~The Fire and such. . . .

(~ Don't worry, everything is OK)

This is from late January/early February but we wanted to post what happened so you know what is going on.

Thanks,
W.H. Staff

Hi Everybody We're o.k., just really tired...the fire happened when a wood stove door was inadvertently left open before we left for a dinner at a friend's home. We got the call from Phil just after I got a couple of olives and a pickle in me. Phil and his friend Bill spotted the smoke and flames and got in the house and tried to put it out. They gave up when the smoke got too bad. Seven volunteer fire departments responded. The house is salvageable. The fire was mostly where the two chimneys exited the roof. About a 10' x 10' area was burned &/or chopped out to get at the remaining embers.

The fire departments did a fantastic job and had most of the furniture tarped before the water really got flowing! It was a bit more difficult to fight than a 'normal' home because of the earth roof and insulation retaining heat. The water and foam, however didn't remain for long which was very fortunate.It flowed through our T & G flooring on the second floor and drained to the outside perimeter of our first floor and down into the 3' of crushed #2 stone that is under our crawlspace. About half of the rafters (5" x 14" curved and laminated beams) have some damage.

Our plan is to remove the charring, reinstall new wood to make them back to their original size and then sister on custom cut steel plates on both sides of each rafter to bring it back to original or better strength. The ceiling and walls are heavily smoke and soot damaged and will be removed/replaced or cleaned and/or painted.

We've still got some wiring, and water supply issues to handle before the house can be worked on for repairs. Our insurance company has been wonderful (State Farm). It is backing us all of the way with funds for structural repairs, house contents and living expenses.

We moved into one of the other houses on the property...after all we do teach alternative housing techniques! We're in the "common house" which was fortunately unoccupied and was in the process of being renovated. It's a bit cramped and we're working on the power systems and water systems to make a comfortable place to reside for the next 4+ months.

The smoke and water damage repair company "Servicemaster" has been at it for a couple of days and has done a great job. We've had the help of our family and friends. We have a 40' shipping container in place to store things as they are cleaned, a 20 cu.yd. dumpster next to the house to dump the unsaveable stuff, a diesel generator running 24/7 to power up the cleaning, drying and other systems, the repair materials and tools to button the house up and a good idea of what we're facing for the near future. It could have been A LOT WORSE! My friend Rich Douglass is coming down to manage the reconstruction and repairs while we go back to our teaching jobs and we'll hire others as necessary.

We greatly appreciate your offers of help. We're not turning you down, but need some time for the smoke to clear (pun intended!). We need help moving furniture in and to the common house, washing dozens of bags of clothing, blankets, curtains and other stuff that will fit into a washing machine.

There is a big painting event planned and a moving the furniture back in event and an even bigger party when we're fully recovered.

A large number of people aren't needed right now, but do call so we can see when and how we can use you.

Our numbers are: House cell: 771-7333:general offers of help and background assistance.

Krista's Cell: 771-7338: laundry, art cleaning, housekeeping and settling into the new place kind of help. Meal donations.

Jim's Cell; 771-7339 Furniture moving, wiring removal, stripping out really grimy burned stuff, electrical system repair, ladder holding, plumbing help, sheetrock work, beer drinking, vehicle maintenance, tarping and retarping, window replacement, mopping up the crawlspace, shoveling dirt and gravel on the roof, convincing me to 'let it go' and chucking crap I want to save into the dumpster, etc.

This will all be happening over the next few months. We'll try to keep a list and get back to you. If we don't call you...call us again; this event has made us both a bit scatterbrained.

Again, thank you all for what you've done so far and will help doing! Love and Peace, -Jim- & Krista

(In development W.H. v2.0)