Well, the project is underway.  Wow.  After all of these years it is really starting.  Hard to believe, even though we have been gone from 4020 for eight months and living in a rental home.

Both my husband and I go a little bit out of way to work to drive by.  Four houses have been demolished this week and a lot of trees have come down.

Today on my way to work, I drove by and saw a man at one of the houses taking photo’s.  I wish I would have had time to stop and talk to him.  My best guess is that he was taking the last photo’s of his parents home.  But, I had to get to work.  Wish I knew his story.  Wish I knew how everyone else felt.

I reflect on when we first found out.  Our youngest was one month old (he is now nine) and we had just finished up our remodel.  Our backyard was dirt and had not been landscaped.  That was in March of 2005.  The powers to be told us not to worry, finish up our project, anyway it turned out we would be fine.  That is what they told us.  We were told we would be fine.

Back then, I guess I thought “fine” meant “good”, or “fair”.  Not so.  “Fine” is a word I do not use much anymore.  Fine is not good, it is less than good.  It is less than fair.

I remember contacting our city council members, people I was never concerned or connected with.  We were not involved with local politics.  Since that day, we make sure we vote at every election, no matter how minor.  I have to think we do make a difference when we vote.

I think back and wonder if I did enough.  Our City Council Representative, who by the way, was the only one to vote against the project, went with me to get signatures for a petition.  I remember my feet hurt, I was nursing and had a baby at home.  I didn’t make it very far.  Would it have mattered?  I really do not think so.

I also know which Council Members did not have time to call me back.  Yes, that is why it is important to vote at every level.  You never know if something will affect you.  We had no idea and put a lot of money into a house that soon will be demolished.  Crazy.

We have been getting a lot of phone calls from friends and people we know.  They have been by 4020 and are checking in on us.  Yes, we know what is going on.  We are okay. Sometimes I think others are more sad than we are.  We are okay because it has now been nine years and at some point, you just go numb.

Yes, we are fine.

~Susan