Screeching Torment

The electricity went off at 4:20ish this morning.  No big deal.  Rolled over to get back to sleep and a minute later, every smoke detector in the house started screeching.  Every single one!  It was a moment of real 'um, is there a fire??' but...there wasn't.  We trekked downstairs...the pets went outside and stayed there 'cuz the noise was so intense, they didn't want to be in the house.  We felt the same but it was cold out and we don't have fur. 

J. dutifully got a ladder and took out the battery - and if that had worked, we would have repeated that seven more times.  It didn't.  No battery and no electricity (they are hard wired into the ceilings) but they were still screeching.  We called the non-emergency police number and the guy answering the phone tried to convince us that what was happening couldn't be.  How could you remove the battery, the electricity is out yet they are screeching?  No idea - which is why we called for help. 

He transferred us to dispatch and upon hearing 'what is your emergency?' J. said 'not an emergency but we were transferred here from the non-emergency police line.  She dispatched a fire truck.  A short time later, I heard it coming down the street.  (Side note:  I talked to my friend C. who lives near my office and she had seen the big ladder truck with a huge spotlight in her neighborhood shortly before they showed up here).  Three very nice firemen came in and used our ladders to assist.  They said they were getting calls all over town with the same issue. 

Helped us not feel quite so inept to hear that.  C. said the power went off and flickered back on quickly so maybe it was a surge or something that sent alarms into a frenzy.  (She was up 'cuz she had to get her son ready for a debate tournament). 

I improvised coffee when the power was off and after the firemen left.  Wasn't interested in going back to bed because if I did, I knew I'd sleep until 9 or so - and I had to work today so I wanted to get up.  I used some coffee filters, a strainer, some regular ground coffee (that thankfully was in a gift basket we got for Christmas) and did a couple cups of 'drip' coffee.  Not great but better than nothing.  We enjoyed chatting at the kitchen table - about the house, design ideas, etc. .  It was a nice early morning visit with my husband. Very glad for a gas stove that allowed me to get some hot water! 

I did get to work fairly early and worked a good amount of the day.  I'm ready for a great night's sleep.

H. got laid off from his job - they did away with the night shift and when they moved everyone back to days, they had 4 Wiley X regular employees plus H. and only 3 machines.  H. was the one to go.  It's hard to understand how/why - would be easy to feel they sort of set him up - moved him to the lens room (where by all accounts, he did a really great job) - and then let him go after the extra shift got them caught up?  But he's taking it in stride.  The manager who moved him to the lens room said he can use Wiley X as a reference.  And when H. phoned the manager (not knowing yet that he had been laid off), the manager talked to him - which he didn't have to do - he could have told H. 'I can't talk to you - call the staffing agency'.  So...that's something. 

He's staying with the same agency but moving to the Stockton branch so he'll get assignments in Tracy or Stockton - closer than Livermore.  He interviews there on Tuesday morning and J. will help him get there. 

We've had some good discussions and he's looking into some options for staying here in Tracy when we move.  BUT one of his options is to move to Texas and live with one of his best friends (and former roomate) J. and his girlfriend. 

Personally, I'm hugely enthusiastic about that option - because it gives H. the same thing J. and I are getting - a big, bold change and a fresh start for the next phase of our lives.  I know for sure he will be fine there - J. is a fireman and he and his girlfriend B. just bought a house.  They are super happy to have H. come stay with them.  J.'s dad (H.'s friend J. not his dad J.) also lives nearby and is equally happy to think H. might move there. 

We'll see.