I mentioned in the last post that I was dreading the trip back up the mountain, but we really needed to go put up some caution tape and "sift through our ashes." Lee sent Keith copies of the photos he took so we had a pretty good idea of what we were going to see. Knowing what to expect before we got there made it easier for me. (We saw one of our neighbors and she was quite upset because she had no idea how bad it really was!) We determined our house was gone from viewing a long-distance aerial shot. That softened the blow. Then once we accepted that reality, we viewed our damage in close up shots, one image at a time. That made it easier when we actually set foot on the property. In case you were hoping for photos - sorry, not happening. Surveying our damage is a personal private thing so I'm not gonna put it on display here.
Our house was located way up high against a cliff and everything that burned went down. Keith, Jenny, and Jeff went below but I stayed up top. Getting down there without the steps or anything to hold on to was too treacherous for me. The last thing I need right now is a broken body part! I stayed up top and surveyed the damage beyond the rail. I felt like a coroner examining a cadaver! There was lots of scrap metal laying around. I identified my stove, sink, and water heater. Our grill had rolled partway down the mountain. Half of my metal dinette chairs were inside the foundation and half were in the yard. We found Keith's aluminum ladder....melted. We found all these metal poles and decided they were what was left of our Coleman folding chairs. Jenny was able to salvage two of the four metal sculptures that used to hang in my dinette area. We hope to refurbish them for the next house.
Jenny also found one of my Christmas bell ornaments from the Christmas tree. If I had had a ribbon I would have tied it around my neck! All of the stone from the front of the house is laying in the driveway. We hope to gather some of it and make a bench or table or something for the next house. Oh, there is one other thing that made it through the fire. In fact, as far as I could tell, this particular item survived at every single house that burned! (Keep in mind, this fire was so hot that my neighbors iron skillets were welded together!) Anybody want to guess what it is?
That, my friends, is a FIREPROOF, bear-proof trash can cage! Every house still has one! The paint melted off and the cans inside melted but that sucker is still standing. Whoever makes those things could do a commercial about just how sturdy they are!
Oh, and there's one other thing on the mountain that is still as beautiful as ever.
Anyway, we had our "funeral" and then we headed to Gatlinburg for some fun. I put on my Santa hat and filled my pockets with candy canes and headed to town, to spread good cheer! It was good to see so many people bustling about town. In the parking lot I saw cars from all over the South. That means so much to the locals. Tourism is their livelihood. We started with lunch at Old Dad's. Those boys behind the counter got a handful of candy canes. I think they made sandwiches all week for firemen. The lady at the check-out was so gracious and friendly. The mood in town was magical. We saw a few tears but mostly lots of hugs and smiles. Even the tourists seemed a little friendlier.
After lunch we headed to the Village to do some shopping. One of our favorite shops, The Day Hiker, was having a big clearance sale. (All the hiking merchandise was 75% off and comes "pre-smoked"!) Each of us bought something then we headed over to the Donut Friar for donuts and hot chocolate. None of us needed the calories but we decided to splurge anyway!
(That spooky looking midget by the window is a statue, not a real friar!) After donuts we headed home to continue planning Smoky Point II. We've had conversations with my nephew (who just happens to be a builder of custom log homes) and when we got home there was a big box he sent me sitting on our porch.
Yep, we are moving on!
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