January 24 - Maine

So - this is Maine.

I had intended to post earlier than this, but much has happened in this small corner of the world. My sister and her significant other came up over New Year's, as did my brother. It was great to spend the weekend with my siblings. Food, drink, and festivities abounded!

We partied a bit here, then went down to spend time with friends of my sister's, and wound up the evening here again. There were fireworks in between from the beach - spectacular. The whole evening was wonderful!

The day after I was not feeling well at all, and it was not "bottle flu". I had a fever, stomach and head pains. I was in bed, out for the count, for an entire week. Whatever germs were going around got to me big time unfortunately. Hideously. Not fun!

Fully recuperated now. The weather has been strange. Brutally cold for a few days, then temps rise into the 40s. I do not go outside when it is really cold (below 30). Way too hard to breathe.

It has snowed twice; second time the temps shot up the next day. I would say it snowed 3 times, but I really do not count last night. About an inch of snow, and then sleet (yuck). Finally warmed up to about 32 this afternoon and the sleet turned to rain. Although it will freeze over again tonight.

That sheet of ice currently covering my car should melt enough with the forecasted 40s for the rest of the week. Which is nice as I have errands I need and want to do. Otherwise I just start her up and let her run for about half an hour (evil grin) - that will take care of that.

In the meantime I have been dealing with computer issues (Time Warner is definitely not customer friendly), housekeeping, laundry (located an exceedingly clean laundromat that meets my standards), etc.

I am so ready to begin working on my oil painting again, but I need a trip to the local art store for supplies I did not bring. Hopefully tomorrow.

I had one day, one very frantic day, with 2 helpers, to pack for this winter. One helper was a bit lost & useless, the other was a whirling dervish. Figure I came out kind of on the up-side of that regardless :)

We are doing well, the kitties and I. Better than I expected. My breathing has been really good up here in the clear air - except for the days when it is SO brutally cold (like 25 or so).

My head, meaning my brain & all its weird / bizarre thoughts (other people's descriptions - not mine) finally wrapped itself around what happened and settled. Not even 2 months since the fire. Had to; life goes on.

What next? you ask. I am working on it. I am only here in this apartment for a short period of time, and as Hercule Poirot would say, "the little grey cells are working". Options....

So - Maine. Kind of getting used to it. It has started to get its hooks in.

And we (me and all my kittles) are well and doing fine :)

Stay tuned!

December 28 - Maine

I do not wish, nor intend, to keep reliving what happened one very short month ago. I will not, however, be able to forget that night and the ensuing madness. That is probably a good thing as far as safety goes. We take so much for granted, and I see people being careless with every day tasks, items, and well, just the way they live. Some people have thought of me as a bit, well, OCD I suppose when it comes to things like that.

Like having the cat carriers in the room (just in case); installing fire extinguishers in several rooms (just in case); etc. etc. Will I change my ways? No - what happened was an affirmation of my "quirks".

And YES. I know, I know, I know - and have been chastised over and over again about going back inside. In my PJs and robe. In the thick black smoke. It was not to grab a pair of pants and socks. It was not to grab photos. It was not to grab my portable safe. I went back to try to grab my kitties. Then my neighbors started screaming at me (all of them).

Would I do it again? Was it worth all these weeks of not being able to breathe properly and coughing? I have asked myself that question. Fire happens so very quickly; more quickly that you can possibly imagine (it is not like the movies, trust me). In that 1 or 2 minutes you have... while your head is processing what is happening... what would you do? That is all you get. One or 2 minutes.

Yeah. I would.

Maine. It is quiet and peaceful up here. The air is cold but it is clean and my lungs are finally clearing up (as much as they can) from the fire and ensuing madness. I noticed yesterday that I am able to breathe better than I have in weeks. This is a good thing. A very good thing :)

New Year's is fast approaching; my sister and her other half will arrive tomorrow for a weekend of festivities. I am looking forward to it! There will be food, company, and laughter.

Thanks to the unexpected generosity of a good friend, I will do some shopping next week and pick up a few sweaters, heavy socks, etc. that I was unable to salvage. New pair of nice warm gloves, too! It has been pretty darn cold up here... wind off the ocean and temps run about 8-10 degrees colder.

I have said before, I do believe everything happens for a reason. I really, truly believe that. I have had some breathing room, literally and figuratively. It has helped so much. Brain has re-engaged. A new chapter has begun for me. I am not quite ready to make plans yet for the future, but I know that will come in time (and it will not be long before my brain starts making those lists and plans!).

This is a new chapter for me. Unexpected, certainly. But here for a reason. In a way, I feel as I did when I began my trip to Canada - the unknown. So I will approach it that way. I did bring my oils and easel and brushes :) It will certainly not be 3 months of "stranded in Maine, woe is me". I will not let it :)

It will be an adventure!!

