Well, looks like I have to hide the matches from my Dad.

[fastfredracing]

He caught the friggen woods on fire today at my shop. I guess it was a pretty big deal, the fire department had their whole arsenal out , and the ambulance was there also. I am sure we are the talk of the neighborhood
I was enjoying the nice weather with my family for a change. We were out goofy golfing , and I got a text from a customers wife ( they live across the street from my building ) asking if everybody was alright. I did not think much of it at first, but then got worried, that maybe something had happened to my parents. They live in a house on my business property .
Dad has always been a pyro. He loves to burn . I guess he was cleaning up sticks and leaves in the yard, and it got away from him. He is 70. and in trying to put it out, he almost went down. He is stubborn like me, and I am sure he would have fought it without calling anyone till he passed out ( which he almost did )
I am really lucky today, my dad is fine, my shop is intact, and my under insured 930 is still with me . It was only about 20 feet from the flames, and my mom said they were heading that way. ( I will be upping the insurance asap on Monday Morning)
So, I am on my way up there now, to tell my Dad, that he is officially relieved of his fire duties .
He has been slowly getting even with me for all I put him through in my teens, and twenties.

[Baz]

Glad no one was hurt, Fred.

FWIW, I have Hagerty on all my Porsches and they are very reasonable.

Take it easy on your Dad....I'm sure he feels very badly about this already.

[look 171]

Glad you realized that (last sentence).

Hey man, glad everything is OK. If you dad's used to doing stings a certain way, then let em' be, but do it with him or keep a close eye on him. My dad turns 80 in a couple of months but has COPD, lung cancer survivor, and likes to drive to see his buddies for coffee daily and cut his goddamnorange, grapefruit, and lemon trees by himself. He will do it on a good day on his ladder. I have three new ladders from him in the past year. Our next door neighbor is getting up there (78, I think) too and also a jack of all trades. I know they both go out to the Home Depot to buy the ladders and things for the hosue.

Go easy on him, the last thing you want to do is take away that little freedom form him/them. AS a matter of fact, I am taking the kids to go and see them for dinner within the hour.

[herr_oberst]

Your luck is on the upswing!

This could have turned out so much worse! (Glad everyone and everything is more or less ok!)

Good times are coming!

[fastfredracing]

Yeah, I know, I am really happy to have him around. He had 5 by passes 15 years or so ago, and I remember the surgeon telling my mom and I that his chances were not very good before he went on the table. I appreciate every day with him and my mom. I was a lucky guy to have good parents.
Just have to keep a closer eye on him.
I can rib him a little bit can't I ?

[Oh Haha]

Glad it all worked out this time. You guys have had quite a time lately.



I think seeing my Dad not be able to do the little things in life was the toughest for me. He had COPD, emphysema, and arthritis.

I enjoyed going home with my family and helping with yardwork or other stuff he couldn't do as I figured it was the least I could do for putting up with my BS fo many years.

Your pop seems like a good fella. I don't doubt the nutfell far from the tree.

[fastfredracing]

[fastfredracing]

Man, it really took off, I bet it was 2 acres total. Mostly ground brush, and leaves, actually, saved me a lot of weed eating, and leaf clean up .
Poor dad, says he feels really stupid, he is embarrassed. We will be making jokes about this one for a while.
That maroon jeep liberty just got towed in earlier today, not running, it was pretty close to getting charred.

[911 sc]

Dang Fred glad your dad was ok I'll stop over and check on you guys

[herr_oberst]

You know Hank did a song about this very same thing 60 or so years ago, right?

(ok, maybe it's not quite the same, but I still like the song!)

[david c.]

I can tell you all from personal knowledge that Fred's dad is a great old guy. Just like Fast Freddy himself.

I can only imagine how this story will evolve over time into "remember that time grandpa almost burned down the forest...."

Glad there was no major damage!

[Bugsinrugs]

I used to burn a lot back when we would have wet winters. One of my first burn piles almost got away from me. Scared the crap out me . Never again, small piles only.

[bivenator]

Glad the underbrush was the only thing hurt in this adventure. Been trying to get my dad to give up the yard work at 84. He refused help last summer, maybe this time.


Go ahead an rib him, he might feel worse if you don't.

I have always liked that song also herr orbst.

[ZOO]

Similar thing happened to a friend. I am not sure how his insurance company became involved, but he received a substantial payout for lost trees. Or, knowing insurance companies, he was given a "substantial loan" to be paid back through higher premiums over the rest of his life.

[Rick V]

When I was living back at home many many moons ago I came home from school and found the idiot neighbor had done the same thing, the frigging woods were on fire, and the froot loop who started the fire, burning a leaf pile was not even there, he had left. I managed to keep the fire from eating too much up on dads place but I didn't bother with helping the idiot neighbor and he ended up in big trouble for that one. He is now doing a couple of life sentences for some other crap.
Tell your dad next time to leave the wood alone and take out the grass, less time mowing means more time to do other things