Yeesh, explosion at shop center- am I a jinx?

[dreamer]

Yikes. as I posted in good morning thread, today I went to the military base at Great Lakes...easy child needed a new photo ID done, and we wanted to get my bug (car) stickered to be allowed on base without haveing to go get a day pass whenever I went.....so- we were out over by there today. I also do my grocery shopping there when I go there, and I wander around, sometimes going to Gurnee Mills etc?

Now the entire trip there there were an extremely large amount of emergency vehicles everywhere, from next door all the way to the base and all over out by the base, --------
then I went down another road, and YIKES, a shopping center blew up while I was on the road in front of it!
(so of course, then there were nonstop emergency vehicles for hours after)
One of the stores was full of mannequins, and the mannequins blew out and landed all over the road......it was kinda creepy!!!!!!

Sure seems like lately I manage to find so many very familiar places on the TV news etc......and I seem to be frequenting some pretty volatile places? (Literally)

Even after we drove away from the explosion scene, you could still smell the fire.....altho we could not see smoke.

They are afraid one more cutomer of a salon might be caught in the rubble....but they stopped searching for tonite, according to local radio, surprised me cuz it was still light outside, and we are supposed to get approx 4-6 inches more snow tonite.

It sure gave me the creeps. Yup, I am now starting to have some reconsiderations about being at shopping centers, between the Lane Bryant shootings and now this?

And I heard there is a LOT of scary graffitti and threats at all the universities around here this week.and turns out my difficult child just last nite heard belatedly from a friend -he was in the ill fated NIU class the day of the shooting there.......<sigh>Me and so will be next door to that mall in I think 2 weeks? I am not sure if we are gonna go to the mall, anymore or not, tho.

ANd that case of my neighbor who killed his 2 month old baby? Grr......turns out that case got assigned same judge, same court dates as the case for where my easy child is a victim (which has stretched out to coming up to 2 years, now, grrr) so- it looks as though I will be sitting in courtroom every month, now with THAT scary guy, too.

It is a chaotic scary world. :-(

 

[Abbey]

It is chaotic. Just sent easy child daughter back to NIU two days ago. She called upset that Obama didn't show for the viguale. Classes were supposed to start today, but haven't heard if it happened. She lost two friends, but seems to be in a better state now.

You almost hate to turn on the TV these days.

Abbey

 

[dreamer]

I thought Obama DID show up for a memorial service there.
Sadly, not turning on the TV is NOT makeing much difference for me here....seems everywhere I go, in the normal course of just living my life is taking me right to all these events.- sometimes (like today)- smack dab front and center of the commotion. (altho thankfully I continue to be safe, just so close by these things)


I thought classes resumed Tuesday? And that this week they were mostly going to be um.comforting, with therapists or something in every class on campus?
I saw that some people volunteered and were on campus simply to give out hugs or something?
I also heard today that Cole Hall is to be razed, and a new building to be erected a little away from where Cole Hall sits--so, now they are in need of 40 mother in law for that.

As for the Lane Bryant shopping center shooting? It sounds almost like the police are implying that the shooter began shooting becuz the store manager called 911 and the shooter could hear the police dispatch on the cell phone the manager was trying to keep quiet?
That shooter is still at large. The shopping center thing today, they are fairly sure that was a natural gas leak.

 

[susiestar]

Scary. I am glad you were not hurt.

Hugs,

Susie

 

[nvts]

(mental note: DON'T shop in northern ill. this holiday season...)

 

[Abbey]

They did resume on Tuesday. Talked to daughter and she said it was very emotional...counselors everywhere. Not much teaching going on.

I think the biggest impact was going to a relatively small college, and even more so specializing in a subject that even more narrows your contacts. They all knew each other.

One of the things I remember from youth is a good friend dying over the holiday break. I was 14. When we went back to school, her unoccupied chair sat in the same place. It was a visual reminder of her on a daily basis. I vowed to never do that as a teacher. Sometimes, in times of tradegy, you need to find a way to move on, yet still honor who has been lost. It's a tricky thing. I think NIU is in that place. They need to move on, but are not exactly sure how to do it.

Abbey

 

[TerryJ2]

It is scary, Dreamer. But you have to remember that the media tend to report only negative things because that's "News." (Of course, you didn't plan to be in the vicinity of THAT story.)
I love the comment about the mannequins and the emergency vehicles. You made me feel like I was there.
Turned out to be a gas leak (from the latest reports). So, it's just one of those things.
Unfortunately, the man who killed the baby is one of a growing number of people, probably on crack, who abuse and/or kill their kids. I don't think there's a city in the U.S. where it hasn't happened. I would be the meanest judge alive if it were up to me ...
Stay home and mail order stuff for a while, and don't read the paper or watch the news for a few days. It will help calm you down. Works for me. Really, you just have to shut it off.
So sorry.
Take care.

