22 October 2008
Inspired in the wee hours of the morning, to snap a picture of part of one wall of our “library,” I’m afraid it’s not a great photo. Those who have visited our home, know that we subscribe to the theory put forth by Roman philosopher Cicero, that “a room without books, is like a body without a soul.” This room, and every other room in our house, certainly has a lot of “soul.” Books fill every shelf, and the knickknacks that sit in front of the books do their own part to tell the story of who we are, as well.
With Galveston ever on my mind, I shudder to think at what it would be like to lose all one’s belongings to a horrific flood. The businesswoman in me, thinks, my goodness . . . the fabric! The book and antique and art collector in me simply weeps.
This one below, is not my photo, but here is an odd view of familiar places and things:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28972884@N05/2887547142/in/set-72157608144839898/
I expect those chairs will have new cushions the next time we see them—assuming they are salvageable.
Sometimes “knowing” a thing, and “seeing” a thing are two totally different realities. We “know” things are bad in Galveston. We “know” there was nine feet of water on the Strand for most of three days. We “know” there is still no power there, no phones, few enough signs of life that it’s been labeled a ghost town. But, it’s actually rather incomprehensible, don’t you think?
As the old saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
Can we all please stop and observe a moment of silence for one of our favourite little antique stores?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrchriscornwell/2903298047/in/set-72157607627022655/
Can a small, independent business actually recover from this? Some will. Many will not.
I also found a very disturbing photo of a huge pile of hopelessly damaged books. A pile bigger than a car. I’m not pasting in the link. I thought about sharing it, but the carnage is too shocking and too horrible. In fact, more than all the damaged buildings, and salt-deadened trees, and empty piers, this photo made me cry. It’s a guess, but I’d imagine based on it’s presence in the photographer’s Flickr stream between pictures of the Tremont and the Strand Theatre, that it might be the pile of debris from Midsummer Books—the little bookstore across from the Tremont. Following that hunch, I located this fellow WordPress blogger’s entry: http://winkingbuddha.wordpress.com/2008/10/18/a-midsummers-dream-the-finale/.
I am so sad.
~MB
The Daily KRuMB 