Day 15-19: Getting High on Fire

Friday, we headed up to the mountains to my parent's cabin. It is a quaint two bedroom with a loft. Though they are a bit of a pain when they know the "big people" are staying up to watch a movie, I love sharing a room with my guy and doll. They are so beautiful when they are sleeping. That is probably just because they aren't talking, just kidding. ....Saturday, we girls spent the morning sewing and chatting. Grandma and Julia made sock dolls sewing by hand. It was so fun to witness. My Jewels is really grewing up. The relationship she has with her grandma is a special one for sure. The boys went fishing and caught a 16 incher. Jack said he caught it. So we told him he has to clean it. So he admitted Grandpa caught it, but he would go watch and learn how to do it. ....After lunch, we headed to the bitty town of Red Feather Lakes to sign up for the summer reading program at the library. As we crest the hill on the west aproach to the central townhood, I notice this unusual grey cloud. The High Park fire had just started. We gossip around town and find out a few details from the librarian. Just a few acres in Rist Canyon are burning. We go on down to Dowdy Lake to climb some Boulders always weary of the plum as it grows. Blah blah skip forward, kids a in bed exhausted from the day and fussing about their fingers after guitar practice on the porch. We "big people" decide to stay the night as the Poudre River and a high ridge is between us and the fire. The winds are high to the south west. We are north east. ....Sunday, Mom comes in our dark room. "Kids, are you ready for breakfast? Granpa and I suddenly have business in Longmont today so we are all going to leave from the cabin after we eat.". Code for...it is time to go. The fire doubled over night. Though it was bellowing south west towards Ft. Collins, the exit road out for the area shoots down south towards the fire. So we eat, clean up, close down the cabin, and head down. As we exit the valley past the Shambala Center, we see the plum of smoke. Driving down 287, it is as if we are driving towards a wall of brown cloud. We take off east on Owl Canyon along the edge of the wall. On our left side, it is a beautiful, clear, sunny morning. On the right, a nrown cloud of smoke so thick you can't see beyond a foot. Then, we have to shoot south a bit towards Wellington, and we are in the cloud. The light is eerie with a golden glow reminiscent of a solar eclipse. Blah blah blah, we get to Longmont, drop off kids with Dad and head to the Hunger Games which was still playing at Flatirons Mall. We're still worried, and Mom is checking her phone for updates. ....More blah blah blah, it is Monday. We wake to a slight stench of camp fire. It had doubled and is still not contained. This is bad. The kids are off to day camp. I do a run after two puffs from my inhaler. I'm so slow that the seventy year old woman power walking blows by me. But, hey, I am running and I didn't stop for three miles. Blah blah blah, clean the kid's bedrooms and bath getting ready for the carpet cleaner tomorrow. Blah blah blah, I take kids to the Monday night music and gourmet food truck night at Prospect. I enjoy a lamb slider and a silly hula hoop contest with Son. It was a tie. I can go longer and make it spin slower and faster. But, Son is champion of twirling while not letting the hula hoop drop. I was floored at his skills and praying he won't join the circus someday. Daughter found a friend who was just as silly as her. And, I brought home two very exhausted kiddos and toss into bed so easy peasy. Well, sort of. ....Tuesday is horribly smoky when we rise. We can smell it in the house now. I fear camp will be cancelled. Jack's bible camp made adjustments to hold more of the events inside. Julia's was in Lyon's where it was clearer skies. Phew. Coffee with friends for me, then home to clean. The carpet guy arrived early. I scrubbed the downstairs, including washing the couch cushion covers, while he worked. I pride myself in that the man, who has been into many, many homes, commented several times about how nice of a home I have. Yeah, thanks! I work very hard to keep it tidy and decorated nice. Of course, it is pretty nice being an artist and having all the fabulous originals to adorn the walls. I have also been working on my art collection and recently added two black and white prints by Tony Umile....love them! Anyway, it is nice to be reconized for my efforts instead of being teased about the possibility that I might be a bit O.C. ....Well, blah blah blah, the High Park fire is now over 40,000 acres. Areas closer to the cabin have been evacuated. The smoke in Longmont cleared a little this afternoon but is expected to be an on going concern as long as the fire burns. And, that may be a while. There is talk of it raging most of the summer as it encroaches on dense state forest land riddled with pine beetle killed trees for fuel. I pray for the friends and strangers who may have lost their homes, the wolves and horses that were evacuated, and the fire fighters. I am sad that we may not get to enjoy the cabin the three times we have booked to visit my folks. It will be a loss for the children as they are so free up there. I will miss the great sense of family and nurturing of the woods. But, then again, we all know the power of prayer. So put your energy to work.