Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Fire behind the house

I kid you not. I had to call 911 last night.

Can I just start this week over?

The kids are typically in bed by 8-8:15 and I am settled in front of the television to watch the recording of A Daily Show and the Colbert Report. There is usually a stream of small escapees visitors telling me something they forgot to tell me or to check out what I am laughing about. As the evening progresses I get more testy and eventually yell "enough" and they go to sleep.

So one guy came down and settled on a chair requiring me to change my position on the sofa. Good thing because the new angle meant I saw a flash of bright orange light outside the living room window.

A tall tree on our neighbor's property was on fire.

I immediately called 911 while little guy who was with me ran upstairs yelling there was a fire and unplugging everything upstairs. I turned around to find my 3-year-old in her pink pajamas, waving her pink wand, yelling "THERE'S A FIRE!! THERE'S A FIRE!!" as she ran around in circles.

Eventually we all calmed down and watched the fire from our kitchen. The fire department and police came and I eventually learned the fire was caused by a snow covered tree limb rubbing against an electric wire. As we watched the tree burn we suddenly saw a bright flame shoot up into the sky and then a small explosion. For several hours afterwards we heard crews from the utility company working with chain saws.

First a plague stomach bug. Now a burning bush tree. What's next? A few horsemen?

Can I start this week over? Please.

20 comments:

Life As I Know It said...

ACK! An exciting night!
I am terrified of fires...I think I would have been freaking out!

Heather said...

Wow! Never a dull moment at your house!

Jan said...

I'm sorry about your bad week. I don't blame you for wanting to start it over. It's got to get better. (((HUGS)))

Alex Elliot said...

OMG! Good thing you saw it the fire when you did! That is awful. Sorry you're having such a hard week. Virtual hugs and virtual hot chocolate being sent your way.

Gunfighter said...

I hereby grant SMID, my dear bloggy friend, a new week!

Tkae this week from me, friend SMID, and dispose of it at your leisure!

jodifur said...

oh hon.

It's going around. My car imploded. I think we are canceling our trip. Good stuff man.

Flower Child said...

careful what you wish for - you're going to find large animals in your yard tomorrow.

Unknown said...

oh my word! that's insane!

Goofball said...

ooh was that scary or was it far enough? Did you get a power outage due to the works?
where you the first one to notice the fire? I'm so surprised that a snow covered tree can set to flames?

wow, amazing story. I hope your next evenings are extremely dull so you can simply relax in the sofa! And I'll join you, I need to regain energy myself although my week did start better than yours!

Goofball said...

ooh was that scary or was it far enough? Did you get a power outage due to the works?
where you the first one to notice the fire? I'm so surprised that a snow covered tree can set to flames?

wow, amazing story. I hope your next evenings are extremely dull so you can simply relax in the sofa! And I'll join you, I need to regain energy myself although my week did start better than yours!

Anonymous said...

Yikes!!! I glad everyone is safe and hopefully feeling better!

Anonymous said...

Maybe you're just saving up the good karma for next week and next week will be a lotto winning, star discovering, comet naming week.

Good luck.

Jami said...

OMFG! OK, you have certainly earned one free Do-Over. Start up the Way-Back Machine!

I hope y'all are doing better. Hang in - it's almost over. (As the dentist said, "Next time we drill, we'll use Xylocaine - OK? But it's almost over now.")

cce said...

If you were me, you'd be afraid of the old saying that the drama always comes in threes. I've got some sort of stomach ailment here and so am waiting for the inevitable two-fer that will surely blast the rest of the week to hell. Hope you've escaped with just fire and plague. Miracles do happen.

Jenn in Holland said...

Heather is right, there really is never a dull moment at the SMID ranch!
Whew! Glad it's sorted. Now, put them all to bed! You need to put your feet up.

Anonymous said...

Yipes. Well, I guess at least it wasn't your tree or house!

Glad everyone is ok.

Jen said...

Yikes! You totally need a new week.

Wholly Burble said...

I have been looking all over the place, and I cannot find the "reset" button for the week, or for one's life--even checked out my birth certificate--not there either. Well, it's over the "hump day", and you're closing in on the weekend. Let's just keep going slow but sure, and get you on to NEXT week!!

Hugs sent, along with a big piece of chocolate cake with fluffy whipped frosting.

Anonymous said...

Yikes!!! So glad you are safe. Good thing you saw it.

painted maypole said...

i think the exodus is next. where are you planning to go? ;)

I saw a neighbors tree get hit with lightening once, it was incredible!