The Adventures of Chip (and Kate): Put Out the Fire and Pass me a Pimm's

(Blog in progress.... posted because some people wanted to see some of the pictures that I took.....)

And after that.... perhaps a nice shot of whiskey....

Or maybe a double!

Okay, okay... the weekend wasn't THAT bad, but it feels like one of those suitably absurd movies where the weirdest things happen (mostly comedic) to a person (usually someone who considers their idea of good luck as being able to tie their shoes without breaking a lace) and then when it's all over they blink their eyes, shake their head, and go back to their "normal" life.

My weekend started mundanely enough. I had to be at church at 8:30am on Saturday for a prayer meeting regarding the upcoming PCC meeting. (Okay, I didn't HAVE to be there, but the Saturday before the week of the meeting, we meet to pray for the meeting. Being the new kid on the block, I figure I could use all the divine intervention I can get to make valuable contributions to discussions.) My dear friend, Alison snagged me as she drove past the house to get there and my weekend officially began.

I'm actually not sure what happened to Saturday. I know I came back from church and made breakfast for the troops (who were playing Lego Batman on the Wii).... and I know I made them lunch.... and that Dad went to town and bought birthday presents for the dual birthday party we were going to on Sunday.

Saturday evening came and went. Kate went to bed. Eventually, Jeff and I went to bed.

Now, keep in mind that during the evening, one of the neighbours was having a VERY loud party. Lots of drunkeness and yelling and loud music. In fact, this seems to be a regular weekend thing these days and I'm hoping that it stops before I get irritated enough to see what can be done about it.

And we live down the street from a pub. Though it's usually a quiet crowd, every now and then after last call and closing we get a pack of inebriated jackals who walk down the street baying at the moon and yelping at their packmates.

So, when the noisy yelling nudged through my dreams and tried rouse me, I dismissed it as drunken stupidity running wild.

Until Jeff leapt out of bed and looked out the window.

And then he left the room.

"Uh, oh," I thought. "Has my mild-mannered husband snapped?"

"Oh, my." His tendancy towards the English understatement was still intact. He dashed back into the room and started jamming his legs into his trousers.

"What ARE you doing?" Was that a note of irritation creeping into my voice?

"There's a fire," he said matter of factly as he pulled on his shirt.

And now I was out of bed trying to find clothing and wondering if I'd be able to locate Ellie before I dragged Kate outside. I dashed into the hall to find him looking out the window into the garden of one of the houses whose yard is perpendicular to ours. The one next to the house of loud parties.

And a strange orange glow in the window.

"His shed is on fire," Jeff said simply. "They've called the fire brigade."

So, not our house at all. I exhaled suddenly not realizing that I had been holding my breath. I was too relieved to be irritated with him and besides that I heard Kate making noise. I went into her room to find her huddled under the covers.

"Mum, I'm scared," she whimpered with a tremor in her voice. It's not so long ago that Kate had a bit of a phobia about fire and the house. I couldn't turn on the oven with her getting anxious.

"Is there something in the oven?" She would interrogate. "Is it going to burn? Is the house going to catch fire?" I had been almost offended by her persistence. It's not like I ever burned anything THAT badly! (A bit crispy on occasion, but never charred and smoking!)

If I left the kitchen while the oven was on, she'd fidget. "Mum, go in the kitchen, please," she'd beg tearfully.

And heaven help me if I didn't get to the microwave immediately after it started beeping.

And now this.

Calmly, I explained to her that the old man next door's shed was on fire and the firemen were coming to put it out. I soothed and assured her that everything was okay. "Just stay in bed. Everything will be fine."

I went back to Jeff and watched in fascination as the fire grew. The drunks next door had been banging on his door trying to wake the owner up as they watered the shed with their garden hose. "Is he away," Jeff wondered.

"I don't think so," I said as I tried to peer into the transparent roof of his small garage, trying to see if his car was there. "It's too dark, I can't tell." When had I seen him last? It was recently.... but how recently, I couldn't be certain.

I could feel the heat rolling across the yard from the flames. I knew it probably wasn't the smartest thing to be doing. Watching out a window at a shed burning. Not sure of what was inside. What would happen if it exploded?

"Where are the trucks," I fretted as the flames grew higher. Should I get our hose out? Would it reach?

"Here they come," Jeff pointed out as the darkness was interrupted by the flash of blue lights. No sirens. How considerate! "Should we get Kate up? So she can see the firemen in action?"

Well, it's not like she was asleep and she wasn't likely to go to sleep when her room is filled with flashing blue lights and people were yelling instructions about a fire.

"Kate," I said as I opened the door. "Come out and watch the firemen." The air was chilly so I wrapped her in her robe and the three of us stood by the window, watching the battle below.

Two hoses were used and at first it seemed to go out rather quickly.... and then it was back! It seemed rather furious that someone would dare to throw water on it. What WAS in the shed? Was my nice elderly neighbour running a secret meth lab in the back yard?

"Mum," Kate squeaked. "Do you think he has an oven in there?"

I sighed.

"No, Kate, there is no oven."

"Then what started the fire?"

"I don't know, honey (though I have my suspicions) .... but there is no oven. I promise you that." She turned back to the activity.

A fireman was busting the back door down. I suppose to try to find out if the old guy was inside and if he was okay.

In the end, he made an appearance much to my relief. (Evidently, he's a sound sleeper.) The fire was put out as the sky was starting to glow with the promise of dawn. The police arrived to help him to secure his back door.... and the Crawford family all crawled back into bed... the same bed as Kate was too anxious to go it alone in her own.... at least for a few precious hours before having to begin the Sunday activity!

Some pictures of the events.... I'm not very good with the whole night-time picture taking. (I figured that Phill wouldn't have appreciated a phone call at that hour for advice....)

You can see the fireman working on the door in the background....