Go Check the Batteries in Your Smoke Detectors, Okay?

There are a lot of really great people who live on my street, and we're fortunate to have such fantastic neighbours. I hope you do too.

See, here's the thing - there was a fire in the house next door - which we are attached to - very early last Sunday morning. Thanks to the smoke alarm waking the homeowner up and a quick response from 911, the fire was contained to part of one room of the house. Smoke and water damage have made their house unlivable for the next while - but everyone is alright, their house is definitely repairable, and their insurance company is being so, so fantastic. Our house wasn't damaged at all, thank goodness.

Howver, things were very tense getting to that point. Three houses (including us) evacuated in the middle of the night, windows were breaking, smoke was pouring out of the house, tons of firefighters and police on the scene. Scary.

But the neighbours on the street were amazing. Someone put a jacket over the shoulders of the chilly homeowner. Do you have a place to go, do you need a phone, have you reached your parents. What do you need, how can we help. Scads of offers to take our sleepy kids inside. Here, put your dog in my backyard. Trays of coffee and help sweeping up glass after the fire was out.

I know that people tend to come together in a crisis, but this was a reminder of how the people on my street tend to look out for each other in general. We shovel snow and take care of garbage cans for older folks, keep a half an eye on little kids at play, stop and chat with each other and generally know who lives on the street. We've made some good friends here.

Not bad for a neighbourhood in the middle a big city. Actually, it's pretty great.

Hope you are equally blessed.

Now - go check your smoke detectors, OK?

Here's this week's exercise recap:

Saturday: 1K + 1K run with Stella to the dog park and back.

Sunday: The above excitement, followed by 2K dog walk, then felt compelled to kickstart spring cleaning season. Pulled out the fridge and the stove and gave the entire kitchen a scrubbing down, inside and out.

Monday: 2K dog park walk; Curves + boot camp (350 crunches, 140 leg lifts each side, 30 + 30 pushups, 2 x 1min planks); down to the pool to swim 250 metres. Tonight's focus: breathing. As in I need to work on how to.

Tuesday:  Rest day.

Wednesday: Had a really, really great run with Stella before bed. Did 3 sets of 10s and 1s, covering 3.6K, and could have gone for more. Found just the right rhythm, weather was lovely and cool, dog was exceptionally well-behaved.

Thursday: 2K dog park walk. Curves + 150 crunches, 40 pushups, 35s plank.

Friday: Good Friday and a day off work - and the weather was perfect! Took Stella for a 2.8K run/walk before breakfast (not the best idea, but still not a bad run). Later in the afternoon, the 5 of us headed to the park down the street (2K round trip walk) and made the most of it! We took Stella to the dog park, then flew kites:

Lying down while flying a kite is just about the most peaceful way to spend an afternoon that I can think of.

Even Stella likes to watch kites

 

OK, your dad's taking a long turn with that kite - can we go play now?

 My son and I shot hoops while my daughter rode her bike:

Verrrry rusty. I did manage to sink a few but missed most of my shots.

Son is a bit rusty too. Then again, we both got our sweat on chasing after the ball!

...and then the kids rode their bikes home while my husband and I strolled our way back. So relaxing, so rejuvenating. Yep, pretty much a perfect afternoon. Hope the weather cooperates for you this weekend!