Last night, just a few minutes after I completed my half-assed post about Bill Clinton, and I was getting ready for bed, the fire alarm sounded. Mr Right and I live in one of these swank highrise apartment complexes, with an integrated alarm system that rings not only in the common areas, but sounds a siren in every apartment through a speaker system designed to allow "those in charge" to communicate and tell you when to evacuate, and when it's a false alarm. This was not a false alarm.

Mr Right and I grabbed the cat, his passport (it would be harder to replace his UK passport than my Canadian one), our wedding album, and headed for the stairs down from our apartment.

Due to some plumbing work being carried out throughout the week, a leak was allowed to go undetected and it short circuited part of the electrical system, causing a small fire in an empty apartment on the first floor.

For two chilly hours we all (250 units worth of people), milled around on the front and back lawns, occasionally catching a whiff of smoke, just to remind us not to go back inside. Patiently we waited. Somehow I managed to keep myself together. You see, fire has been my greatest fear for my whole life. My first nightmare at the age of 3 was about fire. And last year, I lost my greatest love - The Cottage - to this elemental killer. I can smell a fire from half a mile away. I can tell you what's burning (wood, brush, electric, chemical, etc). If a fire has been put out, I can tell you how long ago, and whether it was with water or CO2. One day, I swear my nose will save our lives.

The point of this post was to thank the Toronto Fire Department for their effeciency (expected) and geniality (not expected, but appreciated). I also wanted to give kudos to the staff at High Park Village for keeping us informed, securing and searching the building alongside the Fire Department, and generally speeding things along. A special thanks goes out to one of the Superintendents, who's name I do not know, who upon ushering us back into our safe (but smelly) building, handed out free soft drinks with a smile, saying "We like to make your fire experience as pleasant as possible (Wink)!"

I might have gotten to bed a little later - and a lot more frazzled - than I would have preferred, but after all, this is what I'm paying rent for. I want someone looking out for me. I want to fall asleep safe in the knowledge that if something happens, I will be advised immediately, and guided through the process of getting things back to normal. My rent is high, but worth every penny.