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Communicate : What's New
Since November 24, 2009

Engulfed in Flames!

In case you are not following the story on Twitter...

Our car got stolen from the parking lot at the Toronto Hilton last Thursday the 19th, the night before we were supposed to fly from Toronto up to Moncton and then drive to Miramichi, NB to do a gig. So we wake up, go to the parking lot to get the car to scoot on over to the airport. No car. Nothing. No broken glass which would indicate a forced entry, just one empty parking spot in a sea of parked cars. Missing. Like a tooth missing from a set of teeth. A hole. Gaping....

And like that it was gone. Now we went into problem solving mode. Start making a list of what was in the car, tell the hotel manager, call the police... I needed to get to the airport to catch the flight... Tom would stay in Toronto and deal with the police reports, insurance, etc. then take a later flight. I would wait for him in Moncton and we would drive to Miramichi together. So we had that down. Off to the airport I go. Paid $75 to change Tom's flight to the later one. Head to the gate and wait.

He called me and said, "They have recovered the car. 2 hours away near a lake. The police are on their way to the hotel. I might be able to make the flight!"

Then he called back. "The car has been recovered BUT IT IS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. As we speak. Fire fighters are still trying to put it out."

I gasped out loud. The Suburban! My boots! The microphone! The sound system! The visa charge machine! All my running gear! All the workshop stuff! ON FIRE! Who does this????

Tom finished up with the police in enough time to catch the first flight.. so no one had to wait around. It was nice to just keep moving ahead with the day. So we made our lists of what was missing and what we needed to replace to do the workshop and what would have to wait until we got home and.. and.. and... then we got to Miramichi.

Tom started the insurance claim process and I headed out to Staples, Sobey's (grocery) and Walmart to put enough stuff together to do a full day workshop that included FIZZLE BUBBLE. The show must go on!

It was like a movie, so surreal. Not really sinking in. Until we realized that we had no way to get home from Toronto. Especially a bit funny that none of the family has passports (yet) so they couldn't just come and get us. We had images of getting a ride to the border, then walking across with our suitcase to be picked up my mom and dad on the other side.... we were getting a bit punchy. It had been a long emotional and stressful day and it was time to wind down and hit the hay.

The gig went great! The refrain of the day was "engulfed in flames"! When I would reference something that "I'd love to demonstrate for you but I can't because it is now ENGULFED IN FLAMES!" added some extra humor to the day.

We were able to rent a car to get back home. As inconvenient as the situation is - both in regard to TIME and to MONEY it is still just stuff. Some of it cannot be replaced (the VW hubcap Tom found on the road for me, my Dallas boots...) but most of it can (books, workshop demo materials, running shoes and gear...) We have our health. We are safe. No one was hurt. Many friends came to our aid with calls, texts, emails and tweets.. it was nice knowing we had so much support. We were grateful. Even though we were hundreds of miles away, we felt the comfort of our friends and family.

We came home to our ritual Sunday Family Dinner which this week happened to also be my dad's birthday. The story was told about the car and all the minute details and the frustration and the humor that we chose to see in it as well... But it was a party and there was cake. Which was good. As we wrapped up the evening and the extended family headed out and on home, my sister in law called me, laughing, saying that my neice Emma (4) was singing all the way home in that made-up, sing-songy lilt of a preschooler, "The suburban is dead...."

So all is back right with the world. I am sure we will be dealing with this for a few weeks and it will take time and money to get it all situated out. But it works out. It always does. I will need to go shopping for goo-gear, running gear and books. Maybe my 41st birthday will be a party in Dallas for boot-buying. And as for Tom, he has been wanting to light a fire in the fireplace since we got home... and roast marshmallows...

hope you are all well!

love

lisa

Communicate : What's New Since November 24, 2009

Communicate : What's New
Since November 24, 2009