AsaHunt1830Farmhouse

After the fire on December 5, we relocated to a local hotel for two weeks. Meanwhile, the appraisers went into the house and thumb-wrestled over the value of what was inside. We had to just hold tight while that went on, and on December 20 we moved into our temporary new home in downtown Pennington. And the following week, we spent the holidays overseeing the evacuation of all of our stuff.

They started in the attic and worked their way down. The attic had lots of family history and storage, much of it was in somewhat fire-impervious boxes. But anything soft like old clothes, linens, and childhood stuffed animal friends, all had to be pitched.

The real losses were on the main two floors where there were lots of couches and chairs and rugs, which completely absorbed the smoke. Total losses, no question.

Closer to the fire, the kitchen and adjacent rooms were nearly completely destroyed. We did manage to pull out one can of beer from the back of the refrigerator, which we cracked open and enjoyed during the holidays.

So, pop quiz: how much stuff does one lose to a whole-house fire loss? The answer is 40 yards. As in, two of those long 20-yard dumpsters, filled to the gills.

And now, reverse pop quiz: how much stuff can one save from a whole-house fire loss? The answer is one garage worth. At our little rental house, there is a modest one-car garage out back. Luckily, it’s detached from the house, and has cross-ventilation, so we’re able to store everything we own in it without getting fumigated. And, over the months to come, we’ll pull it out and start cleaning it up bit by smoky bit…