argh update

I'm so sore I actually had to miss a house fire Wednesday. Remember, kids: When you swing a sledge hammer, it has an effect not only on what you hit, but on the swinger. Between my back, my tennis elbow (seriously? Seriously?) and muscle aches, all I have to be thankful for is that the low pressure system moved on and relieved my sinuses.

I'm going on vacation for a week, if you can call it that. As soon as I'm a bit less hurting -- or probably sooner, as time is a factor -- I'll be mostly skipping the internet and concentrating on getting outside stuff done before we return to fall weather. I've got a home to winterize, trees and bushes to trim, a garage to clean, and a pile of chimney debris to haul away from the house, among other things. Charis' fiancee is coming over to help (by which I mean he knows how to do it) replace the chimney, probably with a forced air system, so I can turn the furnace on without getting carbon monoxide poisoning.

Meanwhile, my house appraised for less than I'd hoped, so although my home refinancing has been approved, I may not be able to get enough to pay for the roof replacement and other work that were assumed to be getting done by the appraiser as part of his estimate. Bit of a Catch-22, there -- we're working on it. Gotta work faster if I'm to avoid another winter of taking unwanted showers in the kitchen.

So, yeah ... I'll be busy. What's new? and then -- back to writing.

 

Fire damaged a home west of Albion Wednesday, October 5. The occupants of the Robert Bollinger residence were able to escape safely, although a firefighter was treated at the scene.
The blaze, at 3772 W Albion road, reportedly might have started in the basement, then spread into the attic, although its cause is undetermined and remains under investigation. The home’s kitchen received heavy damage, while smoke and heat damage was done throughout the building. Damage to the structure and contents was estimated at around $50,000.
Albion and Ligonier firefighters were dispatched at 6:37 p.m., and arrived to find heavy smoke pushing from the two story wood frame structure. It took about half an hour to bring the smoky blaze under control, and one firefighter was treated for possible exhaustion.
Water tankers and manpower were brought in from the Cromwell and Noble Township Fire Departments, while a Kendallville fire crew stood by at the Albion Fire Station. Noble County EMS personnel examined several firefighters at the scene as a precaution.
The firefighting and tanker shuttle operation required Albion road to be shut down for some time, so Noble County Sheriff’s deputies diverted traffic onto neighboring roads.
Also responding to the scene were Noble REMC workers, who shut down the home’s electrical service, the American Red Cross, and a company that assists in boarding up fire damaged homes.
Responders worked at the scene until just after 9 p.m. Twenty Albion firefighters responded to the call, manning eight of the fourteen fire units involved.