Chicago Adventure- Part II

Hello all!
On to more of the "moving in sagas" in the 2nd installment...

Saturday and Sunday were filled with lots of carrying boxes and furniture- pretty standard. We had Greg and Sandy pretty worn out, but thank goodness for rolling carts that our building had for use of residents- we loaded them up pretty good and had the elevators working overtime.

Our plan for Sunday was to take the U-Haul over to the storage unit we rented- which, thanks to the oversized couch, became a larger space. This is only a few blocks away, so very convenient, and very accommodating for all of my seasonal decorations :) We call to get the hours of operation, and they inform us there is a street festival going on and there is no access at all for the weekend. So, we decide to return the truck on Monday and make the best of the situation- head over to the festival. "Bash on Wabash" as it is called...we get to see a good cover band with several "interesting" locals dancing, but pretty tame for being termed a "festival".

Monday morning, Greg wakes to the knocking of the building maintenance man, Ricky, informing us there is a $150 parking ticket on the U-Haul. Well, of course there is...This jumpstarts our day with Brad and Greg getting the truck over and unloaded at the storage unit. Sandy and I meet them over there, so they could follow us to the truck drop off center. Now...for those of you who know me well, I am pretty good with directions, so once Brad tells me the address, I am fairly confident I know where I am going. So, after heading in what I thought was the right direction, and nearly crossing over into Indiana, I decide we need to turn around. Ok...not so bad, we just have to go back and get closer to the city. Well, Brad had a little ssue with this as he has now run out gas in the U-Haul. We pull over on the highway (6 lane interstate), and wait for the lightning to hit us- even though it is a sunny day! (haha) After Sandy and I go and buy a gas can, come back and refill the U-Haul, we get on our way again and eventually make it down to 103rd street for the drop off. This neighborhood did not have a welcoming party, nor any windows without bars across them, so we were thankful to be done with the whole thing!

We return to the house after being gone for over 4 hours...exhausted and starving. We had some classic Chicago deep dish pizza left over from the night before that we decided to reheat and devour. Sandy gets the oven going and got it all laid out on a pizza stone (the ONLY way to reheat, BTW). I resume unpacking my kitchen, my OCD kicking back in. I am arranging my glasses in the cabinet, when out of the corner of my eye, I see smoke as black as night rolling out of the top burners of the range. Now, never having a gas range before, was puzzled by the strong odor when first turned on, but was told that was normal. This smoke however, was NOT normal. I opened the oven door, and was greeted with flames reaching from the bottom to the top...cue part where I start freaking out and running around. My brother jumps up from the couch, and tells me to go find help...which I in turn assume he means property manager. Sandy and I frantically run out of the condo and head downstairs in the elevator. Not knowing what I am doing, ask the first person I see where I would find someone to help. His response..."Well, have you called 911?"

Hmmm...that would have been smart, but definitely did not cross my mind. He takes the lead and goes outside to call. Within minutes, we have about 30 of Chicago's finest entering our building, passing me, the sobbing one while pointing toward the elevator. For all movie enthusiasts, we are talking a renactment for the movie Backdraft- these firefighters, on 5 regular trucks PLUS a ladder truck and 4 police cars, are carrying hoses, axes...the real deal. By the time the first group reaches the 9th floor, Greg and Brad had it under control- they had pulled the oven out, and turned off the gas. The firefighters were very disappointed there was not more excitement...in their words, "they got dressed up for nothing". Not mad- just bummed. By now, I am sitting in the corner of the lobby with Sandy and my very shaken up pup Sadie. She was freaking out with the sirens, seeing all of these men parading by, and obviously all the smoke. Brad makes it downstairs to inform us everything is ok, aside from a layer of soot covering most of the main living area (including the aforementioned new couch...which is a light tan...fun times:)

This 'incident' allows us to meet the landlord, John, who lives in the penthouse and happened to be outside on his terrace enjoying a nice dinner. (Side note, and without hard evidence, he looks and talks like what you imagine of the Chicago mob). He escorts us back up to the condo, inspects the charred oven, and even cracks a joke or two about my cooking. Real funny! The blackened pizza remains, along with an unrecognizable pizza stone :(, sit on the sink...no longer appetizing. Having a mexican restaurant a few doors down from our building came very handy at this time...not to mention it was Margerita Monday! Relief was in sight...

Greg and Sandy's trip was definitely marked with stories to last them for awhile...they boarded a plane on Tuesday afternoon, probably thanking God they were able to get out in one piece. Thanks to them for all of the help getting us settled, as well as saving not only our belongings from fire damage, but everyone else in the building!!!

You think it's over? No way...there will be one more installment that is sure to quench your thirst for more.
Be back in a bit...