May 1st - 3-10

Before I forget, Thursday I drove past a house fire on the way to work. This was weird because it's still dark when I drive to work, so it was quite striking. The house is near the large bridge I cross on I-76 (quite close to my accident, actually), and the smoke was blowing across the highway. What bothered me is that there were no fire trucks there yet. I was witnessing the start of the fire, and who even knew if the people in the house were awake yet. I did notice some cars stopped on the road next to the house, so I'm hoping they were taking care of the issue. I wouldn't have been able to get off the highway there to do anything, but I have to wonder if I would have had there been an exit. A little later down the highway, I passed an ambulance heading in the opposite direction, so I guess that was good.

This is the second big fire I've passed on my way to work since moving to Mogadore. Last year, there was a huge fire in a restaurant/banquet facility on Gilchrist Road, just before I get on 76. Many fire trucks, many flames. Again, this was before dawn, so it pretty dramatic. That restaurant still hasn't reopened, by the way. The craziest fire I ever saw, though, was between Bluffton and Ada during my senior year of college. Returning from a dinner with the Office of Public Information, we passed a barn fire. The firemen had pretty much given up on the barn, and were dousing the house next to it so it wouldn't catch. As we drove by, the flaming roof literally lifted off the barn and started floating away. Honest to God, it looked like phoenix or something, this giant flaming bird angrily flying away from the destruction. I felt bad for the owners, but man, it was the coolest thing I've ever seen, and likely ever will.

As for Friday, no fires. Just a bunch of faxes to roofers, title agencies, Realtors(r), etc. I may as well be just sticking money in a shredder, as each fax means more and more debt. But you can't take it with you, right? Isn't that what the people say? Don't the people say that you can't take it with you?

Life tries to get in position for a manageable third down, but their runner is stacked up.

Life's ball: 3rd and 7 on their own 23.