red_satin_doll | Taking an enforced "hiatus" - circumstances and all that jazz

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Taking an enforced "hiatus" - circumstances and all that jazz

I'm having to take a short break from LJ and the computer in general - we had a rather major house fire Monday night.

Good news first - we're ok, my sweetie has burns on her hand and foot that are not serious enough for the local wound clinic to treat, but her left hand is so wrapped in gauze it looks like a Mummy Hand. (I guess that makes her right hand the Daddy hand? Hey someone had to say it.) She's back to her old self otherwise.

Only my sweetie's bedroom was destroyed - the mattress went up like a freaking firebomb. the fire started there, but there's damage throughout the house from smoke and water. I remembered to close the bedroom door before we left and the inspector said that was the best thing I could have done so go me.

Our desktop was destroyed and obviously my computer access will be extremely limited for a while, so I won't be able to return the many overdue messages and comments in my inbox.

The other good news - I'm ok too, a little tired and sore; and I was able to salvage a printed draft of the Buffy & Dawn story I was working on, and most of my notebooks with btvs meta essay notes. Don't laugh. It's the silliest thing but I felt like I wanted to have them, like they're more "me" than a lot of my stuff. AND I now know the difference between fic and meta, at least for me. Meta ideas (in rough form) are mostly in my head, even if the details are fuzzy; but there is NO WAY I could have reproduced the fiction from memory. Even though I've reread my own drafts many times. With fic the precise word placement and rhythms are so absolutely essential.

My vegan chocolate cake recipe might take a little effort to reproduce though. Maybe recipes are like fiction. *lol* Such is life.

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How scary! Glad you guys are mostly okay. *hugs*

Thanks, hon! It was pretty scary at the time - not something I'd recommend to anyone else!*Hugs back*

Oh, no! Glad nobody was seriously injured. I'm so sorry you have to deal with all the mess and stress, though.

The mess and stress are going to be the long-term fun. Our landlord has another apartment coming empty Sept 1 that he's offered to rent to us in the interim, and we may well take him up on it.

Thank goodness you and sweetie are okay. Such a horrible thing to happen. You were lucky.

Yes, very much so! Not just in terms of injuries/fatalities but even in property damage; two days later a mixed use building downtown burned and 20 people were left homeless. At least all our stuff wasn't destroyed - and my sweetie has tenant's insurance. best $100 a year she's ever spent.

Damn. :( Good to hear you're both OK, that's what's important.

Thank you! We keep repeating that (the stuff is replaceable, the stuff is replaceable...)

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear this - but glad you're OK.

Thanks muchly - we really are very lucky; as I said to kudagirl upthread, two days later a building downtown burned and 20 people lost their homes and ALL their stuff. My sweetie will at least get some reimbursement for what she lost. (Our downstairs neighbor moved out entirely due to the water damage to her apartment - and no insurance either.)

Sorry to hear that this happened! Glad to hear that no one was seriously hurt.

We were very lucky! My sweetie especially - she was trying, without success obviously, to put out the damn fire, and getting more hysterical by the second. we were both afraid she'd get really burned; that she didn't is pretty amazing.

Yikes! How terrifying and awful for you. Glad to hear that you weren't seriously hurt.

It was scary - a lot of the scenes of people caught in fires in movies and tv shows actually do get it right, surprisingly enough. The smoke inhalation is the biggest danger just like the experts say; time expands and contracts simultaneously. Very surreal.

Oh my God! That's terrible! But I'm glad you are all right.

Thanks! *Hugs* we need to get our bearing mentally at the moment.

oh shit! I'm glad you're okay.

We are, thanks muchly! Still sort of feeling frayed and raw, though - I've told very few people about it, but everyone who knows has been very sweet and offered to help.

Oh my gosh! I'm glad you're okay.

thanks so much for your good wishes! We are very very lucky.

Oh God, I'm glad that you're okay! But how did it happened? *hugs because of scary experience*
I'm also glad that you managed to save the story and the essays.

It was an accident - candle, spark, a box caught fire then a corner of a sheet, then the less-than-a-year-old $1200 mattress went up like a firebomb. The fire inspector told me that stuffed furniture like mattresses is like the equivalent to several gallons of gasoline in the room.

And I've got my priorities straight, obviously! *lol* I just put up another post tonight - this morning I took some time to write and came up with an "outline" for my Tara & Buffy metas. Now, getting enough computer access to post it is the thing! *sniffle* We'll be very busy these next few days/weeks/months.

