We're ok... but.....

It started out as a relatively low key night. Gilday and I settled in to watch some TV, and after some channel surfing, decided on watching Back to the Future. It was about 8:30 when Gilday got up to pop in the DVD. Well, lets just say we didnt get any farther. At the same time he got up, there was a Huge-Amoungous Ka-Boom that shook the house and everything in it. It seriously felt as if a car ran into a tree outside our house, or something very large fell out of the sky into our front yard. Yeah, I almost pissed myself.

We look outside, and a house about a block away (diagonally half a block) is engulfed in flames. We can’t see the whole house, because there is a large church on the corner that shielded us from most of the carnage. The sky had turned into reddish-orange flames and became alive with sparks and embers which floated in the air into trees and on rooftops. Gilday walked down to where the police had formed a blockade to get a better understanding of what occurred.

In less than a minute he was back, gave me a brief explanation that it was a gas explosion, and that we might be evacuated. In under a couple minutes, we put the dog’s collars on, got our important documents & some photo albums together, and piled everything next to our side door in the kitchen. We had our car keys in our pockets, and I had my purse with me at all times.

We then went outside on our porch to wait. I think we were waiting for someone to tell us to leave, or to give us information. Curious people in there pajamas were walking down the street trying to get a look at the blaze but were turned away. Homeowners on our street were standing around in amazement and fear. Some of our neighbors evacuated, but we decided to stay. I think we'd feel worse not knowing what was happening.

I was afraid. I was afraid that they wouldn’t get control of the fire, and it would spread like crazy. It’s amazing the things that go through your mind at times like that. It really makes you think about what’s most important in your life. I was thankful that we spent time with our friends this weekend. I was thankful that we’re not at all materialistic, and all we really needed was in a small pile next to the door and our dogs.

There were about 5 different fire companies that came to its aid. Actually, it was probably more than that. They managed to get the fire under control and the sky became more grey than red. We went back into 210 and just sat in our living room and reflected.

So, to make a long story a little less long, we’re ok. We’re very shook up by the whole thing. Good news is that no-one was hurt in the house that burned down. There was damage to the houses next door and across the street from it, (the one homes vinyl siding melted off) but the houses on Green St. and the surrounding homes are fine.

I wanted to get out of watching Back to the Future, but that was extreme, don't you think?

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