fire alarm

there had been some work on 27 tyndall's park with scaffolding, workmen and such. repairing what, i can't be sure.

anyways, all this work seems to have touched off the electrical that serves the building fire alarm. or at least that's my explanation to the twins.

it's 5:30 in the am and cold cold cold. the fire alarm goes off and i mean goes OFF - the thing is in the hall and absolutely deafening. after being shot groggily from our bed, i tell joe to get the kids, their coats (hey, it's cold out) and some shoes while i ineptly try to cover said fire alarm with pillow. because it's freaking out the twins and gemma looks as if she's about to cry.

we hustle coats and shoes onto both kids, grab car keys, passports then head out the door and downstairs to wait with all the other residents of 27 tyndalls. i realize that slippers and robes are popular items here in b'tol because everyone is wearing them to the fire alarm get together in the parking lot. i am wearing flip flops and the kids have trainers on. and we have coats. well, the kids mainly. we look like such the americans.

disaster averted. apparently some sort of electrical issue as the fire alarm resets itself and goes silent. although at this point our collective hearing is a bit overwhelmed so we still "hear" the alarm even though there is no more alarm. everyone heads inside to get back to sleep, get ready for work, eat brekkie.

except the twins, who are now too terrified to sleep and have a million questions. i also think this is the moment that propels gemma to get up in the middle of each night and make her way to our bed.

i should sue.