No country lightheartedness this week. This has been one incredibly horrible week for this family. Much ado that I just don't feel like going into for the sheer emotional exhaustion of it all. As if that had not been enough stimulation for one week, it all culminated (let's HOPE) last night when my daughter's house burned to the ground in about 15 mins. The 2 couples renting the house had gone to the store for some groceries for supper. They left the oven on, thinking it would be ok since they only planned to be gone 10-15 mins -- guess 10-15 mins is all it takes to lose everything. The preliminary investigation is pointing to a short in the stove wiring -- it was a very old house with bad wiring throughout.

Fortunately, the dog was in the back yard and the 2 couples were out of the house. The other couple had lost their daughter just last year. Photos were all they had left of her and the firemen had to pull the man out of the house as he desperately tried to save his daughter's pictures. They had no renters insurance. Granted they didn't have much of monetary value but some things cannot be given monetary value. Fortunately, both couples were able to salvage some photos, but that was all. So sad.

The Red Cross put them up in a room for 3 days. They are to go to the main office on Monday for further assistance in getting clothes and finding another residence. Determined to hold to my inherant optimism, I choose to believe some good will come out of all this. If nothing else, my involvement with my daughter's hardships over the past couple of years has ignited my social conscience and is increasingly motivating me to find some way that I may be able to facilitate local CHANGE, however small.

To all passersby: prayers, goodwill...whatever positive energy your belief system can generate and project in my direction, will be greatly appreciated.