Why I Haven't Been Around ..

This happened 2/16. A hard sad day.
I decided to post here as I have had so many questions to what has been going on.
Reason for this fire is unknown. Investigators say maybe a bird carrying a spark.
Our barn had any swallows. Or something about the hay. Though little hay in the barn this year.

David and other my friends wanted to share my problems with my brugmansia and canna families right after happening.
But I asked not to ..as there was just so much to get thru.
So many things to handle, try to understand, and just trying to hold things together.
Alot to try to help my youngest daughter cope and try to understand.
A very hard time for her.
But things are going better now (o:

I took today off to try to catch up. I am behind in everything.
Trying to get unanswered emails done, too.

OMG Alice. I am so terribly sorry.

oh Alice, how sad. ((((((Alice))))))

oh that must have been terrifying! I'm so sorry!

So sad. Sorry it happened. At least you are all alive and unhurt?

Alice, I'm glad you are feeling well enough about your disaster to come and post now. I have felt so bad about this and hope that you all are coping okay. I know it has been rough for your daughter and maybe a new pet will come into your lives to make things a little better. The barn can never be replaced as it was, but I know you can deal with it, especially since no one was hurt fighting the fire. We have missed you here.

Oh Gosh Alice!! I am so sorry!!! my thoughts are with you and your family.

I'm so glad you and your family are safe. That is a terrifying picture. Wow...there's so little to say that could make you feel any better.

skatayama

Alice, I'm just so sorry to see and hear about this. Thank the Good Lord no one was hurt.

Alice, meger words may not help much, but I think you know how much we are hurting for you.

((HUGS)) do help, we're sending you many!
Vi

I'm so sorry for you and your family! ((hugs)) your way.

Alice I am sending you many ((HUGS))!!! This must have been very hard for you and your family. I hope, you and your family have recovered a little bit from this shock.

Alice I do feel for you and know what it feels like...when my son was 9 he was in the barn playing hoops( I thought).....turns out he had seen someone flicking matches and wanted to try it...in my barn full of hay,my X's '65 corvette,our boat an motorcycle,and snowmobile....plus assorted chickens.I was folding laundry when I saw like a grey fog moving in.....then noticed it was wisps...ran to the window,saw smoke in the barn,knew my son was in there and went tearing in there,opened the barn door and WHOOSH,I let all that oxygen in there.....not knowing if my son was still in there I was in there moving burning hay,and all kinds of stuff trying to find him,fire department came and grabbed me kicking and screaming and dragged me out....all the firefighters risked their lives looking for him in there and 2 ended up getting burned(not badly) and I ended up with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my legs.....It was bad enough thinking my son was in there but then some of my chickens came flying out burning.....I thought I would die........
Turns out my devil child had run down the road in the state land when he realized what he had done.....some fisherman saw him and reported it so the search was called off..... They wouldn't let me go down there to look for him without a paramedic,so I took this poor woman on the ride of her life,4 wheeling in a Firebird......

I didn't find him but he came home while I was at the emergency room.......probably a good thing..........I'd be in jail.......

On the good note the barn was rebuilt and my son has NEVER heard the end of it (he'll be 22 in May)He went to counseling and I made him talk to police and a Judge who scared the heck out of him.....

Alice: I'm so sorry for your loss -- you are in my prayers. Gretchen

Alice like everybody else has said there are no words to ease your pain. Just know you will me in my thoughts and we are all here for you if you need us.

I don't really know what to say here. I've talked with Alice maybe 3 times since this has happened. One of those times being the day of the fire.I could tell before she ever told me that something just wasn't right by the tone of her voice.

I can't imagine the pain of having to stand there and watch something like that knowing that you have family pets inside and there is nothing you can do to stop what is happening.

Alice you have many friends here who care a lot about you,that are thinking of and praying for you and your family that you all will make it through this.

I'm very sorry for the loss of your barn and your extended family. I know what it is like to loose a dear family pet. Our cat of 17 years passed 2 years ago and I still can't go to my parents house without thinking about him. It just isn't the same when they're gone.

Gosh Alice, I had no idea this had happened. Thank God everyone is okay. I'm glad to hear you and the family are recovering.

CC - that's quite a story! I bet he'll still be hearing about it when he's 45 years old!

Alice,((Hugs)) I wish there was something I could do,I feel so sad.

So sorry to hear of your loss Alice. I will be thinking about you.

Alice, I am so sorry. Believe me I know how you feel right now. About 9 years ago I too had to deal with a fire only it was my home. Lost all inside along with my 2 Shelties and my Sun Conure. It was the 4th of July ... was coming home from vacation up north .. to basically no home.

On the good side you and your family is safe .... everything else can be replaced (almost) and rebuilt. Just don't let the Insurance Co / Adjusters push you around or get the best of you. In the long run they did get the best of me and cost me much $$$$ later on down the road.

