Wake up and smell the coffee.

Our house is small. It has 2 bedrooms and a large closet/pantry room that will eventually become an ensuite. It's the perfect size for empty nesters.

Our unfinished basement is currently unusable, even for storage, because we have it cleaned out awaiting approval for funding assistance to put a basement suite in for Jed, who is currently occupying the second bedroom.

Last Tuesday as I was walking in from my art class, the phone was ringing. Zedd responded to my saying hello with, "Mom can we come stay overnight?" Now I had heard rumours that things weren't so wonderful in their living arrangements but this caught me completely off guard.

It was the wisest for he and Jade to completely remove themselves from the situation, and by the time they arrived 20 minutes later we had a bed all made up with a double foamy on the floor of the little room, as we affectionately call it.

Within minutes of discussion and hashing out the possibilities, I knew we'd be living in a crowded nest for a while - at least until the end of the month.

A short time later with my head still reeling with the goings on, I answered the phone once again, "I can't talk now, but the pulp mill is burning down!" Oh great. Now my entire family is going to end up as street people. Oh well, we can cuddle for warmth.

I call a family huddle and insist that no one answer the phone again for 2 days, I can't deal with anything else. In 90 short minutes I went from my fluffy little art school world to this mayhem.

While the fire at the mill was no small weiner roast fire, it didn't end up as disasterous as it could have been, and no one will lose employment.

And the kids leave for work before me in the morning so I get to wake up to fresh brewed coffee. And I come home to the dishes done and put away and supper cooking on the stove. So hey, all's well that end's well.