Fire in the Neighborhood

Hello

Life
Last evening, as I was sewing a Halloween costume for Moogie (more on that later), I heard sirens coming up my hill, turning in front of my house, continuing up just a bit further, then stopping.  Well the fire trucks stopped, the sirens did not, as more and more trucks arrived.  I looked out my front door, and saw FIRE. 

Up on the top of our hill there was a house blazing away.  I could see the flames, but not at all which house was on fire.

Our neighborhood is in transition from older owners to newer ones.  The houses are all about 40 years old, and many well most of the original owners have moved to either smaller houses, or retirement areas.  One of my best friends in the neighborhood lives on the top of the hill, just about where the flames were blazing.

It was very cold, but no rain, that came this morning.  So I walked up the hill as quickly as I could, frantically texting my friend, to see if she was home.  She was not, and it was not her house, but one 2 doors down that was burning. 

Luckily, the family that owned the house was out, and their dog in the back yard.  Neighbors got the dog, and turned their hoses on until the fire trucks arrived.

They also wet down their own roofs and walls.  I know the people on both sides of the house that burned, and their next door neighbors, as well.  This family was a new one, and I had not met them yet.  My friend, got my text and turned around arriving not too long after the fire department. 

Neighbors poured out of their houses and we stood in the cold watching the fire department work to stop the fire.

Every time I thought it was over, another spot would blaze up. 

The next door neighbors could not return to their houses until the fire was out completely, but I guess there are so many things that can burn slowly and unseen in a modern house, that putting the fire out completely is not so easy.

It is amazing that none of the trees caught fire.  Our neighborhood has lots of very large trees.

I went back this morning to see what it all looked like in daylight.  My friend told me that the fire department stayed the whole night, and when I checked at about 9 am, they were there, working.

I hope that our street can come together to help this new family rebuild.  So, so scary.  At least we can all be happy that no one was hurt.

Stitching
It almost seems foolish to talk about stitching after the experiences of last night, but life does go on.

I have spent the last 3 days sewing a Halloween costume for my daughter, Moogie.  I mailed it off to her just before the Post Office closed, along with her mail in ballot. 

She texted me last weekend asking if I could make this costume.  This was our texted conversation:

Moogie:  Can you make me a Grapefruit costume for Halloween?
Me:  Big and round and yellow?
Moogie:  Yes, perfect, that's it.  Please?
Me:  Well, I've never made anything like that but I can try.


Moogie:  I love you.

Then about 5 minutes later...
Moogie:  I mean an eggplant, can you make an eggplant?
Me:  Big and pear-shaped and purple?
Moogie:  Yes, perfect, that's it!  Please?

I am not kidding.  That was the conversation.  So I bought a bunch of purple broadcloth, and tried to fashion a pear-shaped bag-like costume.  I had a lot of trouble making it look full.  I think I needed to add boning, but I was too lazy.  Basically, I made the big bag that was straight down then flared out.  I gathered the top and the bottom.  Then I sewed an inner lining that was more of a tube and tacked it inside over the fattest part and tried to fill it.  I added a bunch of netting, and then some old batting I had.  It never completely filled.  It looks a bit like a wrinkly raisin.  Then I forgot to take a photo before I packed it.

The only photos I have are of the cats sitting on the netting.

Moogie will have to take a photo for me.  Then I will post that even if she does look like a raisin instead of an eggplant.

Stay safe and well.
Check your fire alarms.
Yours,

f1bercat
Shaping the planet with a giant raisin costume, O! and a photo of  Pookie wearing his Mobius Cowl