Oh, no, I am so very sorry to hear this, but glad all your family is okay. All the rest is replaceable.

I'm so sorry. As Oly said, I'm very glad everyone is safe. The rest is just "stuff". Just take it one day at a time.

Oh no - I'm so glad to hear everyone is ok. I'm sure you're all stressed and disappointed, but it is just "things" and things can be replaced.

I am so sorry. I'm so glad everyone is fine, and hope your insurance company makes your recovery easy.

Oh no! What an awful thing to happen, especially at this time of year. I am so sorry. Thank goodness you are all ok!!!

Best wishes to you and your family. Keep us posted!

Very, very sorry to hear this, daisy. What an awful thing to happen and right before Christmas.

So sorry to hear this. I hope you are able to salvage your furnishings, esp the piano. Things like this puts everything into perspective. Glad all your family is okay.

Oh, my goodness, how awful and frightening for you and your family. Impressed by your mindfulness regarding such a traumatic thing on the day it occurred! I am so relieved for you that no one was hurt.

My heart goes out to your family. Many years ago, a major fire changed the trajectory of our family's life: for the worse, temporarily, and ultimately, for the better ( a new house that might never have happened otherwise.) I can't imagine the work that is going to be involved for you and wish we could all chip in to do some part of the cleanup. I hope you have good support--I'll bet you do! You will come out the other side--stay strong until that happens.

Oh no! I'm so sorry about the fire and water damage but am glad you are all safe!

(((hugs)))

So sorry to hear this! How frightening for all of you! But so glad it wasn't worse. What a mess! Sending you lots of comfort, courage, and strength as you deal with the loss and the aftermath.

Oh my heart hurts for you! Even when everyone is safe a fire is devastating! Please know how truly sorry I am for your family.

I am so sorry your family had to experience this. Thankfully no one was injured.

ML

Oh, Daisy, how terribly frightening for you and your family. So relieved to hear that all members of the family are safe. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers that you get this this difficult period in your lives with as much grace and laughter as possible.

OMG!! I am so sorry to hear of this heartbreak! I wish you all the best for the next difficult time.

(((Hugs))) Daisy. I am so sorry for this trauma especially before the holidays. Wishing you and your family a quick recovery from this.

((((((Hugs)))))) sending caring thoughts to you and your family.

oh no! so sorry to hear! :(

You poor thing, so sorry this had to happen. Fire is one of my greatest fears in this old house of mine. Blessings that you and your family are all ok though. Try to stay strong.

Sending all best thoughts and lots of hugs!!

So sorry to hear about your home -- and so glad that you are safe .....

Another wish that you and your family Stay Strong .....

So sorry to hear of your fire disaster. Thankful that no one was hurt. We had a catastrophic water flood in our house almost 2 years ago, so I have a pretty good idea of what lies ahead for you. Hang in there, it gets worse before it gets better.

So sorry to hear about the fire. Glad you are all safe. Take care and I hope all goes well with the recovery.

How scary for you all--I'm so glad everyone is okay. Sending you good thoughts.

So awful for you idk what to say. Thank goodness everyone survived. It's a super-scary inconvenient mess, but not a family tragedy at least.
Casey

What a traumatic event for you and your family. Sending positive thoughts to you.

How scary and awful for you and your family! Thanks for taking the time to let us know, and that you are all ok! Just keep re-playing those lovely songs in your head that your daughter enjoyed playing on that piano. Here's hoping and praying that you will be on a path to recovering from this loss very soon and that you will be hearing those notes played again!

Oh no, Daisychain! So sorry to hear that, especially at this time of year. My husband's family home caught fire when he was in college. Fortunately no one was hurt, but there was a lot of smoke and water damage to their belongings, as well as to the house itself. My thoughts are with you and your family as you deal with this traumatic event.

That is horrible! Praying that you can return to normal ASAP!

Daisy

I have been following the piano thread with interest and enjoyed the pictures of your home. I am so sorry to read about the fire. As you and others have said, thank goodness no one was injured but you must be in shock. Such a difficult time to endure such a loss. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way.

Thanks so much everyone for all the support and good wishes. It seems my very prudent DH has us insured above and beyond what we need. The insurance company has been amazing and found us accommodation already and the 6 month restoration project has already been put into motion. Not sure about particulars at this point, but floors, walls ceilings all look like they will have to be replaced. They will get a tech in to assess the piano and we'll go from there about that issue.

I've been pretty okay so far, but I can see a collapse coming in the near future. I've been trying to put on a good face as my DD is a total wreck (she was burning a candle in her room). She lost most of her stuff and also feels extremely guilty.

Your good wishes really mean a lot. I started this thread while huddled in the corner of a hotel room trying not to wake the family. I'm an early riser and I pictured months of being stuck in the washroom of a hotel while my family slept, but we are already in a condo and getting settled.

