our friend Scot

I woke today to this email from Scot. You know Scot, don't you? From the comments?
Oldest read the email too and asked if we could post it. Scot agreed.


I need to process something and I hope you don't mind me choosing you to do it with.
I live in Colorado Springs. Usually a nice place to live, aside from a few idiot bible-heads. 
We've ALL been dealing with a huge forrest fire on the mountains just outside of town. 4500 acres burned, 5 percent contained. We can see the flames from all over town. Massive suburban evacuations have been going on. The wind keeps shifting and the smoke invades the city. Everything smells of smoke. Occasionally its so bad you can't see more than 3 blocks away. Its like a foggy day Ash is everywhere. In some areas of town it looks like we've had a dusting of snow. It feels almost apocalyptic. The weather is not helping. Its around 100 degrees so I can't close my windows wthout baking in the heat. The television coverage has been constant, seemingly exploitive but necessary. Its nerve grateing. Everyone's eyes are burning. Everyone seems to be coughing. My throat is sore.
The fire departments are doing an incredible job keeping this out of town! NO houses have been destroyed, yet. Those guys are MAJOR HEROES. Today we finally went federal. National Guard and military are joining the fight. We have high hopes that this will end soon, maybe by the end of the week.
Here's the kicker - in the past 2 weeks the surrounding areas and mountain towns have had to deal with 24 fires. TWENTY FOUR!  ARSON IS SUSPECTED IN EVERY CASE...
The guy on the news just said they (fire department) hopes to have it put out by July 16th!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel like crying every minute of the day. It might help cool my burning eyes. I keep my Visine in the refridgerator.
I'm sorry to ramble, I just need to unload.
Thanks for being my friend.

You might not know him as well as we do. We know him as a caring, giving, generous guy. 
We hope you'll hold Scot and his neighbors in your thoughts while we wait to hear if they are all safe.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hang in there, Scot. Love your comments, and glad you reached out to bb to share your tale of misery amongst the fire and brimstone. It sounds awful there right now.

jbhat
KPB said…
I view Scot as being a much of this place as you BB. Sometimes I've felt cranky with him that he doesn't have a blog where I can know more of his world.

And now I am holding him close to my heart.
Paola said…
Oh dearest Scot, how I can relate to you. Here bish fires are like a summer MUST, every summer they'll (yes it IS arsony every summer and everyone KNOWS) burn all mountains, gorgeous areas that give us life.
Last year, just when school opened one day I took Brizio to school and upon return I had to drive through the fire which wasnt THAT bad but did get worse, to the point they closed the road, which is another common aftermath of fires as big rocks fall down and are life threatening for drivers.
You would think these assh...s give a damn about something, people, the environment, the trees that give us oxygen and balance the mountains and heavy rains with their roots.
They don't.
I SO hear you my dear Scot. Nothign you can do but sit and wait, look at everything burn and hope for the best.
HUGS!!!

look at my WF THATREE sokoi!!!!!!!
Kathy said…
All of my Colorado friends on FB are posting photos of the fires and smoke. Terrifying. We had fires here last summer when it was so hot and dry and many of them were caused by arson as well, which was infuriating. I know well the feeling of waking up to the smell of smoke (again) and wondering how close the fire is now/this time. Stay safe, Colorado peoples!
It's miserable here when the fires are an hour away.
It seems Colorado Springs got worse overnight.
We'll keep Scot in our thoughts. If you hear anything, please keep us updated.
L.P. said…
One of my sisters (most definitely not an idiot bible-head either) also lives there. Got an email from her last night; she and her partner have bags packed in case they have to evacuate. It is scary, but I'm glad to read this report, as sister is more taciturn than Scot. Hope all turns out well for them.
Anonymous said…
We had awful fires here in northern Navada and I know how helpless one feels when one is in the middle. My thoughts and wishes for a quick end to this nightmare.
Sincerely, Heidi
Suse said…
Brings back all the memories of our bush fires a couple of years ago. Hang in the Scot and Coloradoans.
Anonymous said…
i imagine the fear would be paralysing

thinking of Scot and all who are suffering through this terrible ordeal

linda
KPB said…
It made our news this morning - saying they were evacuating Colorado Springs? Thinking of you. xxxK
Scot said…
"Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think."
I live by that and as such have decided that I'm going to take everything personally and make it all about ME.
Its now taking Netflix THREE DAYS TO SEND ME A MOVIE. Life is so unfair...
Truthfully I'm doing much better now. Eyes still burning, throat still soar but soldiering on. We're all here trying to help each other thru this.
I can't thank you all enough for such nice comments. Truley heartwarming.
Now if you can do something about Netflix....:o)
Scot said…
Oh good heavens! Sore not Soar!
Anonymous said…
How terrifying for those people living there. I know from visiting that neck of the woods the pine beetles have done a number on the trees, making things quite dry and dangerous to start with.