Fire and Ice

You have to love spring weather on the front range of the Rockies.  Intense winds and dry grasses. 

On March 13th they combined with a spark to form the Meridian Fire.  Irv was driving home from golf around 12:30 and he saw where the fire started--someone's backyard and it was heading northeast.  We both have the Watch Duty app on our phones and it started sending our alerts.  We weren't too concerned at first because it was a good seven or eight miles to the west of us.  

We were in a pre-evacuation zone though.  Irv hooked up the horse trailer just to be prepared.  I packed an overnight bag and then looked through the house to see what else we might need.  All I grabbed was our computers and our fireproof safe which contains our passports, our wills, and some other important papers.  I was going to grab one of my paintings if it came to that, but I really couldn't think of anything else to take.  I've digitized the majority of our old photos so no need to grab those.  Everything else was expendable.  Sad isn't it?  You spend an entire life collecting "stuff" and then realize none of it is all that important.

That all changed in an instant though when we received the evacuation order from the county. The fire was expected to cross Curtis Road and was heading towards Schriever SFB with is only a mile north of us. (You can see it in this photo with all the satellites in the white round balls.) With the high winds the fire was moving fast, but appeared to be moving to the northeast of us.  We waited it out and kept an eye on its progress.  The only vehicles going with us the truck to pull the horse trailer and my SUV.  Pulling the RV out would be a smart idea, but we only have one truck and the horses are more important.

By the evening the fire had reached highway 94 and that proved to be a good fire break.  The fire came right up to several houses, but all the fire departments that responded kept them safe.  Only three outbuildings were lost.  Fire crews stayed on the scene all night luckily because the next day it flared up again, but was quickly extinguished.

We only have a volunteer fire department.  Fire companies from all over the area came to help--I think 26 different agencies responded.  

The next day was my birthday and not just any birthday--my 65th birthday.  I decided to choose one of the most expensive steak houses in town.  I don't go there for a steak though, I go for the French onion soup which is the best I've ever had.

I followed it up with the Norwegian salmon and lobster fried rice.

This restaurant always honors any special occasions and they don't sing which I award points for.

Afterwards we went back to Mary's for cupcakes.  Here's the thing about turning 65, it's an age when you become elderly.  The wrinkles are taking over my face, my hair is thinning, I've put on a few pounds, but other than that I don't feel elderly.  I'm still hiking and staying somewhat active.  My brother always says that the problem is that when people get older they don't consider themselves to be older and I think he's correct.

There are a few things I've noticed in the past few years.  The year I turned 60 my dental cleanings became a lot faster and not so thorough.  Secondly, my GYN told me that a woman's last pap smear is typically at age 65.  I also read an article about a mass murderer in Texas whose victims were elderly ladies.  Law enforcement never really caught on to it though because deaths in people over 55 are rarely sent for autopsies.  What all this means to me is that any day you live over 60 is a blessing because you're pretty much considered expendable after that age.

A couple days later we experienced a "flash freeze".  It had been a beautiful warm day, but then a storm rolled through.  Here's a photo leading up to our house and if you look in the distance you can see the dividing line.  Just a couple miles to the east of us got hit really hard.  The highway was closed and search and rescue was out all night saving people from the deep drifts and icy roads.

The storm started out as rain then quickly progressed to snow and blizzard conditions so everything just froze.  Last time we saw this was the year our grandson graduated from high school.  Lots of family came to town and very quickly the roads became an icy mess.

Everything on the north side of our house, RV, mailbox, barn etc. was covered in ice.  Even the door leading outside was frozen shut.

Even the fence posts were frozen on the north side.  This is Irv's geocache.

How's your March going?  I'm ready for real spring to arrive!