Perspective

Dec. 19, 2018 was just another day. Dr appointments in the morning. Stopping at the grocery store on the way for last minute needfuls, then the pharmacy for meds before the Holiday closures.

Got home, checked my purse calendar with the kitchen calendar and realized I hadn't updated the one in my purse and double booked a day in Jan. I was frustrated with myself and dreaded the call to reschedule. M was running kitchen trash out to the tote, she came running back in saying there was a fire.

Still caught up in dates it took a minute for what she said to sink in. I ran outside to find the street filled with thick black smoke. The house next door to us was on fire! Being in a similar previous situation, my thought was move the cars. Which we did further into the Court away from the fire. Walking back into the house I heard someone yell ''grab a few clothes and get out!''.  Surely they weren't meaning us. Unfortunately they were!

 Thrown into a panic the 4 of us started grabbing things...things?! what the heck do you grab? "What do we put them in?" I heard, I yelled back "grab a trash bag!" Seemed handy at the moment. A few of us grabbed clothes, I grabbed everyone's meds, including the animals. M got the carriers down and loaded the cats. OMG Tilly! The only carrier we had left was an old one I was getting ready to toss that had been out in the rain full of debris - yuk! NOT what you put a bird in! No time to clean it I lined it with a thick layer of newspaper.  Pet food ~ having several geriatric pets they each have their own special prescription diets. Their food was grabbed by one of us.  As each of us thought of something, we yelled it out. The next person who was able, grabbed it. Water! was yelled, someone grabbed it.

As panic stricken as we were and not knowing what we were suppose to be doing, I thought we did exceptionally well as a team. Species separated in different cars, special foods, everyone's meds, a few clothes ~ headed for the cars to leave and told we couldn't take the cars ~ say what?  We just ran crazy for 10 - 15 mins -  not fast enough. The entrance to the court was blocked by fire engines, police cars, etc. - and they had sealed off the streets.  A firefighter told us ''you have to leave on foot.''  I asked where do we go? is the corner ok? he said there's smoke there and smoke is deadlier than fire. OK - the park? His response, well, there's no fire there.
OK ~  I get your drift, you can't tell us where to go for liability reasons in case something happens to us.

Leashed the dogs, grabbed the crates and paraded through the 25 - 30 onlookers to the park -  I was thinking open air, less smoke? No idea what I was doing. AND didn't understand how come we had to evacuate but on lookers could stand across the street, watch, take photos, videos, etc.?????

But I was more concerned for our pets and that thick black smoke. Tilly would be the first to go. Trying to weave through the bystanders, not breathe but peek at the house - couldn't see much as the smoke stung our eyes. I don't know how the onlookers could stand it.

We stayed at the park until we saw a fire engine leave, then headed back. The streets were still blocked off. Firefighters were in clean up mode.

Walking by our neighbors house it looked like a tunnel. You could see from the front all the way through to the backyard, there wasn't anything inside.
Heart pounding as we got closer to ours - did we have damage? did it jump to ours?

God was watching over us! The firefighters kept it from jumping to our home! They had put sprayed/something down, a retardent? along the property line, fence, roof...
Such a relief to see our home unscathed.

I saw our neighbors as we came home, they both had gotten out and were ok. They are elderly and rent the house. The Salvation Army had already contacted them and were to receive help. Our little town had an outpouring of support and was ready to help them in anyway possible.

We're still each processing and decompressing in our own way. Each day is different. Back on an emotional roller coaster. I keep thinking tomorrow I'll feel normal again. I think my normal has changed.....again

Bottom line everyone was safe. But it puts things in perspective. You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, heck not even an hour from now. Be thankful for what you have. Try not to sweat the small stuff. Choose to be HAPPY!
Keep your family in your heart and tell them you love them ♥

I didn't post this before Christmas when it happened. Not sure I could have, emotionally. It's not meant to bring anyone down just wanted to share my experience.

♥ Love to all ♥