On January 8th, there was a 6.5 earthquake in Eureka, California. My parents, my brother and his family, as well as several friends were effected by the quake. We are so thankful that the damage was nowhere near the devastation suffered in Haiti, however, my parents still suffered loss and damage.
The house is still in shambles. A broken toilet in the upstairs bathroom caused major water damage. Now they only have one toilet (downstairs) and very noisy dehumidifiers and fans going 24 hours a day in both bathrooms to dry things out. There are also holes in the ceiling in the dining room because of the damage. They also had broken windows, cracks in the walls and the house shifted from it's foundation. They are getting estimates from 2 or 3 contractors to put things back together, but the repairs will not be quick. Mom said, "Oh the joys of living in a 105 year old house!!!"
The pantry and cupboards in the kitchen emptied in the quake. Among the broken dishes, smashed into a million pieces, was mom's set of Colonial Homestead china. My grandma had given them to her and she had just recently gotten rid of her everyday dishes and decided to start using this set.
Mom has been able to replace a few pieces via ebay. I think the search has kept her mind off of everything else. I'll be keeping an eye out for more at flea markets, yard sales and antique malls. I would LOVE to replace and add to her set. So all of my thrifty-shopper friends, while you're out and about, you keep an eye out too. Let me know if y'all find any.
xoxo,
Julie
