An Eventful Year

Hello, Friends.

My life seems to go from one amazing adventure to another. On Thursday, June 20, there was a 100-year flood in the city I reside in, Calgary. The city has been in a state of emergency since about 3 p.m. that day. We were evacuated from our condo building at 3:30. With the help of a good friend, we were able to secure one of the last occupiable hotel rooms in the city. Up until we got that room, we thought we’d have to go to a public shelter, because we have no family in the area. Consequently, we brought very little with us, and left our laptops behind where they’d be safe in our 8th floor condo.

It was quite an adventure getting to the hotel. It took over an hour to go 3 miles by bus. At the end of the bus ride, a friend picked us up and brought us to the hotel. We had to meet him outside the city as they were closing all the bridges against incoming traffic. (Calgary is bordered by two major rivers.)

But we made it to a safe place, and that was the important part. Over the next two days, we watched the news in horror as the devastation grew all over the city. The downtown got completely flooded, and our building, which sits about 1/2 a block from the banks of the Elbow River, got inundated. The good news is that no one in Calgary was killed. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the city of Calgary emergency management services and the mayor’s office, for keeping us safe during the disaster.

We’ve been in the hotel since last Thursday afternoon, and are told that our building is still without power and sewer. Apparently, it’ll be a few more days before those things are restored, possibly as long as another week. We watch and wait and try to keep a positive mental attitude. We know our household goods are safe, and that there was no significant structural damage to our building. That’s a whole lot more than a lot of people can say. As uncomfortable as the situation is, it could have been so much worse.

While I’m here, trying to keep up communications via iPad, I do not have the resources to do my usual blog memes, Horny Hump Day and Saturday Spankings. I hope it will be a short term problem that will be resolved by next week.

Please keep the people of the province of Alberta, specifically the southern part, in your thoughts as we try to dig out from under this natural disaster. The city remains in a state of emergency, but about 80% of the evacuees are able to at least go home to retrieve possessions. Many are already at work cleaning up. It looks like we’ll be among the last tranche allowed to go home, but we we do have a home to go to. We’ve been lucky.

Stay safe, friends, and look with appreciation upon your good fortunes. They can change at a moment’s notice.

Trish

6 Replies to “An Eventful Year”

  • Wow! Found this while working on the MFRW Newsletter. Sending hugs and healing energy to you and the people of Calgary.

    Spotted a Mensa friend on your Facebook page and wondered if you’re an M, possibly even a Hell’s M? I’m a lasped M, former LocSec and a Hell’s M. And if you’re not in Mensa, I’m speaking Gobbledygook right now. 😉

    For those who are not in Mensa, I can’t afford my dues but I’m still smart. I once chaired the Heart of Illinois Mensa group which stretched from Peoria on our northwest corner to Paris, IL on our southeast corner. I also edited the newsletter for our group and for a short time I edited the newsletter for the Las Vegas group when they were between editors.

    Hell’s Mensans is the Party Special Interest Group. The Hell’s Ms definition of a party is any gathering of two or more people where the participants wake up with good memories the next day. At any Mensa gathering you’ll see people wearing Hell’s Ms tee shirts at registration, running the hospitality suite, giving presentations, even playing in the band. If there’s a Mensa party, Hell’s Ms are working to make it special. Most officers in Mensa are Hell’s Ms, because we’re the ones with the broken arms that spring up when people ask for volunteers. I, personally, just don’t have fun in the shallow end of anything. I have to jump into the deep end with both feet and participate.

    Anyway–I’m so glad you’re okay and your things are okay. I hope you get to go home soon.

    Hugs,
    Rochelle, MFRW Newsletter Ed.

    • Hi, Rochelle. Thanks for taking the time to comment on my situation. 🙂

      I’m quite familiar with MENSA, though I’m not a member. My husband and I both qualify, but neither of us is a “joiner,” so being part of the group hasn’t held much appeal. It’s a great place for a lot of people to socialize and network.

      Good work with your MFRW newsletter. Always impressive.

      • I guess I’m a compulsive joiner. I was one of those kids with a paragraph after my name in high school and that didn’t count the stuff I did after school like church choir, Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement and Candy Striping, and I’ve been that way my whole life. As I said, before, if I’m not swimming in the deep end, I don’t feel like I’m in the pool. 😉 Again, sending hugs and healing energy your way.
        Rochelle

  • Glad you are safe! Natural disasters are hard things to deal with. Our area was affected by Hurricane Sandy this past fall, we were without power for 9 days, but were lucky in that was the only thing affecting us! Its surreal to watch your home become the #1 news story. I hope you get back to your home safe soon, and that your area is back to normal quickly. Stay safe.

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