'm actually nervous about what winter will be like out here. At least at the old house, I KNEW what to expect. I KNEW it was going to be cold and snowy 9 months out of the year. ha! I think we'll be better out here, but it's new to me.

I love Fall though - the colors and smells and feel in the air and knowing that the smell of baking goodies filling the house make me feel warm and fuzzy. Too bad Fall can't hang on through winter!

Time to start planning for baking! :D

The Reality

My grandmother was allowed back to her property today to see it. She was already told that it was gone, but she had not seen it yet. 11 days after evacuating her home, she came back to this.


My Aunt took the photo when she went out there with my grandmother. I'm so glad she did not go alone. I was expecting it, but when I saw the picture, tears started flowing again. What once was a warm and inviting home filled with the smell of baking breads is now a pile of rubble.

Fortunately, she is getting some help. FEMA will be working with her to assess what kind of aid she qualifies for. Many people have donated items and clothes. For a little while, FEMA will be putting her up in a hotel.

It's been a rough time for my grandmother but she is a strong woman.

Update

A quick update on the status of my grandmother's home .

According to the Bastrop County survey of destroy structures, my grandmother's house is gone. She has lost everything but the clothes on her back.

She has been safe with my mother so at least she is alive.

I sort of expected it, but hoped that it was still okay. All the waiting was difficult as we knew no news at all, but now the tears are flowing. It hits so close to home for me that I cannot help but grieve for her loss.

Please keep her in your thoughts.

2011 has proven to be a very trying year for many.

For us, we had to move and then my son broke his leg. But that pales in comparison to what else is happening. In July, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. From what I have heard, she is staying confidant, strong, and determined to fight it. She is a very strong woman. However, I'm sure the rest of us still have our worries.

Then there is The Bastrop County Complex Fire. The what? Okay, I know there is a whole big world out there and Bastrop is just a teeny tiny piece of it, most have never heard of it before the fire. It's where my grandmother lives, and two of my aunts and their families. Sunday a massive fire broke out that caused evacuations, including my family. High winds from Tropical Storm Lee and one of the worst droughts in who knows how long, made conditions perfect for a blaze. Monday, the fires worsened and burned something like 30,000 acres - it's still burning now. 600 homes have burned and I fear that some of them were my grandmother's and aunt's homes. Family is safely evacuated, but the thought of them loosing everything they have is heartbreaking.

I'm far from it all the way up in Idaho, but I grew up in there, it is where many memories come from and so it is still "close to home" thus making it far more emotional. I can't help but think the worst. It brings tears to my eyes thinking that my grandmother has lost everything - the place I would look forward to visiting is gone - my grandmother homeless. But I think the thing that makes the tears spill is that my grandmother has had so much to deal with this year with the cancer and the loss of one of her closest friends (also to cancer), the last thing she needs is to loose her home. She's trying to stay positive - as I probably should too - but when (if) she finds out her home is gone, I think it will finally sink in. And the tears spill over because I can't be there to give her a hug and simply hold her close. At least she is alive and safe.

I suppose we just have to wait to see...

Mmmm Donuts

Fresh out of the fryer... they meet the Dustin Seal of Approval! Next on the list to try...

Fried Ice Cream