Wildfires, Bacon, and Rockies/Dodgers

Colorado is in the deeply seated in wildfire season. Wildfires are always a concern during the summer; this year however, we are having an extremely weird summer. This summer has been rainy and cool. It continues to snow in the mountains.

The weather has had a positive effect on wildfires. It would be safe to say the weather has not had an effect on all fires.

Last Tuesday, at the extended stay hotel that is my home in my construction life, I arrived to be greeted by a wonderful bacon-y smell coming from down the hall. (Please, I am very aware that bacon-y is not a word. It is however a smell.)

As hungry as that smell made me, I knew I had to spend the next two hours at the gym. Returning from the gym, I was met by the young hotel front desk clerk. She was very excited and told me, "Mr. Monner, you missed all the excitement.”

Me: What happened? Clerk: We had a fire in the room down the hall from you!!! Me: Do I need to find another place to live? Clerk: Oh, no! It was contained to just one room.

I realized at that moment how selfish I am. My first thoughts were about whether I needed to find a place, not about the whether someone was hurt. Not about the cost of damage to the hotel. Just whether I needed to find another place to live.

Shamed, I walked down the hall. I noticed immediately the bacon-y smell was replaced by a burnt plastic smell. Then, it came to me. I was devastated. Someone had burned their bacon. I must admit, I had mixed feelings. I couldn’t decide if I was upset that some poor guy/or girl (most likely a guy) had burned bacon. No longer was I embarrassed for being only concerned about myself. Embarrassment turned to anger, Who would do that? Someone had completely destroyed bacon.

Once in my room, I noticed, thankfully, all smells were gone. I sat with my salad, feeling sorry for that bacon. It made me feel better about myself. I do have compassion.

They say karma is a (construction language). It was proven to me the very next day.

Wednesday night, I went to bed early. I was still upset about that bacon. I was awaken from a sound sleep by a loud piercing sound. I first, I was unable to determine where it came from. I walked around my room and convinced myself nothing was out of the ordinary. I went back to bed. Ten minutes later, the same piercing sound. I jumped out of bed. It was the smoke alarm!

.

I ran into the hallway to be met by a fireman. He didn’t seem to concerned.

Me: What’s up? Fireman: We are having a problem with the sprinkler system and alarms in the next building. Me: Is the bacon getting wet?

OK, I didn’t really ask that, but I was thinking it.

The next morning, I told Elaine about the events of the night. She didn’t have much to say.

This weekend I found out why Elaine and the kids weren’t to concerned or interested in my fire department stories.

It seems they had a small fire in our oven with a pizza box. Yes, my family had murdered a pizza. At least it wasn’t bacon.

Next week, Elaine and I will be going to the Salida Art Festival. Elaine will be showing her creations in Salida, Colorado. I will be standing around in Salida, Colorado crying because I had to turn down Rockies/Dodgers tickets. I think I might start crying now. I need to go.

Our crazy lives!

Monner