Out of the ashes...

I feel like I have done my part in helping those of you who have survived the last few weeks prepare for what has been ahead. I have had a hard time choosing between my selfish desire to vent about the general crap that life has become, and trying to help out by providing as much information as I can. I chose to be informative lately, and I stand by that choice. If something I write helps you survive, or someone you love, then I can take the small loss of writing what I feel, what I endure.

I think that as far as posts to help you prepare for survival, I have done what I can. Chances are that if you have made it this far, you no longer need so much help. So I really don't feel too bad about writing about what is going on around here, though I may do the occasional how-to list. 

With that in mind: Great news. 

My dad finally contacted me, he and my stepmother, my stepsisters, and their whole clan are safe. My oldest brother is still AWOL, but knowing him, he's holed up in some old house, his kids around him, not a worry in the world. 

Locally, things are even better. 

My voicemail is heavy with messages from people I either know, or know people i know. My friend Gabrielle is loaded up with her husband and kids, heading here. That will make another four to our growing little community. She's also a nurse, with a varied background that will be invaluable to us. Between her and my mom, we might be able to set up a clinic someday. She tells me that their house was almost secure using similar methods as we did for our house, when a huge swarm of zombies hit them. It was something new, I think, because these zombies weren't just milling around, they were focused and relentless. Gab and her family got away by drawing the lot of them into the house and setting it on fire before getting the their SUV, which she kept packed for escape. Smart lady. 

David A. (not my brother Dave) told some of our friends from my old job about us, and it looks like a group of five or six of them are headed this way today. I know all of them, and while I might not have been best buds with them or anything, I think they will all fit in. 

Various others have called, but those are the only ones I can tell you for sure are coming. Some of the others are going to make a stand where they live, or haven't committed to anything yet. I hope that they come around. We've cleaned out the houses on our road, so there is ample room, if not as secure as our place. 

So all in all, things are looking up. I was worried when we started to see looters around here, not helped by the pair I scared off last week, but it looks like they've thought better of coming back. No more major groups of them in the last few days. 

Jess is berating me for being overly optimistic, but when the sun is shining, the breeze is just right, and good friends let you know that horrible, biting death just happened to miss them, how can you not be?