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kikimay - 2013-08-24 10:55 (UTC) - Expand

Oh my gosh! Thank heavens you are both okay!!!! *hugs you tightly* You will be missed, but I think we can all console ourselves with the knowledge that you WILL be back because you and your sweetie are not seriously injured or worse (though I am holding good thoughts for your sweetie's burned hand and foot). *hugs you again*

Gabrielle

Hugs are of the good!

The Missus' hand and foot are healing slowly but she's coming along. The blisters are getting whiter and more opaque but they haven't burst. The doctor said don't immerse in water, don't go swimming, don't go on the beach (no sand) etc; you can imagine how well THAT went over with her.

So glad you're both okay, which is the most important thing. But of course we care about stuff that's irreplaceable. :(

Hugs. <3

Don't you know it! A few weeks ago I found a beaded lariat necklace I'd made for my sweetie several years back, with beads I'd commissioned, and thought she'd lost but just misplaced. I thought of keeping it for myself this time but gave it back to her to go into her bedroom. Damn I wish I'd listened to that selfish instinct! It's funny though, I didn't remember that until this morning and actually felt a little sad about it.

SO sorry to hear your woes but so very glad you are both okay. How awful for you. Take care and see you down the track.

Janice 2

It was an interesting experience to say the least - something to put into my writing someday! I'll try not to disappear completely, thanks dear.

The Other Janice

Oh I am so sorry to hear about that. But thank god you guys were okay.

Thanks! It's pretty amazing that my sweetie wasn't hurt worse than she was, so I'm grateful for that.

I'm glad you and your family are mostly okay! That is super scary.

Take all the time you need. We'll be here when you get back.

*squish*

*Hugs back* It was scary - a lot of movies and tv shows actually do get it right - the smoke is overwhelming. *flashes back to Beer Bad*

How awful! I'm so glad that you're both mostly okay!

We definitely survived the experience and lived to tell the tale, thank you!

I am SO sorry to hear about this! But I will echo everyone else… I'm glad you are both okay. I'm sending positive thoughts your way. I look forward to seeing you back on LJ.

Your positive thoughts are gratefully and lovingly received! And I will try to keep poking around here as time (and access permits) - I don't want to disappear, I'm having too much fun!

Wow! Glad it wasn't worse, and good on you for closing the door. I don't think I would have thought of that.

good on you for closing the door

I wish I'd noticed the box fan pointed at the bed was on sooner though! Fire is fed by oxygen; and I grill outdoors and awful lot and close the lid to put out the coals, so that's why I thought to do that. It almost wasn't a conscious thought, but the fire inspector says that's the first thing she teaches people in fire prevention/control.

Throwing baking soda on a fire only works with a grease fire, however. Not with a mattress and synthetic fibers fire. Now I know.

I'm so sorry to hear about the fire. Years ago my mom, dad and little sister had a fire in their home. What I remember most is how disoriented and out of place they all felt after the fire. I hope your sweetie isn't in pain and I hope her hand heals quickly. *hugs*

My vegan chocolate cake recipe might take a little effort to reproduce though. Try

bakebakebake they have awesome recipes there , some vegan, some not but it's a nice little baking community

Edited 2013-08-22 02:33 (UTC)

"Disoriented" is the perfect word for the aftershock. And out of place not just mentally but of course physically. It just changes everything (and nothing) all at once.

My sweetie is hurting a bit; this is unfortunately going to take it's own sweet time. I hope your family came out of their own experience uninjured?

And I will check out the link thank you! I'm sure I can find a variant of it, the basic idea has been around for years - a vegan cake that uses fruit of some kind, and a bit of vinegar for the rise.

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red-satin-doll.livejournal.com - 2014-01-05 01:35 (UTC) - Expand

Oh wow, really glad you're both okay! Take care!

Thanks sweetie! We're doing ok, all things considered. we're stubborn. ;)

So sorry to hear that, but very glad you're both okay.

Thanks!

Oh honey! Thank [deity of your choice] you and gf are okay! And yay! Buffy notes were saved!

I'm an atheist actually, so I'll chose - hmm, I always thought Quan Yin was cool. Or what the hell - Buffy.

And clearly, I have my priorities in order. :p

Yikes! So glad there were no serious injuries! Insurance will cover the repairs, I hope?

The missus had tenant insurance to cover her personal property (up to $17,000, she'll easily exceed that - but the downstairs neighbor's stuff was destroyed from the resultant water damage and she had no insurance.) The landlord's insurance will actually cover the repairs and structural damage.

How awful! But I'm glad you're mostly ok and hope will get better soon.

*hugs you tightly*

Hugs are of the good! *hugs back* Your good wishes are very much appreciated - everyone here on Lj and in RL have been incredibly kind to us.

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