Monday, July 9, 2012

Home For The Weekend

I don't have anything creative to show you today, but I'm posting pictures of our weekend so my family can see too.

We were suppose to have a great weekend away to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th birthday, but instead we went home to see the fire and devastation that happened last week in Pocatello.  Unfortunately George's sister and brother in law suffered quite a bit of damage in the Gibson Jack/ Mink Creek fire.


This used to be the shop for my brother in laws' race cars.  On the right is the trailer to haul them and you can see the 2 cars burned in what was the garage.  In the front you can barely make out the garage door melted and burned to the ground.  Fortunately the house was spared but did suffer from heavy smoke damage.  The property and grounds surrounding the house and all the beautiful trees are burned to bits.



The melted vinyl fence.



The neighbors home behind them.  All that is left is the foundation and the chimney.  It was kind of humorous though to see they 'planted' bright pink flamingos in what used to be their yard.  You can see they are climbing all the way up the hill.  Sixty six homes and 29 structures (garages, shops, etc.) burned in the fire.



On a bright note, we did get to the celebrations. Our nephew Lee James birthday.



 Yaya with Benjamin and Nicholas looking pretty good on her big birthday!


 

Most of George's family.  It was great to go home and see everyone again!  Happy and sad, but still good to be together. 

 
Saturday, my dad took the gold metal (again *Ü*) at the Senior Games in the Archery Division!  So proud of you Daddy!!  Glad we could be there that same weekend to celebrate.

17 comments :

  1. Hi Becky! Such devastation! Glad you were able to celebrate though. I did find a little humor myself in your blog entry as you referred to the two cars that burned as "cards"! We are never far away in thought of our passion!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. dreadful, hopefully no-on was hurt. Party looks good fun! xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Becky so glad your family got together and no one was hurt, but I do sad for the loss of property. I can't imagine how devestated they must be, but 'family' is the string that holds people together in times like this, and your's looks wonderfully happy. Your Yaya looks FAB! hugs

    ReplyDelete
  4. dreadful, hopefully no-on was hurt. Party looks good fun! xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. So sad to see such loss. At least your family is OK - hope everyone else's is too. Good to see you could still celebrate.
    Vicki (Aus)

    ReplyDelete
  6. My heart aches for your family and their community. My husband was a wild land aerial firefighter (he flew a P-3 Orion on contract with the FS) for 40 years. For 7 years he was based in West Yellowstone and on my drives up there with our 5th-wheel trailer I always enjoyed driving through Pocatello. He was dispatched there many times and we had the opportunity to spend a couple of days off there. You have such a nice family to celebrate life with. I hope I look as good as Yaya when I turn 80! And congrats to your FIL.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I feel the heart ache these folks have; thank you for sharing this w/us; so often we take things for granted & I'm happy that all of you could put the bad part behind you, so you could celebrate a great birthday; tfs!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, how devastating for them! There's not much worse than a fire. So glad you had time with them. Family is a wonderful support.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Becky--thoughts and prayers with you and your family. So sad. Glad that some time was spent together to celebrate the important thing and that no lives were lost...Blessings, Sharon

    ReplyDelete
  10. So Sad...it is sort of humorous to see those flamingos on the little patch of grass. How that got spared and the house didn't...is so hard to understand...but I guess it is a bright spot in a bleak situation.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So sad to hear about your BIL's business and home, fires cause such devastation,but thank goodness they are all safe. On a brighter note love your photo's of Yaya's 80th she certainly does not look her age, hope I look that good at 80! Thank you for sharing this family moment. PS. Gotta laugh at those Flamingo's thats what you call great spirit!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I feel so bad for your family members who suffered loss in the fires. My prayers go out to them! Bittersweet like you said, glad you could cherish the time with family because that is what really counts! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  13. So sorry your family endured this tragic event. Living just less than 8 miles from the Waldo fire in Colorado Springs, I truly appreciate the devestation left and such a horrific event. Saving grace is your family is not hurt. Remembering them and all of those in the area in our prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It made me want to cry to see the devastation that the fire caused. Then i saw all the silly pink flamingos and I started to smile. Be thankful that you were able to spend time with your family and that they are safe.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Just now seeing these pics you posted of the fires and family. Even with such devastation it is good to see the humor they have as they planted their flamingo's! Sometimes in the midst of tragedy you just have to smile. Thanks for sharing your happy family with us! Yaya looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow I have been in a bubble all week working on my roommate gifts and swaps and didn't know anything about this. So sorry to hear about your family's misfortune. Hope everything is okay. Can we donate to them? Let me know I'd like to contribute. Wow I hope I look like Yaya at that age! Amazing....what's in her water?? LOL

    Rubber Hugs,
    Terry~

    ReplyDelete
  17. My grandmother used to say "you can laugh or you can cry and it doesn't do any good to cry; things can be replaced-people can't" so I am glad your family could see the humor in it and you all were safe and together.

    ReplyDelete