7:37 p.m. - 2006-06-03

Don't let smoke get in your eyes

A piece of my past was swept away in the wee hours of this morning. A landmark property, and past employer (for 8 � years) burned to the ground. No one, as yet, knows how the fire started but the fire trucks went to the scene at 2am to LumberWorld, a lumberyard that had served the community for exactly 40 years.

Yesterday marked my 2nd anniversary of when I left the part time employment of LumberWorld to the full time employment (after 5 � in a 2nd job part time position) of my church. So it seemed exceptionally poignant that the fire should diminish a huge store, warehouse, and offices away in just a few hours today.

My husband and I drove by today. It gave my heart a jolt, it seemed so surreal. A place that had been my home-away-from-home simply wasn�t there. Although, much to my chagrin � there was one area of the store and warehouse that was still standing was. We jokingly called the tower - a two storey structure with offices below and the owner�s (and his secretary � me) offices upstairs. That�s where I worked - up in that tower. It looked lonely and forlorn, standing there amongst the burnt and smoldering rubble.

My heart goes out to the 60-70 people who are now out of work. For some of them, this job was there only income.

My thoughts also wander to my old boss. I was and am fond of him. I�ve already sent an e-mail telling him that there were easier ways to keep his off clean.

Word Count: 260
(That's two days worth. I may take a holiday tomorrow.)