We are also lucky to have extremely supportive neighbours, friends and co--workers (in addition to the garden web cyber family). Thanks again everyone.

Oh Daisy, I'm so sorry for you. I hope you and your family can pull together and find some good in this whole mess. Hugs to your dd...so scary for her i'm sure.

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I'm so glad that you guys are ok, the rest is stuff and inconvenience (a lot of inconvenience, and I hope the meltdown that will come won't be too bad) but you guys are safe and together and that's all that matters.

Oh, my goodness. I was just reflecting on that beautiful photo of your daughter playing your new piano....and then I read this. I wish you all the best and hang in there. As for pianos and all of the stuff, they make more of those. You and your family are all safe and here for the Holidays. Blessings to you and stay well :)

So glad the people are all okay!

You have reinforced my mortal fears of candles!

Years ago during this holiday season in a line at Joann's Fabrics, I met a lady who had such a bedroom fire from her child studying with a light on the bed, falling asleep & the lamp falling over...

Best wishes to you all for the recovery process!

I almost didn't open this thread because I didn't have anything to offer on the first thread. I am so sorry for your misfortune. I am glad everyone is safe.

I'm very sorry about this.

Daisy, I followed the piano thread and was so excited when you found a good spot for it. I'm so sorry you are going through this. I feel so sorry for your daughter - some lessons (via accidents) are learned the hard way. We'll be thinking of you thru the holidays and the coming months as you put things back together in a new and even better fashion!!

Oh Daisyâ¦.I feel so badly for your dd! She must be so upset. I left a pillar candle burning in my powder room once after having guests and didn't' discover it until the next morning! Ever since then, I've only bought jar candles and now I keep a note, when I light candles, on my kitchen counter that just says "Candles" on it, to remind me to blow them out b/f I go to bed. Incidentally, I have a 15 y/o dd too. She is very big into pinterest for ideas decorating her room. About two months ago, I caught her burning a tea light in her room but after my own experience forgetting to blow it out, I told her no way was she to burn candles in her room. She was all upset with me, thinking I was overreacting, but I'm going to show her what you wrote so she can see how easily something can happen. I just want to give your dd a hug b/c I can only imagine how she is feeling. I'm so glad that you are all safe and that you already have a place to stay while you sort everything out.

Oh yes , four kids, do tell her our story. Also, I would highly recommend a fire extinguisher on each floor. My DD keeps saying that if she'd had an extinguisher, she could have put it out right away as she and her friends were right there and saw it start. They just couldn't do anything because it caught the drapes that were on the other side of her bed.

Daisy, my heart goes out to your family, especially DD. Hugs to you all.

Way too early to think about this, but keep in mind as you work with the restoration company, that you don't have to go back with exactly what you had. My in-laws had a huge flood, and were able to update some things and make improvements as the house was put back together.

I'm so sorry! I'm glad you're all ok and things seem to be moving along quickly in a forward direction. Saying a prayer for you and your family.

I am so sorry, Daisy! I'm very glad that you are all OK!!

A fellow on the radio this morning (Lou Manfredini for all you Chicagoans) says that when they burn candles, they set the oven alarm clock for 11:30pm or some such time. If they forgot to blow out the candles, it reminds them! If they do blow them out before bed, I hope they remember to turn off the alarm lol!

Oprah once said that aft a party, she turns off all the lights and walks around the rooms to see if there's a telltale glimmer anywhere. That's a good idea, too.

I guess this doesn't help with kids burning candles in their rooms, but helpful for the rest of us :)

Daisy, was the piano on your insurance?

Our neighbor left a candle burning in the lower level bathroom near towels hanging above. When she discovered the smoke, she called the fire department and while waiting for the fire truck, opened her front door to let the smoke out! The extra rush of air caused the fire to literally take off. If she had only closed the door to the bathroom , the damage would have been a lot less. Of course a fire extinguisher would have helped.
Your story is a reminder to all of us to be careful and learn as much as you can about fire safety.

So sorry that you have a huge task ahead of you, especially around the holidays. Glad all of you are ok. Hope the process is not not too taxing on you and your family.

((((DaisyChain)))) and ((((Daughter))))

I am so thankful everyone came through this safe and sound.

I, myself, am going to Menard's today and getting a fire extinguisher. I've been "forgetting" to buy one ever since we bought the Little House of Horrors on the Prairie.

Perhaps I should get one for the partially finished basement, too.

Just yesterday I was thinking about the beautiful woodwork trim in shown in your pictures. My window, door, and baseboard trim is sitting in a stack in the middle of the small living room. While I do like it; it was not my first choice. That's when your photos came to mind.

Hang in there; your family, and the house, will come back bigger and better before you know it.

Daisy, I am so distressed for you, but so glad everyone is fine! I haven't read all the posts, so forgive me if I am repetitious. I think fires are everyone's worst nightmare. I hope the insurance company comes through quickly and generously and that the piano can be salvaged for your daughter!