I will post again next week after the food and festivities. For now, I will leave you with the official AP newspaper article and photo of the fire. Just to get it out of my system. Those lights and ladders you see up on the second floor? That is / was my apartment. And we all know who caused the fire. It was not any one of us on the second or third floors.

Careless smoking likely ignited Ayer fire

By Chris Lisinski, clisinski@lowellsun.com

AYER - A fire that displaced four families from their apartment building on Monday evening was likely caused by a cigarette, officials said.

A fire spread through the walls just after 6 p.m. Monday. There were no injuries in the blaze, though the four families who lived there were forced to spend the night elsewhere. An investigation revealed the cause was careless disposal of smoking materials, Ayer Fire Chief Robert Pedrazzi said Tuesday.
"We're thinking it was a cigarette," he said. "It started on an outside porch and extended into the walls."
Pedrazzi said the four-unit apartment building suffered about $250,000 in damage and that repairs would take "an extended period of time." Until those are complete, the tenants will not be able to return to their homes.

"The house was built in 1900," Pedrazzi said. "It was probably quite elaborate when it was built ... But the way it's built, if they want to put it back the way it was, it's going to take some time."

Firefighters from Littleton, Devens, Shirley, and Lunenburg provided mutual aid at the scene, while firefighters from Groton provided coverage at Ayer fire stations Monday. Responders took about an hour to contain the blaze and were on the scene for approximately two and a half hours.

December 18 - Maine

Part 2 - Now

It has been a few days, but I wanted to finish this post and "the rest of the story".

I am staying in Maine, renting the basement apartment of my sister's other half's summer home, for the winter. He graciously opened up his home for me and my kittles for the next few months. I am safe, I am warm, and have pretty much what I need for a few months along the coast of Maine.

The apartment has everything I need - full kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms. I will be able to set up my easel and computer in the second bedroom. Her other half also very kindly obtained a library card as I only brought a few books with me. I will be able to borrow books from the local library during the winter on his card, which makes me very happy :)

My amazing insurance company delivered the boxes some friends and I had packed for Maine last Saturday afternoon. Travelers Insurance has been totally awesome through this whole ordeal. I cannot say enough for procuring renter's insurance (I always have when I rented). To those who have made fun of me for "wasting my money" - well. Sure was not from where I am standing.

Travelers came in and assessed the damage to my things after the Fire Marshall and when my landlord's insurance company was there. They have been in contact with the Fire Dept. and the cleaners and contractors who will be rehabbing the building the next few months. They packed up my entire apartment that was salvageable and put it into storage. They disposed of the items deemed unsalvageable - mostly "soft goods". Couch, bed, curtains, rugs, etc.

Travelers issued me an "emergency" check to cover things I needed immediately after. I left that night in my PJs and bathrobe, and had no clothes etc. with me. The firefighters rescued my kitties and medications, but for about 4 days that is all I had. They will cover the replacement cost of the items lost.

So apartment insurance? Oh yeah, more than well worth it :)

Now I am a temporary resident of Maine. My sister and her other half generally come up here every other week, but as it is coming up on Christmas and all they will not be back until New Year's. Unless it snows 6" or more, as it did yesterday. (Will explain in another post!)

Sister was here last weekend; movers arrived late Saturday afternoon. We shopped Sunday; I needed a bunch of stuff at Walmart and grocery store while she was here, so we did that. Small stuff I am able to pick up on my own. The big stuff not so much.

I unpacked my few boxes last week as the temperatures started to steadily drop. Suffice it to say I have not ventured outside in a week. It snowed yesterday; ended up with not quite 6". Then it started to rain early this morning. Temps are forecasted to drop again the next few days, so not a good scenario (they need their driveway to be clear). Sister's other half arrived late this morning to clean up the driveway and took care of more than a few things around the place for me as well.

Thus, my intrepid followers, I am ensconced in Maine for the season.

I have mentioned before, I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. I am scratching my head about the reason for this, but have faith the reason(s) will become clear to me. It is another phase in my life, for sure. I think I am dealing well with what has happened. The fire was not caused by me; everyone got out safely and all pets are alive and well.

Taking it a bit at a time here. "One foot in front of the other". I am OK and breathing a little easier. To reiterate: I am safe and warm. As are all my kitties. As I said in the previous post, the rest is just "stuff".

I will post next week, perhaps add some pictures of my new temporary quarters :) Temps will be going down tomorrow and Tuesday, and although I would like to get out to pick up a few random things I forgot I am not in a hurry.

Stay tuned. This WILL be an adventure!!