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| Christmas Tree 2024 |
The Christmas tree was finally taken down and stored in the garage for another year. The bins with the decorations have also been put away. Now, that corner of the family room looks quite bare!
In addition to removing the tree, I also decluttered several cardboard boxes I had been holding onto that were in the family room. They are boxes that some Christmas gifts and supplies had arrived in. I keep thinking that empty boxes will be useful, but, I think I have plenty of empty boxes for now. These ones were recycled.
M arrived in the evening and he replaced the bulb in the front porch, took the Christmas tree and bins to the garage, and pruned the calamondin tree and one of the big curry leaf trees, cutting them down in height to promote new growth that will be easier to reach.
Later in the evening, around 10:30 p.m., I was reading some blogs and daughter was playing a video game, when I thought I heard a knock at the front door. "Did you hear a knock at the door?", I asked my daughter and she said no because she had her ear buds in while playing her game. But, then, she sat up and noticed the glow of spinning red lights of an ambulance outside our house. I opened the door and two paramedics stood there asking if I had called 911 (emergency) I said no and they asked if anyone else was in the house with me and if they could have called 911. I told them that my daughter was with me, but, she didn't call 911 either (and by that time, my daughter came into the living room asking what was wrong). Apparently, someone had called 911, but who? I asked them if the house address was the same as mine and they said yes, but, I forgot to ask if the road name was the same.
I don't know if a neighbor had called 911, but, there was no one in their front yards on the lookout for an ambulance. I apologized to the paramedics and they left immediately. I don't know if they had the address wrong (if so, I hope the person who had an emergency got help in time). I sincerely hope it wasn't a prank call! The poor paramedics probably have enough on their hands to cope with; they don't need to go on unnecessary emergency calls! I felt rather perturbed that someone sent an ambulance to my house when it wasn't needed!
So, that was a bit of excitement on an otherwise ordinary day! But, it was excitement that neither my daughter nor I needed or wanted!
In the meantime, neighbor S's daughter N had seen the lights of the ambulance and had texted daughter to find out if everything was OK, and we were able to assure her that everything was fine.
For brunch, we shared the last two slices of pizza and had a piece of toast, each, as well. For dinner, daughter had the leftover turkey keema curry with rice; I had the keema curry with leftover pancakes.
On Friday, I was grateful for:
- Paramedics answering calls for help, even if we don't know who called them to my house
- M's help with the garden, changing light bulbs, and putting away the Christmas tree and bins
- Working appliances
- Leftovers
- The firefighters are making progress on the wildfires.
Friday's joyful activity was finally taking down and putting away the Christmas tree and decorations.
Plans for Saturday might include picking up a few groceries.
How was your Friday? What are your plans for Saturday?
That would be unnerving for an ambulance to show up that you hadn't called for. I don't know how your call center works, but often the phone number the call comes from is tied to an address in case the person can't tell them their address. Now, I'm wondering since many people have cell phones and not home phones how that works. Anyway, here's hoping for a calm day today.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was surprised to find an ambulance and paramedics at my door. I don't know how calling with cell phones work, but, I believe they ask what address they are calling from as well as what the emergency is. Today has been very calm, so far (almost 5:00 p.m.)
DeleteI believe that in the UK, an emergency call made from a landline shows up with the address at the operator's end. So if you call and say nothing, they still know where to come. I have always found that comforting, that if I ever needed the emergency services I could ring from my landline and somebody might come even if I were unable to speak (at the moment, ambulance response times are dismal, but that is the theory!) As for calls from mobiles, the the originating location is/can be traced but it is not automatic and takes a little time.
DeleteI believe that over here, too, landline phones showed the address of the caller and the operators at the other end could see that information. I suppose they do have some general location data for cell phone calls, too, but, I don't think they have a precise address. My landline number was transferred to my cell phone, so I don't know how that will work.
