Cranes

The Melonakos's (or is it Melonaki?) wanted to have all the senior missionaries in Zagreb over to the Mission Home for Sunday dinner.  Liz volunteered to cook, so I did too.  We are a pretty good-looking group of dedicated folks, IMHO.

Left to right:  Sister Edwards, Sister Fuhriman, Sister Melonakos, Brother Melonakos, Sister Johansen, Brother Johansen, Sister Ashurst, and a silent e = me taking the picture.
Items on the table include:  my famous oriental chicken, a Greek salad, Waldorf salad, brazed spiced potatoes, and pogacha.
  We had a lovely time together,

Next, we retired to another room for dessert, which just happened to be birthday cake Liz baked for herself, because it was her birthday.

We had planned to have a birthday date at a fancy restaurant in Osijek.  We scoped it out one day while out for a P-Day stroll.  They had a guy at the door whose job was to look dignified and welcome anyone coming inside.  He politely invited us in when we stopped to check out the menu posted in the window.  The menu looked fabulous, and that was our grand plan - until the COVID-19 changed it and isolated us in Zagreb.

Monday morning we drove to the church office in downtown Zagreb and this site greeted us:

The church office is just beyond the yellow part of the building, and the crane is working on the end building in the same block - the one I posted a photo of the back side with the roof caved in.  They worked on the roof of that building all day, and filled up the big white truck with broken brick, tile, and concrete.  It seems like the entire tile roof collapsed.

At first they were bringing down big, white bags of rubble, but it looks like they ran out of bags and started just dumping the rubble into the back of the truck.

  Sunday, one of the things we talked about was, "What happened to all the mission sewing machines?"  One of them was supposed to be at the church office, but nobody remembered it being there.  Liz and I promised to search for it.  Liz gave up at about the time I decided to look behind a bunch of useful but unused stuff piled in a corner of the vault room.  And there it was!  We wanted the sewing machines because we are all supposed to wear masks when outdoors, and you can't buy one for love nor money.
  Just beyond the vault room is the only area in the office the building inspector told us was not safe.  On a whim I went back there again.  The problem area is a doorway with a big chevron of cracks above it.  From the office side it doesn't look too bad, so I went through it and looked at the other side.

When I looked back at it and saw the bricks separated from the mortar, and the shifting already taking place it gave me some serious willies!  The door is held up by a concrete base and it is clearly broken in half on the right side, and maybe on the left.  I had to take a deep breath before walking back under it.
  Today is Tuesday, and the crane is back at the office removing more rubble from the top of that end building.  There is another identical crane working on a roof in the next block to the east.  The church is paying the city of Zagreb for the use of two cranes until everything is put right, but I don't think this is them.

And finally, yesterday I took our mission car to the Hyundai dealership in Zagreb (I can't take it anywhere farther due to city and police orders) for an oil change.  They also rebuilt the brakes and changed wiper blades.  I wasn't sure that could be done while the city is under lockdown, but it was no problem.  I called and made an appointment, and they wouldn't have done it without that, because they want no more than two people in the room at a time.  But once I had the appointment it was smooth sailing.  Sales are closed by gov't. decree, but vehicle service is considered an essential service.