Sending you hugs from Michigan ... they do help. Will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

CC ... I probably would have been looking at jail time too ... but I think it is great that you put some scare into him.

What a sad time for you and your family. (((HUGS)))

So sorry to hear of your loss Alice, so sad. You are in my thoughts.

Alice you and your family have been in my thoughts and prayers daily, bless her heart I am sure your baby girl was devistated. Thank God, you all were not hurt as well. I have missed you, you know anytime. (Big Cyber Hug)


CC, I don't blame you...... I think there would have been two fires that day, one on little misters pants when I knew he was ok..

I have been thinking of you Alice. Such a trauma for your family. Fire really scares me.

Gee CC, your son was a handful but I am sure he did n't mean for it to get so out of control. Did your legs heal up well?

Oh Deb, that is just terrible to lose your home and your pets. Was it caused by kids playing with fireworks?

I feel so badly for all 3 of you!

So very, very sad Alice. Monika told a couple of us and asked us not to pester you. We've been thinking alot about you lately. You're all in our prayers.

Oh My Alice I am SO sorry to see this pic and SO sorry you and your family has to go through such a horrible thing!

My thought's and prayer's are with you and your family!! ((((((HUG'S))))))

sue

Alice, I was so sad when I heard about the fire. You have been in my thoughts daily.

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.

Fire is a terrible, terrible thing. Glad no one in your family was lost, tho I gather from the posts that your daughter lost a pet?? They can't be replaced either, but will live on in our memories. Was the building used for storage?

I am so sorry for what you lost. I don't have much money.Maybe seeds or I have a few plants or just someone to talk to,please let me know.Thanks, Jody

Hi Everyone,
I am just here this morning for a moment.
Thanks for all the kind words and good wishes (o:
I will be back evening and answer the questions above.

The barn was an active part of our farm.
We lost alot. But just so thankful my family is ok.
Husband would have been in there if I had not been home that day to detain him.
And that no people involved were hurt or killed.
I have seen several bad fires in my life, but this was the worst. A very bad fire.

Alice:

I'm very sorry for your loss but grateful that your family is safe. May God bless you and your family and grant you peace.

So terribly sorry for your loss - like so many have said, thank goodness no one was hurt. Fire is such a scary thing, something you will never forget.

CC, we had a "Devil child" too - when he was 5 he was playing with matches and set the pine needles on fire next to the house. We were lucky, he ran inside and told the babysitter and she put it out, but not before it burned the paint off about 4' up the side of the house. Then he lied and said a new boy in the neighborhood had done it. It took us 3 days to get the truth out of him. Meanwhile we scoured the neighborhood looking for this boy. Very tramatic for us all.

So sorry for your tremendous loss. My prayers and thoughts are with you and your family especially your daughter. The young take everything to heart and hurt in such a big and overwhelming way. God bless and help you through this. -Evie

So very sorry you lost your barn and contents.. many pryers for you and your family.. this to shall pass... blessings, strenth...hope43--twyla

Alice, I'm so sorry. I've been wondering why you were not posting. I know you're dealing with a lot right now and wish there was some way that I could help.

I am so sorry to hear of this tragic event in your life. Thank goodness that everyone is ok. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Alice, I'm so sorry for your terrible loss. Thank goodness none of your family was in there. I'm so sorry for the loss of your pet. My prayers are with you.

CC I had a little firebug that I took in at three years old. He was ADHD and couldn't understand why his parents gave him up and blamed us. He started five fires in my home. Thank goodness he finally grew out of it. He's 22 now but when he was small, I was almost afraid to go to sleep while he was here.

Alice, I'm so sorry that you and your family are having to go through this. Fire is a terrible thing, and it sounds like you lost a lot.
I know how your daughter is feeling, I almost lost a very dear pet just a few days before your fire. My little cat Brianna had her leg severely broken in three places. The vet thinks that she was hit by a car. Our house is at least 1/3 mile from the road, so the poor little thing had to struggle a long way to get back to the house. She was laying in the sun, next to the porch, and seemed to be dozing, but put her nose against one of the kittens when he came to her, so I didn't think anything about it. That night, when I went out to check food and water, she was still in the same spot, and alarm bells went off in my head. I called her, and she didn't move, so I picked her up and put her on the porch. She could walk, but wouldn't put that foot down. I brought her inside, and set her up with food, water and litter box in the bathroom, so that she could rest without disturbance from my big german shepherd. She opened the bathroom door during the night and got in bed with us!
We took her to the vet the next morning and they had to amputate her leg on Valentine's Day. She's doing really well and will get her stitches out tomorrow. She can run on three legs a lot faster than I expected, but still spends a lot of time resting, preferably in my lap. I read about your fire last night, but I was on the laptop, with my lap full of Brianna, and could barely manage to move the mouse.

so sorry for your loss. i know the finality of fire all too well having lost a house to it. but you will feel a sense of renewal when you rebuild.