DeleteThat was very weird. I was going to say I hope it was just a mistake by the ambulance crew, rather than a prank, but if someone who needed help didn't get it because of that mistake, it's no good. I guess the operator could have got the address wrong if the person was not able to speak clearly, but usually (here) if the caller is in such a poor state, the operator will hang on the line till the ambulance arrives - so the mistake would be obvious immediately. Let's hope there is no recurrence.
ReplyDeleteIt was strange, Lady Ella, but, I suppose the person giving out the address could have got the address wrong or the house numbers transposed. I do hope that the person with the emergency did get help!
DeleteIt must have been unnerving to have the ambulance turn up. I hope that everything turned out alright, especially with all the disturbances in your area.
ReplyDeleteThe rooms always look a little flat after Christmas. It doesn't help the gloom of this time of year. Still, at least that's one job done.
I hope that the fires are properly contained. You remain in my thoughts and prayers.
It was rather unnerving to find the ambulance at my door! My first thought was, "It had something to do with the fires", but, of course, it wasn't.
DeleteThe family room looks a bit bare without the tree and the shelving unit that used to be there. There's this almost blank wall space (which needs to be painted very badly!)
Thank you for the thoughts and prayers, Lyssa. They are making strides with getting the fires contained.
Oh, goodness! That would have set me on edge! Hopefully it was just a mistake and whoever it was called for maybe called back when it didn't show up in a timely manner. Sounds like you have your tree all squared away! I've got to help my mama get hers down sometime this week. I'm sure my son will be more of a help with that than I can! Haha! Glad y'all are still doing ok!
ReplyDeleteYes, Mandy, hopefully whoever called got the help they needed!
DeleteThat's very nice that you and your son can help your mama with taking down her tree. Thank you, Mandy; we are doing OK right now. :)
I'm glad you got your tree down and all the boxes put away. It's a good feeling to take care of all of that. I am still enjoying and noticing the open space the removal of the tree created.
ReplyDeleteHow strange about the ambulance. If it was a needed call with the wrong information supplied, I hope that person is ok and called back.
Thank you, Debra. Yes, removing the tree has made a big difference!
DeleteI, too, hope that the ambulance was sent to the wrong address by mistake and whoever called was able to get the assistance they needed.
We live out in the country and our civic address numbers are not consecutive at all, it is quite bizarre. One time I advertised something on Kijiji and the man who came to see it had trouble finding our house. It turned out that he happened to be a paramedic! However, the one time when I did call 911 for medical help, the ambulance arrived with no trouble, so maybe they have a map showing our crazy numbers.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that the ambulances are now fitted with a navigation system that shows the street maps, but, I suppose even those systems are only as good as the information being entered into them. Maybe someone transposed the house number. Glad that your ambulance arrived without any trouble when needed. :)
DeleteGlad the Christmas Tree is finally down and put away and that you managed to declutter the boxes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a strange thing to have happened! I hope it wasn't a prank but at the same time I also hope it wasn't someone else who needed the ambulance!
Thank you, Sharon. I usually take the Christmas tree down after the 6th of January; this is the longest it's been up, I think. I've another stack of boxes in the garage, but, I might need them to box up the books that I am donating. In any case, the big recycling bin is full, this week.
DeleteI do hope that it wasn't a prank call and whoever called the ambulance received the help they needed in a timely manner.
I think an ambulance turning up unexpectedly would have left me feeling unsettled as well. I hope that whoever it was intended for received the help they needed.
ReplyDeleteIt always feels quite empty when the Christmas tree is put away for another year. I think I'll feel the same, once the lemon trees go outdoors in the spring. Xx
Yes, it was a bit unsettling, Jules. I, too, hope that the person who called for an ambulance received the help they needed.
DeleteThe Christmas tree was placed in front of the wall where the entertainment center used to be, as soon as the shelving unit was taken to the garage. We didn't have time to get used to seeing a bare wall there until the tree was taken down. I'm sure you'll miss your lemon trees when they go outdoors in the spring. :)