We had a very serious fire in our studio...apartment. No neighbours were hurt. No pets were hurt. We are evacuated and staying in Stagg's late grandmothers house. We have food and shelter.
Visitors here may already know of this news...through Mister Anchovy or my sister...so I thought it would make sense to get to an internet cafe and make a quick blog post to let our friends and family know...we are okay. Stagg was very brave and we are beyond glad to be safe and sound and even more glad our neighbours are okay. The studio is totaled. The fire started a few seconds after 7 p.m. on Saturday and escalated within seconds. I had both the land line and my cell phone in my robe pockets which is a habit of mine when relaxing around the house. We would never have been able to phone 911 or our family during the fire if we didn''t have those hones on us...thats how quickly it progressed. I don't know what else to say. This was the scariest thing I've ever experienced and I've experienced some pretty scary things. Stagg ran up and down the inside apartments banging on doors and I ran up and down the fire escape banging on doors. Emergency response was there within two or three minutes and isolated the worse damage to three apartments. The worse thing was that our wonderful neighbour upstairs who is also an artist has two cats. He was not at home...I was sick until the firefighters told us they found the cats and locked them in the bedroom. I finally tracked down our neighbour at his workplace. I am a true believer in the worth of mobile phones. His cats went to the vet and only needed eye drops. I am so grateful to the firefighters...they were amazing. The Red Cross showed up too...and told us all kinds of things to help us like how to clean clothes after a fire with a product called "simple green" and they gave us an active debit card with 75 bucks. I am going to donate to the red cross asap.
The weather was exceptionally warm which was a godsend seeing as everyone was outside without coats. The fire was out within half an hour.
I made several phone calls that felt like the worse things to do that night. I called Staggs parents to tell them...and ask them if they could pick us up and let us stay with them. I felt horrible giving them such a terrible shock. I texted my daughter as the fire was going and I felt so terrible giving her such frightening news. Then calling our neighbour with the cats above us. I had to text my daughter to phone our relatives/friends in Canada because my cell phone was running out of batteries.
We have been able to go into the apartment all day yesterday and today to salvage what we could. We have salvaged most of our clothes and shoes. We have salvaged some of our cookware, some books, our passports, our marriage certificate, most of our dvds and cds. We do not know if the compouter or it's speakers and printer will work. I am letting them dry out till I take them into a techie next week.
We are staying at Stagg's late grandmothers house. Many of you will remember she passed away a few weeks ago. The family wanted to wait till te housing market shifts before putting it up for sale and so we have a very comfortable shelter. We've got groceries and stuff and are doing remarkably well considering.
Stagg can't "get over how great the red cross is to help everyone so quick and caring at all times. Stagg always sees the police, firefighters sirens yet fortunately he say he has never had to have their imediate care and attention and feels they are one of the best in the whole world (he is dictating as I type here in the internet cafe) Time heals all wounds he says and Stagg needs more time..."
We have had lots of support from friends and family...and the ones far away...I miss more than ever...
So in general...if you are someone we had an interview or appointment with this week and you haven't heard frm us...this is why. In particlar...if Danny is reading this...the phone number I have for you is not working...can you please call Jojo and tell him why Stagg missed his appointment?
The red cross said to try to keep as many appointments and plans going as possible...to help restore some kind of narmalacy...so we made interviews yeasterday...and I made a job interview today. We are juggling this with retrieving what we can from apartment.
I will check back next time I get online...and maybe post some pics...we'll see.
Much love to you dear visitor...
26 comments:
Oh my God, Candy...I am so stunned and sad to hear about this, but I am so grateful you and Stagg are safe and that no one was hurt. I cannot imagine how devastating this is for you...My thoughts are definitely with you two, and I am glad you have somewhere safe to stay at this time. Keep us posted as you are able - but man, don't sweat it! - and take care of yourselves!
We love you guys. xo
So relieved that you are safe and sheltered.... and together.
xo
oh you poor thing ..our house burned up when i was a kid and im still traumatized over it .
If i can help you in anyway let me know ..any tiny thing ..
:)
Michael and I are so happy thankful you are safe and sound, and send our love. Please please please do not hesitate to reach out when you feel up to it. Remember that things are only that, and the most important stuff is inside of us, and you both have that and the love of all the people who care for you
Jason Messinger
Candy and Stagg, I'm so sorry to hear about this and soooo relieved that you are both okay and nobody was injured in the fire. How shocking and terrifying it must have been for you. Big, big, big love from us to you both. If there is anything we can do for you guys, please please let us know. So glad you're okay! Much love. xxx
Same as what Red said, if there's anything we can do from here, let us know. You have our email details or you can get them from our FB pages otherwise. Glad you guys are both safe and sound (and the other folks and animals, of course). What a horrid experience. xxx
Oh my gosh, Candy! I'm glad everyone is safe, but what a frightening experience to go through! I'll donate to Red Cross as well, it's nice to know how caring they are. Thinking good thoughts for you and Stagg.
Oh God. And thank God y'all are safe. This is awful...I'll certainly be donating to the red cross.
Jeez, you guys. I'm just so glad you are okay.
xoxoxoxo
Goodness gracious! Just glad you are both OK. And well done to fire dept for getting there so quick and to the Red Cross. So lucky about gran's house :) Hoping you can get back into the swing of things quickly. All I can do from here is to send you my best thoughts. Take care the two of you, it is you who are irreplaceable.
Hi Everyone, I am writing from Vancouver for Candy - sister kiki here.
I've been speaking to Candy daily and wanted to let you know that the computer is out of commission, so I am writing this news from her - she is on the phone right now.
Jason and Michael, she didn't know whether to call you or Stagg's folks that night, but in the end she called the folks. They have have been a great support. She is happy and relieved you checked in.
