Updates...

Many of you have been wondering how things have been going on the home front with the house fire, and then getting hit with a flood in our basement.  It seems we have been getting hit with one catastrophe after the next, when yesterday, as we were cleaning out the basement, trying to get all the carpeting out of the house as soon as possible to prevent any mold from starting, our daughters came home with my dad, when they automatically went to the backyard to see the dogs.  Problem... There was only one dog in the backyard, not two.  Our Black Lab, Byron, had gotten out of the yard, and went missing.  Now Byron and my girls have grown up with each other.  They were only one when we had gotten him.  They were devastated.  I was devastated for them, and for our younger but larger dog, Boon, the English Mastiff.  ( who has lost nearly 50 lbs from all the stress) 

Okay, tearing the carpeting out, comes to a screeching halt, and now there are 5 of us, walking up and down the street yelling out for Byron.  Panic sets in.  I can't possibly handle another blow, not now.  I can't possibly handle the additional look of sadness on my girls faces, not now, not after they have already lost so much.  My dad decided to drive them around and look on the next few streets, as we try and get the carpeting done.  I don't remember much during the final hours of getting the carpeting out, except for nearly losing it.  I just kept saying over and over in my head, not now, not again. 

After a while, I convinced the girls to go with my dad, to get their minds off of things, and my husband and I finished the basement.  Once we were done, it was time to head out, only I didn't want to leave.  We decided we would drive the neighborhood and take another look around. 

No sooner did we get to the end of our street, we saw a woman walking her dog.  We stopped to ask if she had seen a Black.... and she finished our sentence.....Lab with a Purple collar?  I screamed YES!!  She sent us in the right direction, his last known appearance... We get there, and he's gone.  Someone had grabbed him, because they were afraid he might get hit by a car, and started knocking on doors to find out where he lived.  The only problem was, was that he was walking away from our house.  Another street, and we spotted him.  I threw my truck into park, and jumped out and grabbed him!  Finally a happy ending!  No sooner was I on the phone to tell the girls we had found him....alive and well.  As I write this post now, he is laying at my feet. 

Today... We had it.  Enough working, enough worrying, we needed a break.  So that we did, a nice drive to see what all the rain left us with.  The floods, the washed out bridges, the buildings that are still underwater.  It always amazes me what water can do.  It's odd to see so many National Guardsmen around directing traffic, due to so many road closures, including Route 95. 

Which brings me to a rather important emergency tip for those of you that have pets.  Especially large pets.  Do some homework now, in order to prevent panic later.  Many hotels now a days are pet friendly.  However, hotels are not all the same when it comes to pets.  Many have weight limits, where they wont accept animals over 40lbs.  Some hotels state cats only, or dogs only.  Some even state only one pet per room.  By doing a little leg work now, if and when you have an emergency, you will know ahead of time where you can go with your pets. 

I will be putting together some emergency tips, and lists in a few days when I have a little more time, but until then, I will just be jotting things down here and there.  If I help only one person with the emergency tips, it will all be worth it to me, as I never knew about all the little things we take for granted on a day to day basis, that changes when you are in the midst of an emergency.