HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

 HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

I hope you are all wearing a bit of GREEN today so you don't get pinched!!  It's the time of corned beef and cabbage, which honestly I'm surprised so many people like.  Boiled cabbage just isn't my thing, but corned beef brisket ... I'll take brisket any way I can get it.  

The good news is I get to hang out at home for the next two days and heal up from this stupid cold thing.  After two days of horrible sinus pressure, it has finally let up this morning and I am on the mend.  Unfortunately, that didn't keep me from the Elks Lodge yesterday.  

Decisions had to be made, and I know 98% of the folks down there have no clue.  I probably wouldn't either except I was involved in construction for about twelve years and worked in the County Building Permit Inspection Division for ten.  Luckily I was met by our previous club manager who is a contractor and knows who to call.  Our previous Fire Captain was also there, so the three of us had a nice discussion.  Since the electricity, water and sewer were not shut down and all still available, we dodged a bullet that would have kept us shut down for weeks.  There is no wiring on this wall at all.

Here's a better picture of the damage.  It's about an 8' section of wall.  One of the best contractors to repair it was already there when I arrived.  This has now been completely covered with plastic to keep the smell contained.  He had a plan already in place to begin work first thing this morning.

In another hour, our local Coit Restoration company had 18 of the ionizer machines running full blast in every room in the building.  In literally minutes, I could not smell smoke at all except in one stairwell.  Of course I have a cold, but you know ... it cleaned up quickly.  

We will be completely closed two days when most of this will be repaired, except for painting and new ceiling tiles.  That means we can go ahead with our Thursday night St. Patrick's dinner if we keep this section closed off.  Otherwise, that corned beef would go to waste.  Two more days of closure for painting and carpet cleaning, and we hope to be able to have the upstairs bar open from Saturday on.  For the rest of it ... lunch in this room and other private events ... we are up in the air until we have completely finished the repairs.  

Here's the kicker ... while outside, we noticed the dumpster was black inside.  They also set this on fire.  It was completely full of cardboard.  The fire department apparently caught it too because it had water in the bottom where they put it out.  

The local police drove by several times ... too bad they don't do that at night ... and said they might have a suspect.  I doubt they will ever be able to prove anything because there are no cameras around here that I am aware of.  We actually APPROVED cameras last year ... but alas, the guy STILL has not installed them.

On the other hand, I am celebrating like it's Christmas!!  I don't have to go to Bingo tonight!!!  WOOHOO!!  I'm also very thankful that our 130 year old building did not go up in flames.  It would have been devastating.

Now to deal with the insurance company.  Won't THAT be fun!!

So here is my St Patrick's day prayer for you and your family .......  ENJOY THE GREEN!!

May your glass be ever full, may the roof over your head be always strong, and may you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead ~ Irish