 

[dreamer]

Yes, it was a gas leak, sad mess, the stores are a mess. They are gonna tear the strip mall down. Many many years ago, as a young teen, I babysat in an apartment complex, and LOL, I used to sleep hard, (altho just short times, 2-3 hours) and the lady I worked for always said a bomb could go off and I would not hear it. One morning, - well, it was not a bomb......it was..a gas leak, the building beside ours blew. I never heard a thing, slept thru the explosion and all the emergency vehicles etc. And it was less than 15 feet from where I lay sleeping! Yeesh. (I no longer sleep that sound or hard, LOL)

The guy here who killed his baby? His is the house behind mine....his little brother used to come play with my son, the guy who killed the baby had a crush on my oldest daughter, who is his age. (she did NOT like him..... ) Yes, he has been in legal trouble and moved here from who knows where. His house has had 2 arson fires, one, I posted about here.....(he lives with his parents) The baby was a victim of "shaken baby" She was helicoptered out unconscious...died a few days later.
Sadly, my easy child was a victim of a crime, and I go to the court dates, and it really is important for me to be at those court dates, - but it will keep that guy who killed his baby right there on me, cuz I will be sitting, very close to him (and the creep who hurt my easy child) in the courtroom.
As for the shopping center that had the gas leak....well, it is en route to dhs doctors (his docs are all on base Great Lakes Naval base) - and he goes at least weekly, (sometimes daily)
The shopping center that had the shooting? Me and son stay at a motel next to that shopping center- when we are haveing my sons eye tended to- so, it is unavoidable for us to be there, unless we are at the univ hospital instead of the docs office. But when we are at the univ hospital- then we stay at Ronald McDonald House....alas, after being in and out of there for almost 2 years, it began to be VERY hard to be at RMH. Partly becuz it is a VERY dangerous neighborhood of chicago- and partly becuz there is such sadness at RMH inside, and at the childrens hospital. (Comers Childrens Hospital at Univ of Chicago) It started to get to me, after awhile, and I begged the doctor to let us go to his furthest away private office instead when possible.

Ironically, when I worked, I worked in a county nurseing home, in the Alzimers (sp) unit and also did Hospice work.
I was a founding member of our Marine Corps League Auxilliary Unit, and did honor guard for young men killed in action....(among other things), I am a severe weather spotter for the county and I just joined Medical Reserve Corps (part of FEMA) ----

I am just haveing some difficulty with so many weird things popping up that are affecting my loved ones, that are also on National news etc....all in such a short time.
My littlest bro is now saying he is NOT going back to NIU or ANY college....my oldest is begging easy child to reconsider going to college in fall, becuz of NIU.....

I KNOW these things are um.not so common-- but----when so many things have affected us in such a short time, it starts to be hard.
I have not had the TV on now in awhile-----have not looked at my newspaper.......
But even without the TV or newspaper----these things hit so close to us and the people we know etc....

Oh for sure, I did know, very well, life is frail. My kids have buried so many friends already, classmates, scout leaders (yes plural) all their grandparents, all my aunts and uncles.....most of their friends have lost at least 1 parent....some have lost both parents.....I myself lost my best friend in grade 5, then my best friend in grade 8, then my 2 bests in HS...my first husband......and my best friend 2 years ago in 2 weeks. That and working Hospice, I KNOW life is fragile.

But to have such extreme strange incidents all occuring.....high profile things, bizarre things......
Its just hard.

When we were in the car on the street outside the shopping center-----at first I thought maybe a car had rear ended us or something a little more "normal"
Well, the good news is noone was killed. AMazing, considering how it looked.

 

[Hound dog]

dreamer

Sending you ((((hugs)))).

Scarey. Glad no one was killed.

Bizzare how this stuff keeps happening. But life can be that way at times. And we're living in much more violent world these days.

About the gas explosion......

My uncle lived across the street from this really nice very elderly woman. This woman, promptly at 6am each morning would go outside for the morning paper.

One morning my Uncle and Aunt were abruptly awakened by what they first thought was one heck of a sonic boom. Turned out that the elderly ladies house had exploded. She'd been thrown onto their front lawn. Aunt ran outside, while uncle called the fire dept and ambulance. Aunt was shocked, that while seriously hurt, the elderly woman was alive.

Turned out she'd had a gas leak. Fire dept was surprised she'd even woke up at all. Since she was always trying to save money, she didn't turn on any lights on her way out for the morning paper, until she got to the porch light. Good thing. She was blown clear of the house that imploded and crashed into the basement. Had she been inside she would've been killed.

I certainly hope this is the last of the news worthy incidents for you. You've had more than your fair share to last a lifetime.

Hugs

 

[dreamer]

wow, thats so great she did not turn any lights on till the porch!!!!!!!


Several years ago, there were a few houses in the town next to me that all had natural gas explosions all within a few blocks of each other, all within say 2 weeks? It prompted some mass fear for awhile.

One time, when I was maybe 17 or so.I went to our vacation home, a trailer house in Indiana. it was midwinter......and I wante to cook in the gas oven. I had to light the pilot.....
One second I was lighting a match, the next I was across the room picking my singed self of the floor. Aside from singed eyelashes and eyebrows and hair on my arms, I was unhurt, a miracle.
For some reason, dummy me turned the gas on before I struck the match.

Maybe 15 years ago we needed a new hot water heater. We had no money, so I told husband he HAD to do it himself, in spite of him not being the least handy. Yikes, he got the new one in and was getting ready to light the pilot, and I happened to walk past. I could smell the gas so strong.......darned water heater is in basement.......I was upstairs (and if I remember, gas SINKS?)
It was just coincidence I had walked past and smeelled. (I stay far away when he is "working" cuz he is nasty when he works)
I stopped him. We wound up flipping off the elc etc and sleeping in our car 2 full days with the babies......becuz the smell was not going away. I finally broke down (I did not know the gas co would come for free) and called gas co. They came and finally cleared our house for us to go back in.

Thank you for your kind worsds. LOL, I stayed home today, no being out and about for me today. Thank goodness there was nowhere I had to go......it was nice to just spend the day here. QUIETLY!

LOL.
Tomorrow, tho I hafta take easy child to a choir comp 3 hours away.

I will try to make sure no weird events occur in my vicinity, tho.

 

[TerryJ2]

Dreamer, good point about the gas company showing up for free when there's an issue! Something we should all keep in mind.