A little over a week ago, I got a knock on my door at 3:30am.
It was a neighbor telling me my house was on fire.
He was right. The entire attic was engulfed when his knock woke me.
There was no fire inside the house, at least not before I answered the door.
It was entirely contained to the attic, but had stared rolling out of the soffit in the back of the house.
The fire department inspector said it was accidental, but electrical in nature.
He also said he thought the fire started OUTSIDE the house, in the transmission wires leading from the pole to my house.
There are 2 areas of the lines that are void of viable insulation, and obviously overheated.
There were high winds that night, so my insurance company said they'll likely have to fight the electric company over liability, but I will be made whole one way or the other.
I lost a good bit of property, but nothing that can't be replaced.
It appears I will get a freshly rebuilt house, so at least I won't be out there.
My guns were all in safes, and the safes didn't even get wet.
Lucky for me, but my brother took my guns to his place for storage, since my house is unlivable.
I have a friend that has a house he's letting me stay in, so I don't need to spend months in a hotel.
My entire life is now in boxes, and I have not a clue where most everything is.
I only know, it's in a box, either in the garage or in a rental storage trailer. Finding anything is going to be a crap-shoot for the next few weeks.
I know where most of my tools are, at least the ones that didn't get drowned by the fire department.
Those will be repaired or replaced as well.
The morning of the fire, the Red Cross was on my doorstep before dawn.
Before they left, they left me with a pamphlet of information on where to receive help from food to lodging, clothing...
They also left me a pre-paid credit card with $295 on it for lodging and food for the first couple of days.
Later the same day, I got a visit from a neighbor that I'd never met.
Her and her husband showed up on my doorstep asking how they could help a fellow veteran.
I have no idea how she knew I was a veteran, but she did.
She asked me for my phone number, telling me that she had taken it upon herself to contact the D.A.V. on my behalf.
The D.A.V. showed up the same day with a Kroger gift card loaded with $200 for food.
The same neighbor then invited me down the street for dinner at her neighbors house.
I accepted, and consequently I've met 4 additional veterans that live in the neighborhood.
They have cookouts 4-5 nights a week.
They are 2nd amendment advocates, and love to discuss firearms.
It's been about 10 days or so since the fire, and I bet I've been to 6 or 8 cookouts.
I'm actually typing this from one of them now.
Just got a sample of dinner.
It's a slow-roasted Cajun chicken that is just plain fantastic.
I just lost my house, for the most part, but I'm counting my blessings.
Nice to be back in touch with Ingo.
It was a neighbor telling me my house was on fire.
He was right. The entire attic was engulfed when his knock woke me.
There was no fire inside the house, at least not before I answered the door.
It was entirely contained to the attic, but had stared rolling out of the soffit in the back of the house.
The fire department inspector said it was accidental, but electrical in nature.
He also said he thought the fire started OUTSIDE the house, in the transmission wires leading from the pole to my house.
There are 2 areas of the lines that are void of viable insulation, and obviously overheated.
There were high winds that night, so my insurance company said they'll likely have to fight the electric company over liability, but I will be made whole one way or the other.
I lost a good bit of property, but nothing that can't be replaced.
It appears I will get a freshly rebuilt house, so at least I won't be out there.
My guns were all in safes, and the safes didn't even get wet.
Lucky for me, but my brother took my guns to his place for storage, since my house is unlivable.
I have a friend that has a house he's letting me stay in, so I don't need to spend months in a hotel.
My entire life is now in boxes, and I have not a clue where most everything is.
I only know, it's in a box, either in the garage or in a rental storage trailer. Finding anything is going to be a crap-shoot for the next few weeks.
I know where most of my tools are, at least the ones that didn't get drowned by the fire department.
Those will be repaired or replaced as well.
The morning of the fire, the Red Cross was on my doorstep before dawn.
Before they left, they left me with a pamphlet of information on where to receive help from food to lodging, clothing...
They also left me a pre-paid credit card with $295 on it for lodging and food for the first couple of days.
Later the same day, I got a visit from a neighbor that I'd never met.
Her and her husband showed up on my doorstep asking how they could help a fellow veteran.
I have no idea how she knew I was a veteran, but she did.
She asked me for my phone number, telling me that she had taken it upon herself to contact the D.A.V. on my behalf.
The D.A.V. showed up the same day with a Kroger gift card loaded with $200 for food.
The same neighbor then invited me down the street for dinner at her neighbors house.
I accepted, and consequently I've met 4 additional veterans that live in the neighborhood.
They have cookouts 4-5 nights a week.
They are 2nd amendment advocates, and love to discuss firearms.
It's been about 10 days or so since the fire, and I bet I've been to 6 or 8 cookouts.
I'm actually typing this from one of them now.
Just got a sample of dinner.
It's a slow-roasted Cajun chicken that is just plain fantastic.
I just lost my house, for the most part, but I'm counting my blessings.
Nice to be back in touch with Ingo.
