Runester

Well, I’ve finally scanned and uploaded the photo’s my mother gave me of the actual fire that consumed Izzy’s Bistro in New Baltimore, MI. I believe these were taken by someone passing by and passed to my family. In a previous post, you can find photo’s of before and after … here is during the fire.

As of this post, and the last news I’ve heard on the subject, the insurance company still hasn’t paid. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental; a wiring fault or failure in the attic.

Well, I did OK this week, but not great. I made it to the gym on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday but not today (Thursday). I can help my record by making it in tomorrow, though!

I’ve already seen a marked increase in performance. I realize that I’m just reactivating dormant muscle fibers - but it’s nice to see the weights and the reps both go up.

The Restaurant Fire

While I was in Michigan, I was able to take some pictures (with my Treo700p) of what was left of Izzy’s Bistro, and the restaurant where my father works now, Jack’s on the Waterfront. I was also able to find a couple of pictures of Izzy’s before the fire, from an old website some previous owner had set-up.

Izzy’s Before the Fire

Izzy’s After the Fire

Jack’s on the Waterfront

So, here I am in a spare bedroom of my brothers house; back in Michigan again. Already today, I’ve seen my Mother, Father, Brother, and his Fiance’ - plus some friends. It always surprises me how quick it is to catch-up with family. I may have two weeks here, but most of the visiting and seeing their faces was done today.

I still have a very strong desire to move back here and be part of their lives, again. As well as participate (in my own small way) in the excitement that my brother brings to his life with business ventures and solid accomplishments. Massachusetts has become much too comfortable for me - and I could easily see myself maintaining status quo indefinitely there. The problem with that, is that I am 37 and status quo isn’t nearly good enough. If I end up 47 or 57 in the same situation? Well, life only hands you so many do-overs and second chances.

The downside is the economy here. To say it sucks would be over-hyping it. Detroit leads the nation in job losses, unemployment, and mortgage foreclosures. To live here, I need to be able to support both myself and my (one day soon) family. This may be a serious challenge under the current conditions.
I can’t wait until my gf arrives so I can make all of thoverhypingtions - she still has never met my brother or any of his friends, even forclosuresf these years. Further, I am hoping that a measure of the excitement and possibilities I feel here will rub off on her.

Finally, though in a previous comment abogf the fire at Izzy’s … I stated my desire for a thorough investigation of the cause … the current theory (as forwarded by the investigators) is faulty wiring in the attic. Ironically, even though that is currently being reported, the insurance company has yet to pay on the policy and still insists on investigating everyone involved. This may sound like prudence - except my brother is still on the hook for the mortgage payment every month, only now with no business to pay it with. Anyway, he’ll get through this like he gets through everything else.

Here is a very nice article about the fire.

The Voice News - Nov. 2, 2006 11:44 AM EST
They did get my father’s name wrong, though. He has people call him “A.J.” because they have a hard time pronouncing our last name. His name is not “A.J. Jarjoura.” Oh, well.

In other news, he has a nice job at another restaurant and things are generally looking up. The fire was bad, but not nearly as devastating as it could have been.

On Monday, 23-October-2006, Izzy’s Bistro, a restaurant in New Baltimore Michigan caught fire and burned to the ground.

Detroit Free Press article about it.

This was the restaurant that my brother, Tammer, and his business partner, Bill, had purchased; and that my father, Adel, was managing. They had been owners since about April of this year. I never even got a chance to visit or see the restaurant; something I was planning to do this Thanksgiving. So, all of the 100 hour weeks, financial arrangements and financing, and the hopes of many people went up in smoke and soot.

Fortunately, no one was injured. Even financially, they’ll survive this and probably even end up better off as they explore other, better business ventures. But, this really hurt them (my father and brother) and to say they were upset is a massive understatement.

For legal reasons I can’t write, in any public place, what we really think happened or why. Only, that my whole family really, really hopes the arson investigators do a good and thorough job and if someone is proven responsible for this - that they recieve the full legal punishment they’re due.