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Comment by Joan Denoo on December 16, 2017 at 1:56am

 Randy, these backyard fires get out of control very fast. When the call comes in, Laura, Michelle, Jared, and Jacot head out in their gear. Very many calls come right at dinner time. I think the afternoon wind picks up and that is when people seem to have their trash burns. 

Overheated dryers cause a lot of fires, too. Laura has a rule; no one uses high heat or prolonged dry. Even if the dryer just smokes, the house filles with that acrid smoke that never seems to go away. 

When I was about ten-years-old, we had a fire when the coal bin caught fire from a hot furnace and took out the center of our home. It was during WW II, and there were no building supplies or plumbing. My Dad was away building airfields in Alaska when it happened, and Mom had to be a good problem solver. That was the time when it was widespread for men to be sexually aggressive with women and she had to deal with that. Men seemed to think that because our men were away fighting or working in the war effort, the women needed "comfort" (translate that into sexual intercourse). After the war, we had all the charred wood pulled out and new plumbing. We could still smell that awful smell. 

The sexual harassment wasn't as bad for my generation, although I had two things happen to me. A man exposed himself to my cousin and me; we were about ten years old. Connie knew what that "thing" was and started screaming and running. I didn't know what it was and it was dark outside; I couldn't see, I tried to figure out what he was doing, and I think I scared him with my innocence. He took off. 

The second event was when I was in high school and working at a dry cleaning plant. The owner kept trying to touch me, and I ran through the clothes trying to get away from him. One time, a lot of freshly cleaned clothing fell to the floor; he stumbled over them.

Has a sexual predator confronted any of you men? I don't suppose it would be easy for you to protect yourself if the predator were bigger than you. 

These were frightening events. I hope our young girls and boys never have those experiences. 

Comment by Joan Denoo on December 16, 2017 at 1:15am

I have never seen an upright walker before. This looks like an excellent replacement for the walker. My Dad had upper body strength to his last day but his legs gave out on him. 

Comment by Patricia on December 16, 2017 at 12:52am

Joan,

My scooter is not a chair, & I drive it with my hands to get to town & back for my shopping, as others drive their cars. I am not, & never was ''confined''.

I am completely mobile, just not for any distance. Now with a new hip, I am somewhat better, but of course the other hip is becoming a problem, & will likely need replacing in a year or so. The surgeon is keeping track of it.

I also had the lumbar laminectomy several years ago, but of course the arthritis has returned to it & my walking distance is limited by that too.

I function around the house just fine, & have a housekeeper to do the major cleaning, simply because I can't do the heavy stuff.....nor do I want to anymore.

I do my own cooking, laundry, changing sheets, cleaning bathrooms, light vacuuming, damp mopping floors, with a month off when I had my surgery, & Rick took over. I am now back to doing almost everything I did before, along with walking up & down my street, & stairs.

Comment by Plinius on December 16, 2017 at 12:32am

A big scare, Randall!

Comment by Joan Denoo on December 16, 2017 at 12:22am

Paricia, my friend in Spokane had M.S. and was totally quadraplegic. We had to feed her, and of course she couldn't take care of herself. She was confined to that chair. Sadly, she died this past summer. 

I made an assumption that you were confined as she was. Obviously, her motorized chair was not a wheelchair, but I thought of it as one. It looked much as yours. 

I am truly sorry I made assumptions about you that were based on her situation. 

Comment by The Flying Atheist on December 15, 2017 at 10:20pm

Scary episode, Randy. Glad you were able to prevent a really bad situation.

Comment by Bertold Brautigan on December 15, 2017 at 2:13pm

Randall, I'm glad you got the fire doused!

Comment by Patricia on December 15, 2017 at 1:47pm

After our wildfire evacuation last summer, that is frightening! It moves so fast, & creates its own wind.

Comment by Idaho Spud on December 15, 2017 at 12:15pm

Interesting.  First time I've seen your back yard, I think.

If the whole field had burnt, was there anything else that could have caught fire?

Comment by Randall Smith on December 15, 2017 at 11:53am

I've added a couple of photos of the scary scene. Be glad you don't live in Indiana. Almost as bad as Alabama.

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