Yes. When we lived in a suburb the house across the street caught on fire. It ended with 2 house burnt completely down and damage to a few others. It was an umderground gas line that caused it.
As you can imagine the smell from that fire lingered several months. HYE had a horrible odor that you couldn’t get away from?
Yes, although not particularly horrible. A hand-held (full-strength) propane torch I use in my kitchen sprung a leak, and I had no idea what to do. (For further details there’s a thread on this where everybody made fun of me :(.) I didn’t want to sit and nurse it my house with other people, and didn’t want to leave it behind a bush or whatever. Called fire department; total 2 1/2 hours carrying the stupid thing around with me.
HYE done something so badly, or so stupid, you know that it was that action that you got fired?
yES. I didn’t show up for work for two days and was so young and naive I didn’t think I’d get fired.
MM, in addition to answering the previous query, you’re also supposed to post a query of your own to keep the game going.
HYE touched an historic artifact or stood in the same spot as some historic figure?
Yes, if this counts. During the Summer of 1985 I was sent to NASA Langley for a five-week assignment. My hotel was in Newport News, VA, a short drive away from Yorktown Battlefield. During one exploration in the park I came across General Washington’s headquarters site, so I got out of the car and walked around. I discovered a spring and a most welcome pool of cold, fresh water, a few feet downhill (toward the York River) from the tent site. The thought struck me like an epiphany, “George Washington drank water from this spring 197 years ago.” It was a blistering hot day. I was thirsty. I went to my knees and drank water from that spring. This was a humbling moment for me.
Have you ever cried at a historic site?
Yes. Twice: Auschwitz, Arlington Cemetery.
HYE been to a funeral or memorial event that turned out to be more up-beat (in a good way) than you expected?
Yes, a former pastor’s mother died a few years ago. After the funeral, etc., he held a Church-wide party at his house. The only requirements for entrance were no one allowed to wear black, and you had to show up wearing a smile. It was optional to bring your own beverages, but he had plenty there for everyone. (Link to NYT reprint of the obituary he and his sister wrote is here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?pid=164596250.
Have you ever visited a “pet cemetery”?
(CharmaChameleon, that’s one of the strangest obituaries I ever read!)
Yes, I’ve visited a pet cemetery, Teddy Roosevelt’s, at his home, Sagamore Hill:
https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=43058
HYE buried a dead pet?
Yes, but just small ones like hamsters or birds. Dogs and cats go to the vet for cremation.
I did help a friend bury a dead pet Sheep once.
Have you ever had an “unusual” pet? (not a dog, cat, bird, rodent, etc)
My family had a flying squirrel that we kept in a cage, and was frequently allowed to roam the house. He even went outside a few times (I swear it was an accident!), but always came back. Yes, I’m going to ignore ‘rodent’ as being a normal pet. People raise rats and mice as food for reptiles and predatory birds, but they’re not pets, unless your name is Willard.
Have you ever been thrown from a horse?
No.
Have you ever tried to cut a new foal from his mother so the vet could give it first day’s shots?
No, but I have helped out on a cattle farm when the vet was castrating the young bulls. I ended up ankle-deep in castoff bull testicles.
Have you ever owned a black cat?
Yep. Barely-there aka Bear. Brightest green eyes I have ever seen on an animal. Sweet baby.
ETA she had one white whisker.
HYE had a 3 legged cat or dog?
Oops, ninja’d!
I haven’t owned a 3 legged pet, but one of my best friends had a cat who was missing a front paw. She was surprisingly graceful.
I’ve owned 2 black cats: all-black Cornelius (just for a few months, we sent him back to the shelter from where we adopted him when he bit us) and black with brown patches Meggy, for 3 years, until we had to move out of the country.
Have you ever thrown a book you were reading across the room, and why?
Yes. It was some sort of drugstore paperback that was so poorly-written, and the plot so unbelievable, that it had to be thrown across the room by page 50. I picked it up, and put it in the recycling bin with the newspapers and magazines.
Have you ever finished watching a movie on streaming or DVD, and watched it all over again immediately?
Yes, many times. Love what I love. I go back to things periodically and do it again.
HEY dreamed a movie you saw, And you were in it?
That always sounded fun to me, but sadly it’s never happened.
HYE rewritten the words/lyrics to a popular tune for comedic purposes?
Yes, I’m a filker. The best received was my reworking “El Paso” to tell the story of “El Kabong”.
Have You Ever played in an orchestra?
I once played trumpet in a community junior symphony program.
Have you ever been compelled to ‘look busy’ at work but in fact had absolutely nothing to do?
Unfortunately for the last several years I don’t remember a time when I’ve had absolutely nothing to do at work; I’m always playing catch-up, especially when it comes to filing paperwork and answering emails.
However, several times over the past year I’ve been relatively un-busy but tried hard to “look busy” so that I wouldn’t be asked to help somebody who is very difficult to work with.
Have you ever witnessed a crime?