Everyday after lunch, we close the front door and take a rest. This one day I looked out the window of the front door only to see flames and smoke. A neighbor’s house was burning. I took my coat and ran to the area.

24-12-13 Devastation© Molly Lin Dutina
Ever stood in a meadow
And looked into a dark woods
With the trunks so close the light barely gets through?

Our front door window looks out onto our neighborhood,
Houses similar, vinyl siding colors differ
We are glad our main windows look into 
an older more interesting neighborhood 
Like most American houses
Our roofing is framed on wooden trusses.

There was a fire yesterday
As I closed the front door and looked out the front door window
I saw flames and smoke
Big nasty flames of red and orange, devouring that roof
as thick smoke billowed into the sky
A still point of unbelief

Thank God no people were at home 
Now the view out our front door is the
Dark black framing charred wood -  
What remains of our neighbor’s roof

As I stood in a neighbor’s 
driveway and watched the burning house
Waiting for one neighbor to return home
Firemen and firewomen calmly doing their work, 
occasionally asking me if I had a key to this house or knew how to get in
Horror finally erupted for me as some of the roof timbers fell
Siding on houses both south and north melting

It had been an unreal scene until then
The dog inside did not survive the smoke inhalation
The fire workers were able to save some of the woman’s possessions, 
especially the things her husband had made for her before he died. 
Cause of the fire is still to be determined. 

We are more grateful than usual having witnessed this destruction
Now the view out our front window is blackened trusses
Like original close grown trees
Occasional sun shows through
No longer a shelter

I have been too busy for my own good. The crochet group party and decorations are finished.

Then we volunteered to collect the gifts our church donated to Interparish Ministry for families to choose from for Christmas. I emptied the Rav4 of every single thing to make room for the gifts. We took my car and Bob’s Volkswagen Taos to church. We packed both of them to the rafters. Unbelievable the generosity of the church members. Amazed at how much the cars could hold. And there were more gifts to be cataloged and delivered the next day! That was work that filled us with joy. The next day all were delivered to the distribution site safely in the pouring rain. No matter, knowing the joy they will bring.

There has not been time so far this season to make gingerbread with the grandgirls. We decided to do it on a date after our family celebration this weekend. Ouch! That hurts but is understandable with both young ladies working now. Traditions can bring disappointment as well as joy. Oh yeah, change is inevitable! I almost forgot.

So as the final gifts roll in and we wrap a few in paper, (most will be given in cloth bags I sewed throughout the year), I will be baking cookies to go with our favorite ice cream for dessert after gift sharing. Need to purchase the items for the sandwich making. That became a tradition when the Grandkids were all little and not interested in food when gifts are so much more exciting!

Neighbors on both side will have to have siding replaced. One also has 2 broken windows from the heat of the flames. Uncertain what the neighbor who suffered such destruction will do next. The rumor is she was going to move in with her grandson in 2025. That is occurring now. There has not been a fire in this neighborhood before, so the Homeowners Board will have to determine if there are rules about re-building? They are deciding how to make a monetary collection for her to show our sympathy.

Please remember her in your prayers this season. I am certain the Lord will take care of her in her loss. Yes, she lost all of the gifts she had already purchased. But thank God she has her life and her health. No injuries for the fire personnel either.