Primal Journal (winencandy) page 346

[winencandy]

A friend called this morning commenting on the "Environmental pollution" coming out of our chimney. We laughed and I got in the shower. Meanwhile, FIL (who lives 3 houses down) called and asked my Farmer what was happening with our chimney. My Farmer went outside with the Butterflies and looked up and came back in and told me "We have a fire" I said "Are you kidding me?" I jumped out of the shower, ran upstairs as he was calling 911. I got dressed as I called the kids, telling them to grab the cats and put them in a crate. We all got out. We put the pets in the truck. Then, as there was no smoke in the house yet, my Farmer went back in and took the logs out of the wood furnace, University Son grabbed the computers, and I grabbed the camera. Then we went back in for some Christmas presents. Surfer Son grabbed a ladder and took it upstairs for the firemen (so they could check out the attic. We did all this before the fire trucks came.

My Farmer is an ex-firefighter.

So we spent the morning standing outside watching the firemen. They hauled a hose into the house, opened the attic hatch and discovered that he fire hadn't spread to the attic. Meanwhile, the hose had a leak at the connection between two hoses and leaked water all over my dining room which leaked down into the basement directly onto laundry baskets full of clean folded clothes!

My Farmer, who was right inside the house with the firemen, brought out the turkey and ham around 10 and Surfer Son, Eldest and his Girlfriend took the meat to my sister's to start cooking. I took photos (I haven't down loaded them onto the computer yet - I just have one I took on my iPhone) and teased the firemen that they had to use one of our ladders.

The pumper truck died in our driveway and they called a mechanic and eventually a tow truck!

They climbed on the roof and dropped a chain thing down the chimney and put out the fire.

[winencandy]

They were gone by noon. Before they left, I'd gone back in and made a Chai.

I added Kaluha to my Chai

I had two

[winencandy]

We cleaned up the mess

Brought the meat back home to finish cooking. We had to make the dressing in a crockpot 'cause we didn't have time to put it in the bird...

Meanwhile, my sister had no water (the water main broke to her place). She came over to make the dessert (Mississippi Mud)

The fire didn't stop Christmas.

We were ready, drinking wine, rum and eggnog, and waiting for our company by 5pm. They were late (my nephew's dog rolled in burrs and they had to cut the burrs out) We had 14 people here for supper. Turkey, cranberries, spiral cut ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, Caesar salad (with homemade dressing - Eldest made), and olives. Dessert was shortbread, Mississippi Mud, and pie.

I'm tired

And I have a Christmas meal here again tomorrow.

[winencandy]

Oh, I forgot:

Even after ALL that, this is how I presented the silverware:

[winencandy]

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas Everyone!

And be thankful you have a place to celebrate it in!

[Greensprout]

Hey, you know you really don't have to top every one's Christmas excitement, don't you?!

Good grief, what a scare. Happy to hear it's only minor collateral damage.

Like the cutlery bundles .

Merry Christmas

[Sabine]

Now THAT'S an exciting Christmas. I've always said, "Winencandy knows how to party!'.

Very glad you are all okay. Peace on your household this Christmas.

[Siobhan]

After reading about your fire, I immediately got up, went outside and looked at my chimney!

I have a feeling this is a Christmas you will always remember!

[winencandy]

Thanks girls

Yeah, it was a scare!
I've had better parties
We'll remember this Christmas!

[winencandy]

2 days of Christmas eating can undo a month's hard work