Cleanup Heroes

After the first few days of rain and cold, we began to rummage through the messes left behind. I went searching for treasure hoping that I would find some things that were not ruined. There was very little salvageable.  Cast iron survived, but that survives anything and with some love and care can be reseasoned and made usable. Beyond that, the only things I found were  a couple  photos of a friends kids, my college diplomas and  a picture of Gumbalina. All had water and fire damage but I was able to save the photo of  the grandbaby.  Aside from these few things, we found one old ceramic bowl,an old oil can and my mortar for  grinding herbs. Of these only the oil can is still usable.  Everything else was beyond use, and for the most part unrecognizable, except for a couple of sweet potatoes that were nicely baked and some of the stored grains that were scattered everywhere.

Manthing has it in his head that he was going to  pick through the  mess by hand and take care of it all. I  thought he was insane  and was not to keen on having to look at the heap day in and day out directly out the front door of the eventual camper. I also knew the mental toll it was going to take on both of us to go through  long and rather agonizing process. I was not looking forward to it at all and just wanted to  call some companies and have it all hauled away even though it would cost a fair bit of money to do so.

And then...

A friend from facebook contacted me and told me that she and her hubby  would like to come down for a couple days and help clean up. She informed me that they  had a bobcat and could  help tear it all down and get it moved. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the thought  and excitement but when I brought it up to   him, he said, "let me think about it!"  Say what??  After a very brief conversation he acquiesced and came to his senses. At about the same  time, another friend sent an urgent message letting us know that she had a camper that  was available and for sale. Things were starting to look better, much better.

Donations and support were coming in from all over. Keep in mind most communication was being done at the library on public computers because me and the smartphone do not have a very friendly relationship. I figured out texting and the facebook app, but  I could not access email or any other website  due to poor internet, and user inability.  Every time we went to the library, I am positive we  not only smelled the place up a fair bit but we looked like blubbering idiots who every time they touched a computer would get emotional,  tear up, use the printer, and leave.

Cleanup begins

The following Monday was a BIG day!  We had the camper scheduled to arrive at about the same time as the folks with the bobcat were coming in. Planning could not have gone better. Just as we were unloading the bobcat,  the camper pulled in, and we made our way  back to the homestead to begin our work.

 

This is what the place looked like after a day n a half of the bobcat  and some hard work. Words cannot express the gratitude we have for these folks! There is absolutely no way we would be where we are right now in the cleanup process without them. There is no way we will ever be able to repay them for what they have done for us and we will forever be thankful to them.

But wait...

There is more...

They also brought clothes, other things n stuff, and foods too! By lookin at the root cellar, where all of our stored foods SHOULD have  been, one would never know that  every bit of it had just been flame seared and roasted.

WE LOVE YOUS!!!  and  snappy sally too