* and Red, episode five and six are melted, but she plans on recording it again later when she can sit down and catch up on what she has missed.
The demolition crew is coming really soon, and expect to get it cleaned up real fast.
I have read all the responses to Candy. If my writing style seems odd its because Candy is speaking to me on the phone while we are having this conversation plus others as I type.
A friend has already donated an imac.
Thank you Wandering Coyote, Suzanne, Cynnie, Janet, Beej, Sheila for your wishes. Candy can't get online today, so my channelling is all we can do.
Spirits are way better today than the last two days. The place looks managable, appetitte and sleep potential returning, stress level dropping. Its all good.
Candy managed to make two job interviews between cleaning/hauling and travelling between home and grandma's in the suburbs.
xox to all.
Thanks for the update, kiki. Please send her my love.
Wow, it's amazing that Candy's still making interviews. You can't keep that gal down!
But really, don't worry about Survivor! If it's gone, it's gone. I think you have bigger fish to fry, Candy. But if it's there when you get back to normal, super all the same.
Much love, guys.
And thanks for the update, Kiki.
xx
Candy, sorry to read about this, but I'm glad everyone is safe. I read this after I emailed you something that's light and amusing, so I hope the tone doesn't come across as callous. Y'know, this is the first time I left a comment on your blog, and I hope to see your posts more often on the Discussion Forum!
My best thoughts are with you and Stagg. It's good that the fire didn't physically harm anyone, and that you were able to salvage important papers and a few other items. But I'm sure that what you might have loss (workwise, artwise) really hurts.
Good luck on the job interview.
just happy you guys are ok, sendin you my love and good thoughts.......!
Hey sports fans, I am at a Kinko's outlet for a few minutes and just thought I'd check in. Thanks to my sister who read these awesome comments out loud to me on the phone the last couple days.
You know, in a city we are used to computers and cell phones everywhere...but it's not unusual outside a city to find lots of people don't even own cell phones or computers. No one in Stagg's immediate family has a computer...so we haven't even been able to drop by one of the relatives places and borrow computer time...they simply don't use or often...don't know how a computer even works.
I found this also when I was on road trips two years ago...no computer cafes in small towns. No access at libraries unless you had a valid local library card...
It's amazing wehat you get used...and what you can get used to not having.
And this is so true of the situation we are in now. We are camped out at Stagg's grandmothers and going to our apartment every day to clean and salvage. It's astounding what we have reclaimed. Virtually all our clothes, most furniture (the stuff not upolstered) and a fair bit of the entertainment stuff like cds.
We are feeling about a million times better than we did Monday and Tuesday...our crazy senses of humours came back almost right away...and I find humour one of the most valuable possessions.
The major material loss we have...is all of our art work. It's gone. The good news is that it had virtually no monetary value...no one buys art anyways ha ha so we lost something that wasn't "valuable"...and the other good news...Stagg and I can make more art! We are both pretty prolific and we'll just crank out more narratives. I lost an original of one of my short films. It hurt at first...but it's not like anyone watches short films either ha ha. I'll just have to make more movieS!!!!
I am not having time to check email...I just came on to the Kinko's computers to print out my resume. And I thought I'd say howdy to you folks.
The comments here have meant so much to Stagg and I and we love ya all so much. Ken...your message was a [pleasant surprise I sure never knew you dropped by and thank you so much for your message. I'm sure I'll catch up with the McCarthy online bookclub one of these days. I haven't had much time the past year to visit you wild guys over there...but one of these days I'll stop by and catch up. You know Ken, Stagg and I both thought of you recently and were recalling our wonderful visit two years ago and how much fun we had with you walking around the lower east side in Manhattan. Great fond memories!
X Dell, great to hear from you too. Thanks for your positive vibes. It's amazing how much a kind word and nice thoughts really [picks up our spirits. All positive thoughts and attitudes are the best medicine.
Danny, we love you!!!!
Beej, shelia, Wandering Coyte, Asterisk, Red, everyone...thank you thank you hugs and kisses to everyone!!!!
Candy,
I've just checked into your blog after weeks of absence from everything (Shakespeare included) and got the news. I'm terribly sorry.
I'm off travelling for a week shortly -- I'll put a longer message to you in goodreads.com later. Meanwhile I'm glad things were not worse. It is heartwarming to hear how excellent the fire service was. Gene Cranick's experience was, mercifully, the exception. (Yes, the Gene Cranick story really went worldwide.)
I find it characteristically unselfish of you that in the middle of it all your greatest anxiety was for the neighbour's cats.
Martin
This is a shock - I'm stunned. And feel sooooo bad for you both. If there is ANYTHING I can possible do, please let me know! What about Stagg's art supplies? Oh, jees - I am about speechless. Where can I mail you a check - I suppose you could use it right now - I am so thankful it wasn't worse than it was, though it is certainly bad enough, but you have your lives - and aren't burnt in your body, though I can't even imagine how traumatic this would be!
Wow.
Sense of humor's good. It should make your next round of artmaking quite interesting;-)
Candy, Stagg
More hugs, as you always need them a few more days into such trauma.
Your sis transcribing over the phone - great! But great to have you back - you are so right about what we get used to having in the way of telecoms. Still thinking of you
Candy, I tried to call you this morning, and your phone has changed since I last call you. Oh, I know you are such an overcomer, still I worry about you guys! Love you!
oh my crap girl!!! I am so sorry I am not there to help you. I miss you so much and am so tempted to book a flight right now. LOVE AND PRAYERS TO YOU & STAGG
Tricia
OMG!!!
Just glad you two are both ok.
Hope all gets better asap.
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