Hurricane Recovery

It's hard to stay in touch when we are dependent on brief hot spots for Internet and sometimes are without electricity. We are moving forward, but slowly. A group from our church came out and helped clear our yard, so a month and a week after the hurricane, we have that one little semblance of normality.

Insurance only wants to give us money to repair our roof and ceilings, but with all the mold we'd have to tear everything out. And with a manufactured home, that basically means rebuilding it. So we'd rather just start over somewhere else in a house on a foundation and out of the flood zone. 

We looked at a house that would be perfect, but we hadn't moved fast enough and it was already under contract. That was beyond heartbreaking. Our realtor should have found out if it was still available before showing it to us. It would have been perfect for us. Five bedrooms, large family room and living room. Kitchen large enough to hold a table so the dining room could have been a game area. Six foot fence around a half acre of land for the dogs. It had no damage and was move in ready. Probably the only house in the whole city that was! 

We went to look at a second house that might have been just as good. It has a little apartment attached that would have been nice for Tyler. It has so much damage it will be at least six months before it is ready.

Sigh.

The problem with moving is that unless we can get enough money to pay off the old house, we'd have to be able to make payments on two houses, and I don't think is possible. Kind of wish a tree had fallen on the house.

Not sure what will happen at this point. All the rooms are filled with our stuff from our shop, plus we have three storage units. We are trying to sell down online. In the meantime, the inside of our house is difficult to navigate!

We were going to skip Thanksgiving, but Jessica has decided to hold Thanksgiving at her house. Honestly, though, spirits are low.

A friend said she is setting up a Go Fund Me, and I'm not sure how that will work out. I know we need about $10,000 up front if we do get a house. I have some of that in savings but it is supposed to be for Jasmine's graduation trip to NYC and summer trip to Mexico with teen missions. She has not gone since she was 11, and this is the first year she has wanted to do it, so I had wanted to make it happen.

Keep us in your thoughts as we try to figure out our new normal. It includes four extra cats, at least one of whom is pregnant. Anyone want a cat?