Feel free to check out the Q2 issue of the Glen Cove Community Association newsletter for our neighborhood. I write a President’s Letter article, but this quarter I had to include the sad story of the fire on January 18. I’m still proud of how professional our team delivers this online periodical each time. See Slideshow version here.
Category Archives: Fire
March 2024 Renovation Progress
Strange to see my house like this, but pleased to see so much progress being made.
Wind Spinner Nostalgia
Brought some of my wind spinners over to the rental so it feels a little bit more like home while I wait for the house to be renovated. They were being surrounded by bamboo and weeds that I’m unable to fully tend to for now, so I might as well enjoy them in the interim.
This is what the Wellfleet backyard roughly looks like these days:
Disoriented Doves…Maybe
Some of you may remember from last year that a dove couple nested in the plastic wreath on my front porch and successfully raised two gorgeous chicks there until one day they were gone. That was all documented on my blog. I wonder if they’re the same dove couple that I regularly saw at the back of the house who were wandering on the little sidewalk in my backyard with the absence of dogs as it is scorched.
I wondered recently where they will nest, since the wreath burned in the fire. I wonder if they will have the wherewithal to return in the spring of 2026 if I am able to construct something similar, or will they be so disoriented from the interruption of the fire to be able to resume the one-year tradition?
Nikki Hospice and Hayden Five in the News
Front page Vallejo Times Herald article today mentioned the five souls I lost in the fire and the pet grieving events I was already actively trying to facilitate with Kathryn D. Marocchino and Carlene Coury. Hopefully this will trigger more donations in their memory in the link listed at the bottom of the article. I do like knowing that their memory will help other cats and dogs find homes and have better lives.
Got the ashes
I was touched at the paw prints for each of them. I’m still not sleeping all night, despite the comfortable surroundings.
Can beauty come out of ashes?
That’s a line from a beautiful Celine Dion song.
I got a call from the veterinarian’s office downtown. I was told in the chaos of the fire that they would cremate all five dogs that were killed in the fire individually for free, which is very touching. I think one of my neighbors arranged that for me. The remains of the last of the five are expected at their office tomorrow, so I’ll have to pick them all up. I will make sure someone drives me because I’m not sure how I’m going to handle it.
Two Days Until Temporary Move
Two-day countdown to temporary rental and I’m feeling less scruffy after using my replacement beard trimmer set. I’m so appreciative of my hosts, whose home is like a second home to me. Snoopy and I (and other dogs who are now sadly gone) were here all summer at their pool. Year-round I always love coming over here for meals and coffee visits. I look forward to hosting them again where I am, both this year and next year when I’m actually home. Indeed, I’m so grateful for so many aspects of the community coming forward. No matter how much I critique FB, it has facilitated communications during this devastation. I still use my blog as the source of truth, but happy to garner all the resources I can at this dark time.
Fire, then Rain and Wind
My burned out house is once again secured after the Bay Area storm blew over the chain link fences around it, falling into the street TWICE. Thank goodness the neighbors facing me on both sides of the corner are so attentive and simultaneously texted me. Late at night the company came back to secure the fence with more reinforcement. What a mess. Where I’m staying about five minutes away also lost power briefly twice. Hopefully the worst of it is behind us. Move day is supposed to be a break in the wind and rain, thankfully.
Snoopy and I got approved to rent a house nearby in the Westpointe development of Glen Cove neighborhood in Vallejo starting next week. I’m glad I got approved, but of course it’s bittersweet under the circumstances. Having just become president of the community association for a second term, it made sense that I stay in the neighborhood, and my own home will be accessible for me to tend to the garden. I can also check mail with a modest bike ride. Thank you for all of the support my communities have given me. There is a lot to rebuild, but I feel weird asking for things. Last night I got a whole seven hours of sleep for the first time in two weeks since this nightmare began.
