toaster unattended

There was a fire in our neighborhood last week. A woman died, and her dog died. There were five helicopters hovering over our house but we didn't know what for. Every once in a while they turned on the spotlights and I thought they were looking for someone. I rushed through the house making sure everything was locked and turned on the lights in the back yard. It always makes me nervous to do that. Our living area is all big sliding windows and there is a part of me who expects to see someone lurking out in the yard, waiting. It wasn't until the 11:00 news that we saw the fire. I've been afraid of a house fire since I could see the pilot light of our wall heater from my childhood bed. I was afraid that if I went to sleep it would flare up and fire would consume the house. Thankfully this fear is not always lurking there on the surface like my stranger in the yard. The night of the neighborhood fire I couldn't sleep. I kept running possible escape plans through my head. Jacob sleeps next to us so we can just grab him. Do we stuff the cat in a pillow case or let him run for himself? One of us may have to grab the dog; she will be scared. William's room is next to ours, but the door to it is down the hall. Both of our rooms have sliding doors to the front yard. If fire is in the hall I'd have to go out our sliding door and break his open with the garden shovel. I should put shoes by the door just in case. William would be terrified of the breaking glass and the fire. I'd scoop him up fast and explain later. We live in the hills where there is a lot of brush. If the neighborhood was on fire could we stand in the middle of the street? There is a fire station right at the bottom of the hill. They put the fire out, the one that killed the woman and the dog, in 15 minutes. This is somewhat reassuring. I almost started a kitchen fire tonight making (and forgetting that I was making) toast. This is not so reassuring.



William got new shoes this evening. He's gone up a size and a half! The shoe store has a wall of every shoe imaginable. He picked the bigger version of the exact shoes he was wearing. I want to line up all of his past and present shoes and take a picture. Today is also Jacob's 4 month birthday. He even had his well-baby appointment today. The nurse gasped and cooed over his luscious thighs and Dr. said everything is perfect - unless, of course, his mother burns down the house. eesh.