The excitement!

We live with J's dad (temporarily) and he has 8 beautiful acres of wooded land on the side of this mountain. Neighbors aren't very close. We can burn whatever we want and shoot our guns in the backyard and there's no complaints. Hell, if your shooting, the neighbors join in.

Tonight, I'm alone at the house. J is at her aunts house (right down the road. In fact, most of her family lives on this road.), Mick (J's dad) is at his girlfriends house, and Rock...well, I don't know. Not my turn to watch him. I fixed some sloppy Joe's and pretty much have been just chilling out with the animals.

Its been pretty cold all day and the threat of rain has been just that...a threat. It was starting to get dark and I decided I was going to take a ride to the store to grab some smokes (no I haven't quit yet) before it got pitch black. I walked out of the door and froze. Behind the house, the top ridge of the mountain was on fire. FIRE!

My first thought...someone is burning something. No big deal. But then I remembered that the dogs were howling at the sirens I had heard a few minutes before. Hmmm....maybe I should investigate. If there is a fire, I have a lot of animals to evacuate...including a pet raccoon that is vicious.

I call J at her aunts house and ask if she had seen where the fire engines had gone. (The road makes a big U and she was on the other side where the fire was.)

J: No why?
me: Umm...there's a really big fire behind the house. I was about to leave and I didn't know if I should.
J: (talking to her aunt) She says there is a big fire behind the house.
aunt: Ran (her husband) said that Mr. D (our neighbor, just over the mountain) was burning something earlier but no one was out there watching it.
J: (to me) Where are you going anyway?
me: Just to the store. So, is it cool? Can I leave, or should I go check it out?
J: Rita's gonna call around and see if its okay. I'll call you back.
me: Okay.

Its true, most of her family lives on this road. Mr. D isn't related. At least I don't think he is. But she had another family member that lives just over the hill. (Her family is huge.) I got bored waiting, so I climbed up the mountain to get a better look.

That fire...way out of control. I lived on the edge of the Everglades all my life and seen it get scorched many, many times. I've seen small fires turn into infernos in a matter of seconds. This fire, although not as big, was definitely getting too close for comfort and spreading. I made it to the peak and there were firefighters all over the place. Small fires everywhere. I heard them digging in the ground with their shovels and shouting out orders to each other. It was dark, I couldn't really see the men but one by one I watched the smaller fires being put out by the shadows. It looked like they had it under control.

Now, I made a big mistake. I walked up the mountain, in the woods, in the dark without a damn flashlight. Honestly, I had gotten lost up there in broad daylight on a four wheeler last year when we were visiting and had to call Mick so he could signal me the way home. It wasn't funny, but Mick makes sure to pick on me about it every chance he gets. Anyhow, I watched them put out the fires closest to our house then turned around and realized, I couldn't see the path.

Thank God for my dogs. I made a few wrong turns and got tangled in them damn briars a few times, but I followed their barks and howls home.

The phone was ringing when I walked in the door.
J: I've been trying to call. Rita says that the fire trucks are at Mr. D's.
me: No shit. I just saw them. They are all over the place.
She relayed what I said to Rita.
me: Since the fire trucks have it covered, I'm going to the store.
J: (laughing) If you are scared, I'll come home.
I'm thinking, what part of "I'm going to the store" sounds like I'm scared?
me: Umm...nope. I'm cool. I'm going to the store.
J: Alright. But if you want me to come home...
I had to laugh. She lived with me in South Florida. She's been with me to see the fire in the Glades. Fire = no big deal.
me: Uhh, nah. Really, I'm cool and I'm going to the store.

I had to reassure her several more times before she actually let me hang up the phone. God, I love her.

Well, when I got back from the store I grabbed a flashlight and walked half way up the mountain. I stopped when came close to running into the firefighters. I figured they didn't need me in the way. (I really wanted to help. I thought it would help me get my adrenaline fix.) All was good so I went back down to the house.

Fire is out and J is home. And this is the most excitement that has happened around here since we moved here. I think its time to trick out the four wheeler and make a track with some jumps. Real excitement.

How much do you wanna bet that this fire will be the talk of the town tomorrow?