Happy Thoughts for moi and that_darn_cat, please.

GingerOfTheNorth · December 9, 2003, 11:41pm

I have just received an email from moi. Seems that after she left our place (Dope-The-Halls) on Saturday night, she returned back to her and tdc’s apartment here in Baltimore and the day went swiftly downhill. I quote:

So, whilst putting on my coat and getting ready to head back into the night, one of the guests at Dope-the-Halls made a comment about how I shouldn’t leave so early, that I was guaranteed to have more fun at your digs than any stinky fundraiser.

Truer. Words. Never. Spoken.

I wish this could just be a simple e-mail to say, “Wow. Great party. Thanks for having me!” but instead I have to relate that I got back to my place in the city and found Marty hard at work, refinishing the first-floor bathroom. He had nixed the idea of going to the fundraiser and planned on working for the remainder of the evening. Which, kinda sucked.

But, lo and behold, my evening had more suck waiting in the wings. Ten minutes after I finished unpacking the car into our third-floor apartment (I’ve been slowly transferring things from our place in NJ to the new apartment), the fire alarm goes off.

I, being jaded to fire alarms from my days of dorm life, pad down the stairs to the first-floor, where the smell of smoke quickly alarms me.

“Baby?” I inquire.

“Fire. Get out.”

To quickly sum up, I left the fine company of you, your fine husband, and a grand assortment of Dopers (not to mention the pumpkin pie) to find myself not an hour later standing shoeless and jacketless in front of my apartment building as several fire engines pulled up. We were finally allowed back into the building at 11 p.m., but only to get some basic necessities as, ha! there’s a hole in our roof from the fire and, therefore, the place is now unliveable. (Everyone got out of the building fine and, actually, most of our worldly goods have only suffered smoke damage.)

I’m the sort of person who’s always looking for that silver lining or trying to put a positive spin on something. At the very least, a “lesson learnt.” This weekend’s lessons: Party while you can. Have seconds.

Hope you and yours are doing well and, despite the bizarre, even surreal nature of this e-mail and the events related therein, I thank you for what ended up being the best part of not only my Saturday, but the whole damn weekend. I’ll send another shout your way when Marty and I are once again situated in Baltimore (possibly in February).

I’ve emailed her back but haven’t received any response as of yet. They are both fine, their stuff is smoky and nasty. I’ve offered sleeping space to t_d_c as he’s got a job in Baltimore. Don’t know when they’ll be back into their place, if ever.

Send good thoughts their way.

rocking_chair · December 10, 2003, 12:54am

good heavens!

please let us know if they need anything.

sending good thoughts and vibes.

Guinastasia · December 10, 2003, 3:25am

Ouch, that’s sucks!

Good thoughts sent and sending.

Lucretia · December 10, 2003, 3:27am

Not that there’s ever a good time to have a fire, but this time of year has got to be the worst. moi and that_darn_cat, I’m so sorry that happened, but I’m so glad you had a working smoke detector and that you got out in time.

And you are a peach, Gingy for opening your home.

GingerOfTheNorth · December 10, 2003, 3:43am

I’ve spoken with moi. She’ll be staying at their place in Jersey and he’ll be staying at a place his employer keeps for their volunteers. I’ve made sure he’s got the number here when he wants to get away from being a captive employee, and come hang out and be fed.

They are perfectly fine. Some of their stuff is damaged, but they’ll be okay.

ultrafilter · December 10, 2003, 5:23am

Sending good thoughts!

OpalCat · December 10, 2003, 9:16am

What caused the fire? That totally sucks

Frank_2 · December 10, 2003, 2:33pm

A silver lining? They now have a skylight in their apartment.

Hang in there moi and tdc. Things will get better and you’ve got a ton of people who will support you in anything you need.

moi · December 10, 2003, 2:59pm

Hey, folx. See, I have the Internet…things can be all that crappy.

We were both incredibly lucky…no one was hurt and much of our stuff will survive with just some smoke damage. Really, it’s just the matter of instantaneously not having a roof over our heads that’s been inconvenient.

I’m back in NJ to finish my last two weeks of classes, but tdc will be soldiering through in B’more, either staying at the center or moving from couch to couch. Our landlord, in much optimism, has suggested we’ll be back in the place in 4-6 weeks…which is much better than the three months we’d been figuring on.

Much gratitude and warmth to y’all who’ve sent well wishes and made offers of aid. I’m really quite touched and can’t thank you enough.

A very shell-shocked moi

OpalCat · December 10, 2003, 4:27pm

moi: do you know what caused the fire? (I’m totally paranoid about electrical fires–I used to live in this old house that had really ancient wiring and I was always sure it was going to burn down around me. The wiring was cloth insulated and frayed!!)

av8rmike · December 10, 2003, 5:27pm

As I recall, you guys live(d) only a few blocks north of me. As if Ginger’s offer wasn’t enough, I also have a little bit of space to share, should tdc require. Let me know if there’s anything at all I can do to help!

GingerOfTheNorth · December 10, 2003, 6:37pm

It wasn’t an electrical fire. It was started by some soldering work being done on a pipe.

GingerOfTheNorth · December 10, 2003, 6:43pm

It wasn’t an electrical fire. It was started by some soldering work being done on a pipe.

Idle_Thoughts · December 10, 2003, 8:56pm

Sorry, I can’t send good thoughts, only Idle Thoughts.

So here sending idle thoughts that are good vibed.

OpalCat · December 10, 2003, 9:03pm

Ok cool. Well, not cool but at least then I don’t have to be all worried that their house will spontaneously catch on fire again next time. It isn’t that the house is fundamentally dangerous.

RTFirefly · December 11, 2003, 2:20am

Good luck, you two! Holler if there’s anything we can do. Really.

Jonathan_Chance · December 11, 2003, 2:54am

Straight up. We support our scene or we lose it.

Just call.

moi · December 11, 2003, 5:20am

Yeah, we’re definitely aware of the fire’s cause, which is relieving, in a way.

I can’t believe I’m part of someone’s scene. Too cool. While you’re around, JC, did you know there was a pressed penny museum in DC? (www.squished.com) It’s by appointment only, but I’m thinking I’m gonna need to make a little trip sometime early in 2004. Ya in?

Yes, I’m hijacking the thread with talk of happier things. I figured no one would call me on it.

GingerOfTheNorth · December 11, 2003, 12:05pm

moi! You’re a-posta be SAD and cheesed off, not talking about pressed pennies. HONESTLY. Some people have no sense of when to mope.

Jonathan_Chance · December 11, 2003, 2:09pm

Yes, I know of the museum. Actually I just posted the link in the ‘Funny Money’ thread in GD.

Not that anyone’s responded. We ARE an oppressed minority.

Are you a member of the Elongated Collectors Guild, moi? It’s the right thing to do!

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Happy Thoughts for moi and that_darn_cat, please.

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