Fire

How quickly a persons  life can change.  One minute I am washing a sink load of dishes and the next I am sitting across the street watching our local firemen fighting the fire in my  building.

I first smelled the smoke.  I didn't think too much about it.  I live in a downtown apartment and all sorts of smells reach my windows from time to time.  But then I could see the smoke pouring out of the vents in my floors, so I ran into my bedroom to call 911 and get dressed.  By the time that was accomplished, the smoke was so thick that I couldn't find my dogs, who were at the other end of my apartment.  I could barely breathe and I had to leave them.  Once outside, a policeman was asking me about the other tenants, as some weren't responding to knocks at their doors.  When all of the people were accounted for, I told them that I'd had to leave without my Yorkies.  Bless them, they went upstairs, found the dogs and brought them down to me.

Even before the smoke had cleared, there were firemen in my apartment looking for my cat, Kizzie.  They looked everywhere, as I have since, and so far she is nowhere to be found.  I don't know if she is really well hidden or if she got out of the building.  All I can do is keep looking.

I am extremely fortunate that my apartment is still usable.  My daughter went to the store, bought box fans and brought them to me.  They are in my windows as I write, trying to get rid of the smoke smell.  I will have to wash everything down, but at least I still have walls to wash.  The poor lady in the apartment where the fire started has nothing.

I have learned a couple of things from this experience.  I don't have a cell phone to keep family phone numbers handy, so I need to write them down and put them, along with my most important papers somewhere near the door of my apartment.  I need to make sure that there is enough cash included to get me through a few days.  I have put the dogs' harnesses on them so if I should ever again have to leave quickly, all I have to do is snap on the leashes and go.  And as soon as I finish washing the smoke from my walls, cupboards, etc., I will get all of my photos onto DVDs and give each of my children a copy.

I thought I was prepared, but it only took one incident like this to point out to me that I had left my home with only my keys and the clothes I was wearing.  I had no phone numbers, no money and no pets.  I will have to do better than that.

P.S.  About midnight, Kizzie the cat turned up.  I have no clue where in the apartment she had been hiding, but she is alive and well with no apparent problems from all of the smoke.  So all of us in my little Home Sweet Home are accounted for and are doing just fine.  Thank you, God.