Wildfire evacuation

[Kiki]

Haha!! You and the Pond guys/gals are really great! I should probably do school prep (that's going to come up quickly) or some other responsible adult activity... but I've been on this cell phone like a life line since Thursday.

Do you use teacherspayteachers website. Lots of free neat things there.

 

[Kiki]

Wait. Pond people?

I think I need to go back and make sure I've read everything.

That is a different thread in the random ramblings section.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I had a breakdown in Trader Joe's yesterday when I saw the stack of blueberries. I hand feed them to Henry because the hens steal them from his beak. I had some rough moments today and no support from the husband element. He hates Henry and is annoyed that we have this "burden."

He's also so focused on getting back to work and losing his job, and yet there's no way I can breathe the air there. Right now we have shelter, air conditioning (which we don't have at home), and most of the animals were rescued; just not the chickens.

Someone I've never met, a stranger on Twitter, stepped up on my behalf, created a #SavingHenry hashtag, and made some calls. He found two local options. I called one and she said she'd take all eleven chickens. There's a covered coop with yard waiting for me, but it has to go to someone else if I don't get there soon. I told her not to hold it, and she already knows that. It's first come, first serve.

They just need to lift the darn evacuation orders so I can go home, rescue whoever's left, assess the smoke damage situation, and decide what happens next. We're five hours away with nine animals here at my parents' house. They're all settled and doing well. But we're both anxious to be back home. When the phone rings, my dad's TV rings, too, and then the phone starts talking to tell you who's calling. The refrigerator beeps when the door is open, and at every sink is 20,000 containers of liquid hand soap. Yesterday my husband found my dad waving at a block of cheese!!

Since my husband can't drive, I can't just stay here while our home owner's insurance gets a hotel for him, because the nearest one is 50 miles from his work. They'll pay for it, but how does he get to work? He needs me there. But then what about our nine animals here in Livermore? My dad forgot to latch the gate and two dogs got out and could have run in traffic. They've been amazing, but I left home as a teenager for a reason!!

This dilemma is assuming the house is uninhabitable due to smoke damage and poor air quality. I have respiratory problems and am chemically sensitive. They'll rent two large HEPA air purifiers for me, or give me the rental cost in cash and I can go buy some. But our house is horrible. It's not sealed and sucks in the smell of smoke, and the cedar siding (unpainted) absorbs it, too.

Quite the dilemma. It's one day at a time. But he's so anxious to get back to work and doesn't seem to understand that we may not be able to live there in our home for a while. While he's at his air conditioned work, I'll be in a 110 degree home, with no fresh air and smoke damaged everything. Grrrrrrr.

And even if I could find shelter for nine animals, when other people fleeing from a still active fire need to shelter their own animals, I'd have to make two 50-mile roundtrips a day just to get him to work. We'd have to pay for the gas out of pocket. It'll be reimbursed, but we can't do that.

Here's to hoping the house is inhabitable. Sorry for the ramble. This is a chicken forum. We're having chicken for dinner tonight, and nobody knows I've had problems eating chicken ever since I lived with Henry in a bedroom for month during his coyote recovery experience.

Signing off for the night. Double grrrrrrrr.

P.S Thank you so much for all of these great comments.

My heart breaks for you and your situation
I hope that when you do get home (tomorrow ) that all of your chickens are safe and sound and your house is untouched.

 

[Kiki]

I had a breakdown in Trader Joe's yesterday when I saw the stack of blueberries. I hand feed them to Henry because the hens steal them from his beak. I had some rough moments today and no support from the husband element. He hates Henry and is annoyed that we have this "burden."

He's also so focused on getting back to work and losing his job, and yet there's no way I can breathe the air there. Right now we have shelter, air conditioning (which we don't have at home), and most of the animals were rescued; just not the chickens.

Someone I've never met, a stranger on Twitter, stepped up on my behalf, created a #SavingHenry hashtag, and made some calls. He found two local options. I called one and she said she'd take all eleven chickens. There's a covered coop with yard waiting for me, but it has to go to someone else if I don't get there soon. I told her not to hold it, and she already knows that. It's first come, first serve.

They just need to lift the darn evacuation orders so I can go home, rescue whoever's left, assess the smoke damage situation, and decide what happens next. We're five hours away with nine animals here at my parents' house. They're all settled and doing well. But we're both anxious to be back home. When the phone rings, my dad's TV rings, too, and then the phone starts talking to tell you who's calling. The refrigerator beeps when the door is open, and at every sink is 20,000 containers of liquid hand soap. Yesterday my husband found my dad waving at a block of cheese!!

Since my husband can't drive, I can't just stay here while our home owner's insurance gets a hotel for him, because the nearest one is 50 miles from his work. They'll pay for it, but how does he get to work? He needs me there. But then what about our nine animals here in Livermore? My dad forgot to latch the gate and two dogs got out and could have run in traffic. They've been amazing, but I left home as a teenager for a reason!!

This dilemma is assuming the house is uninhabitable due to smoke damage and poor air quality. I have respiratory problems and am chemically sensitive. They'll rent two large HEPA air purifiers for me, or give me the rental cost in cash and I can go buy some. But our house is horrible. It's not sealed and sucks in the smell of smoke, and the cedar siding (unpainted) absorbs it, too.

Quite the dilemma. It's one day at a time. But he's so anxious to get back to work and doesn't seem to understand that we may not be able to live there in our home for a while. While he's at his air conditioned work, I'll be in a 110 degree home, with no fresh air and smoke damaged everything. Grrrrrrr.

And even if I could find shelter for nine animals, when other people fleeing from a still active fire need to shelter their own animals, I'd have to make two 50-mile roundtrips a day just to get him to work. We'd have to pay for the gas out of pocket. It'll be reimbursed, but we can't do that.

Here's to hoping the house is inhabitable. Sorry for the ramble. This is a chicken forum. We're having chicken for dinner tonight, and nobody knows I've had problems eating chicken ever since I lived with Henry in a bedroom for month during his coyote recovery experience.

Signing off for the night. Double grrrrrrrr.

P.S Thank you so much for all of these great comments.

Maybe you don't need to worry about some of this...your house may not have any damage. Wait til you are able to get back in there and see for yourself.
hopefully things all work out nice and smoothly for you.

 

[Morrigan]

@Sunshine Flock

I be breaking down too, if I were you. It's such a hard and scary thing you are dealing with. Deep breaths. You will get through this.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I got home a few hours ago, all the girls are fine

Gary

 

[Kiki]

I got home a few hours ago, all the girls are fine

Gary

 

[Morrigan]

I got home a few hours ago, all the girls are fine

Gary

So happy to hear that!

 

[calichicken]

I got home a few hours ago, all the girls are fine

Gary

Great news!!!

 

[calichicken]

@Sunshine Flock hang in there...one day at a time!!! It's all anyone can do!