Martin Fire or Why I Don't Want To Live in the Woods Anymore

So yesterday afternoon (about 3pm) a fire started on the 1200 block of Martin ave. That is about 3 miles from my house. By the time I heard about this fire (3:45) all the roads to the house had been blocked off and they were calling in firemen from all over the place along with helicopters and water dropping airplanes. So I called Mr. C. and he picked up the baby and we all went together to the Red Cross evacuation point.

They were very nice. We signed in and got a classroom all to ourselves. Several people stopped by to ask us if we needed anything and the baby was crazy happy with all the attention. (What can I say everyone loves a cute baby.)

In fact everyone loves a cute baby so much that when a very nice couple came by and offered a house for a family for the night all of the Red Cross people pointed us out. So we ended up in a very nice little cabin with satellite TV. Melly was, of course, so wound up from the whole thing that she didn't really sleep at all... well, not by herself anyway. I ended up sitting up with her for several hours and got about three myself. But that's OK. I'm a little wound up too.

At this point we had received several phone calls from family and friends who had all heard about the fire. And we did our best to say that we were fine and that we would tell everyone what was happening when we knew. (Thank goodness for cell phones.) And then I had my grand scheme... I know the house is alright if I call and the answering machine picks up. Well, this only works until the power goes out...but it's still comforting.

This morning we headed back to the Red Cross center and asked if they knew anything. The answer...no. So We took the baby to daycare (in an attempt to keep her somewhat on schedule) and stopped for breakfast at McDonald's. (It was on the way to Mr. C's work. Then we went to his work. Where we received several more offers of places to stay and lots of sympathy. We also checked the internet and found out that our road was no longer on the evacuation list.

Whew!

So I decided I wanted clean socks and undies and that we needed more baby supplies and drove up the hill as fast as I could...until I reached the blockade. Where I managed to whine my way through the police with a sob story about not having baby supplies. The only catch, I had to walk. Not really a big deal as our house is about a mile from the blockade. So I started walking and I could feel the heat from the fire but not see it. I could also see a little smoke, but it was not blowing in my direction. About half way to the house I was stopped by a couple of mountain men in their truck who offered me a ride. I accepted gratefully and asked them how they had managed to get their truck through. They said they had never left. *ah*

As I led them to the house they suddenly realized that not only did they know about the butthead neighbor (they used a much more colorful word) but one of them had lived in our house. (Small world.) And they asked if I would be ok and drove off.

I let myself in and started a pile of important papers and our wedding album then a bunch of diapers some clean socks and undies (for both adults) and some clean jumpers. Then I packed it all in my backpack and picked up the boppy and was off.

When I finally walked past the blockade again there was a car full of gang-bangers attempting to get past the blockade. After being told they could only walk past it (official vehicles only) they apparently rammed into the back of the police cruiser. Hmmmm What a good time for me to get the heck out of dodge.

I then made a brief stop at Mr. C's work to give him clean stuff and was off to work. Where I am not. Busy now working. And that is where we are right now. We have a place to stay tonight. We have supplies. And it appeares the fire is going to go the other direction from our house. So we will get through this.

I will post more as I have more info.

Cheers.