April 14, 2016

Today was an unusually odd day of outside forces, both weather and manmade variables.  

At 5:30 this morning I woke up from an alarming nightmare that I had started my house on fire.  The house mutated 3 times into 3 different house with 3 different fires.   At first I thought I had put the fire out but then Annie and Kora came downstairs and when I went to show them it the kitchen was ablaze and the flames were reaching a hole into the ceiling where I guess Kora had been.   

We then moved out of that room calling 911 and we were in the front vestibule of the Chestnut Hill house and the entire staircase was in flames.  I knew my Mom had just been on the phone there.  We got out the front door and I woke myself up.

It took a good half hour for me to get out of the aftermath.  I went downstairs and when I came back the sun was rising.

It was so brilliant, but  I only had my    phone and no glasses, so I just took what was in front of me.  Went back to bed and managed to sleep until Patrick woke me up.  I remembered I had doc appointment.  so I had to jump to, with a lower back that did not want to be erect.   Oh Good morning, Lindy.

The decision was made to put off the knee replacement for at least 6  to 8 months until the other issues were cared for.  He gave me another cortisone shot and went over the last xrays with me.  There had been a considerable increase in the arthritis and he encouraged me to look into pain meds as the journey continued.  It was clear that taking me off the meloxicam was what allowed me to feel the other symptoms and flipped the diagnostic switch with other doctors.  We agreed that was both good and bad.  

After a nap I went to write at the rookery.  It was 77 degrees and partly cloudy with a breeze.   Turtles were setting up their conference on the other side.  Plenty of ducks and a couple goose couples entertained me.   I wanted to meet EJ after his allergy appointment so I headed back down the hill.  

When I could see the city of Greenfield in the horizon it looked like the potential of my home being on fire was real.  I thought, wait a minute and headed home.  Smoke and sirens were blarin

It was very hard to determine what was on fire, but it clearly was on my street.  The noise of sirens was incredible,  I got into my driveway and realized the fire was probably between the street and the railroad tracks.   My phone started dinging, people making sure I was safe.  I was and I had faith that my home was safe, but I wanted to figure out what was causing it and what was happening.  Traffic was stopped all around, even the highway was at a stand still.

There were something like 14 grass fires started a long the railroad track between Deerfield and Greenfield.  That track is just on the other side of that church.  Several fire stations came out to fight  it and prevent structures, including a nursing home and EJ's doc's office, from catching on fire. The smoke was immense for a while, but the responders were efficient and soon everything felt under control.  People were checking in with each other and all seemed to settle down as I left to meet my friend Gregg for dinner.

And dinner was so pleasant.  So nice to spend some time with Gregg and catch up,  and food was good.  I ate too much, but I really enjoyed it and was aware that I didn't lose everything in a fire today, oh I am so terribly grateful.  Oh I am so extremely grateful.  And at the moment, my knee does not hurt.  My head does, oh but I'm ok.  And I am well loved.  Yes,  extremely grateful.