“In the early morning hours of Monday, March 6, my life flipped upside down with the words ‘get out, get out, it’s a real fire!’ Running outdoors in one’s pajamas, into a windchill of -14, is not an experience I recommend to anyone.
“The heroes of our Burlington Fire Department were there in short order, and the Red Cross was behind them by just a few minutes. Wonderful neighbors opened their doors at once and kept them open all night through hours of the interviews, paperwork, and other mundane details of a waking nightmare. Other people’s gloves and heavy coats and bags for retrieving what we could when it was over appeared seemingly out of nowhere. A night that went badly but could have gone far, far worse was made bearable by not going through it alone. Vermonters are the best people in the world.
“I don’t know yet how long I will be displaced. There is a long period of friends’ guest rooms and daily conversations with insurance companies yet to come. There could have been a long period in a burn unit, and I am writing a Front Porch Forum post, not an obituary, so I am very grateful.
“Thanks for listening.
“P.S.–check your smoke detectors!!”
• Holly, Old North End FPF, Burlington
“About six weeks ago I lost my watch while riding my bike between the Village and my home, via the Johnnie Brook Trail. I retraced my path, but didn’t find it ““ it was probably already under the snow. Last week the Town Clerk posted on 
“
“The two street-side tires were slashed on a pickup truck parked in front of our house on lower Lyman, we think sometime between last night (Wed 3/1) and this morning. We didn’t notice any activity or hear anything unusual. My husband called the police and an officer stopped by to say the usual – that this type of thing has been happening all over the city and they are trying to track down the perpetrator(s). The officer also said that he had already responded to another incident up the street.”
“The boys are back, one showed up and the other was found and kept safe by a nice couple. I’m so grateful for this sweet nook in the world… such amazing people who really know how to come together and support each other. Thank you to all who helped spread the word and bring my boy back! Much love.”
“To all, I found help moving the boxes. To those who responded, thank you very much. I can’t believe the 
“The raving of friends about the wonders of pressure cookers intrigued me. 
“A number of folks heard that Beautyrest mattress calling their names, and we thank them for their interest. The first person who responded will be snoozing on that freebie… and her response came within a couple of hours of our posting the notice! We’re so thankful to the founders and staff of