from the desk of hothead:
well, shit.
i apologize for the very impersonal group email, but it's the only way i have to get in touch with all of you.
on monday afternoon, jesse's father and i sat in the living room (watching in horror as the va tech shooting unfolded) when a giant oak tree uprooted in my neighbors yard and crashed into our house. it busted through the attic, before coming in through the kitchen ceiling. it was so large that it busted out a dormer window on the opposite side of the house. needless to say, we didn't know what had happened. i seriously thought (we were having 50 mile an hour gusts in va that day) that we'd been hit by a tornado, and i waited for the house just to collapse with us inside of it. i have never been so scared in my life. jesse's dad dove on top of me to protect me from falling debris. it was seriously terrifying. we lost gryffin the cat for a few hours, but amazingly and miraculously, he was found and we all walked out unharmed. seriously - not even cuts or bruises. the fire department made us leave with just what we could throw in a bag, and the city condemned my house. as i write, my kitchen floor is covered in old junk from the attic, massive amounts of dust and insulation, and there is a tree branch through the ceiling fan. the place is totaled, and it's unbelievable that we walked out alive.
we have been able to go back in and get some clothes, and i also took out my family pictures and videos. we're staying in the grandin road area with a very generous friend. we expect to be "homeless" for 3-6 months. the important thing is that my little family is alive and together.
we hope to have our internet service transferred to our new temporary place within the next week, and finally be able to have some connection to the outside world.
except for going through hell with the insurance company (yeah, that's a story for another day), we're doing as well as can be expected. we have all the clothes and supplies we need. we are very very fortunate...and a little traumatized, too. if you're local and want to go get a beer, this is a great time to do it. we can use all the support we can get.
again, sorry for the group email. i know i owe some of y'all return phone calls, and please don't think i've forgotten you. also, those of you in town, i wanted you to know before you drove by the house and saw, you know, the tree.
i love you all, and hope to talk to you soon.
c/hothead.
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