Christmas Miracle

So I mentioned casually that we almost died on Friday night. Yep, it's true. Here's the story:

We went up to a our friends' apartment over in Maryland for a special screening of Elf, hot chocolate and treats on Friday. Shortly after the movie finished Amy got a call from her sister wondering what was going on at our house. We didn't know! We weren't there! But all Andrea knew was that there were firetrucks there. So we basically ran out to the car knowing that there were firetrucks were at our little house in Virginia. What happens usually when firetrucks are at your house? They're putting out a fire! I had the following thoughts (in this order) running through my head: "It's my fault! I have my bookbinding stuff too close to my heater!" "Oh no! How much is this going to cost us? What's The General going to do?" "My computer!"

When we finally turn down our street we can see lots of emergency lights flashing. We get to the house and are greeted by two firetrucks with their floodlights shining across our lawn. The house is in tact. No flames. Whew!

Turns out, though, that when our roommate got home at 10:00 that night the house smelled like gas. Really bad. She, along with the neighbors who had seen some eerie gassy smelling smoke billowing out of our chimney and out of our furnace room called 911. Turns out that something was seriously wrong with our heating.

Here's where our story gets confusing. Since only one roommate was there at the beginning and talking with the firefighters, we aren't totally sure the exact details of the rest of the story, and when she recited it she said, "I think..." When the firefighters entered the house they tested the air. They either said our CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) levels were really high, OR our Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels were really high. Either way, they told us we could have died. They aired out the house for us and left when it was safe for us to enter. They told us we needed to make sure we had carbon monoxide testers and new fire alarms.

So the debate of the weekend was if it was CO2 poisoning we almost got, or CO poisoning we could have had, and no one can really remember what the firefighters said. (I didn't even talk to them.) But, what I do know is that it's a Christmas Miracle that no one was in the house that Friday night, because it's a frequent occurrence that someone is usually home. I don't really care what could have killed me, all I care about is that I am alive. I will be going to Utah this weekend for Cousin Ashley's wedding. I will be going home for Christmas next week. I will be talking to Jess and Cami when they call from Sibu, Malaysia and Helsinki, Finland. I will be skiing on Mt. Bachelor after Christmas. And I will be watching the Ducks win the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

It feels a little like Thanksgiving again because I AM GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE!

And, because I'm lazy and haven't transferred the pictures from camera to computer yet I stole the pictures that were posted on Amy and Andrea's blogs. (Thanks guys!)

Why I love Eugene REASON 2-- Fresh Fish

It's so convenient to find fresh fish that you know will be good. For Mother's Day I was the chef and so I made salmon. And it was so good! Sorry there aren't any pictures, but here was the menu:

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon
Rice medley
Sauteed Zucchini
Strawberry-Pecan Salad with Balsamic Vinegar dressing
Maple Berry Pecan Cheesecake

I marinated the salmon and then instead of broiling the salmon my dad cooked it on the grill, but if we hadn't been in Oregon the accessibility of the fish wouldn't have been just a drive down the road. Thank you Oregon!

Why I love Oregon REASON 1--Gas

I can happily stay seated in my car, listening to Matt Costa while someone else pumps my gas.