Wednesday, August 26, 2009

DEATH OF A TABLESCAPE........And One Dead Chicken.

I hadn't done a Tablescape in awhile so last week I put together a table design I was going to call
"Lobster For Two"
Getting out from hiding all my lobster related plates and cups and such..... I layed down layers of newspaper as my table covering......propped up my favorite Maine license plate and took lots of pictures....For some reason after taking the shots I promptly put everything back where they came from...I usually keep the table set for a couple of days to enjoy the tablescape but this time I didn't......You know the old saying...
"Everything happens for a reason"
This is how my table looks when not set.....I have since added 2 more chickens to the coop and gave them all lovely names....
There was Charlotte and Maude.....Maxine and Millie....
Notice I say "there was".....

A preview of what my "Lobster for Two" table looked like.....All I have to say is Boy am I glad something made me put all the dishes and glassware and stuff away...Because at 5:45 A.M. on Monday morning we heard a HUGE crash and the sound of lots of broken glass....
Enough to jump start your heart my first reaction was to bolt up in bed and shout out
"The Dog!!!"
It sounded like an explosion.....the sound that I can only assume you hear when a drunken driver loses control of a car and drives into some one's living room.....
Me and the Boss jumped up and ran into the Great Room......we have a two story cathedral ceiling and up above my dining room table......where all my creations come to life.....hangs a very large ceiling fan on a long poll with a big light fixture attached......
NO LONGER.....
This is what we found....
ceiling fan fell right out of the ceiling....see the broken blades....see all the broken glass....but most of all see poor Maxine......that's her minus her legs in the forefront of the photo....
Yes......Who knew that a ceiling fan.....Oh, weighing about 50 pounds per the Boss' estimate....would just decide that it didn't want to hang and spin any longer and just call it a day.
Held up by a special "ball and socket" bracket because of the angle of the ceiling the cast iron bracket just broke in two causing it to pull the wires out of the ceiling and crash to the table....
Poor Maxine......luckily Charlotte.... Maude and Millie only took a slight hit although Millie did land on the floor but she's one tough bird.....she survived without a scratch....
For those of you who remember I recently had a small birthday gathering for Necie the neighbor and had 7 ladies sitting under that fan.....
Miss "B" also toddled all around that table riding on Boo's back just a few weeks ago......
So....just incase any of you ladies has a fan like this or knows someone who does......if it's been up for awhile....
Go Buy a new one Today!!!
Who would ever think that something like this could happen and possibly cause a
tragedy......
When we told the man over at the Home Depot...... where we went tonight to buy a new fan..... what had happened..... his only response was
"Well, that would have given someone a big headache"
It was like a 50 pound bowling ball falling out of the sky....
I think he missed the point.....
We are so fortunate to have only lost poor Maxine....
May she Rest in Peace....

Stop over at our host Susan's for today's hopefully Happy Tablescapes!!
LATE NIGHT UPDATE......
I just heard from my friend Ellen over at Nouveau Stitch and thinking that all this wacky stuff can't just be happening to us she Googled "Ceiling Fan Recalls"......
Yup....defective fan part causing the fans to fall from the ceiling...
many different brands...millions of fans have been recalled....How come this is something you never hear about....Have you ever heard of celing fans being recalled...
Who would have thought??
This problem has caused injuries...
So go Google-ling and see if you have one of the fans listed..
better to be safe then sorry.
But we still stand alone in having a live lamb left inside our car in the Walmart parking lot!!!!

49 comments:

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Sue, oh my, how fortunate that no one was sitting under that fan! God was watching out for you, my dear! Linda

KBeau said...

Oh my gosh, Sue. You do have the craziest things happen to you. Glad nobody was hurt--well, except for poor Maxine.

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Oh my word. This is unreal. I am so sorry, but so glad that you were not sitting there and no one was hurt. I love your roosters and so sad that one is so badly broken. Hugs, Marty

Deb said...

You are very lucky that it fell during the night and not when seated at the table.
Maxine took one for the team!

Salmagundi said...

Matilda sends her condolences, and is thankful that no one else or any other thing was hurt. You must have had a second sense going on when you put away all of your lobster things. Maxine went down a brave chicken, and gave her life to warn you of danger. Glad all is well, now. Sally

Rue said...

Holy smokes Sue! I'm so glad that it happened when no one was sitting there. You could have been seriously injured... yikes!

I did laugh when you yelled "the dog" though, because we would have done the same thing LOL

hugs,
rue

Jewel Sauls said...

Oh my goodness! I am so glad that you weren't entertaining at the time, though I do mourn Maxine. I love the lobster plate and the Maine license tag!!!! :D Jewel

Cheri said...

All I have to say..."Only you sue...only you."

Mumzie said...

Oh my, how lucky you are that this didn't happen during breakfast! Sorry about the little dead chicken, but what a great story. I mean, how often does this type of thing happen? Mumzie

Anonymous said...

All I can say is...I'm glad my birthday is in June and not August. Maxine will be missed.

Necie

Thibeault's Table said...

Wow, who would have thought. I'm sure there are a lot of people checking their ceiling fans thanks to you.

Poor Maxine. What about your table? Was it damaged too?

Joyce said...

Holly Cow! That is so scary and glad it happened when you were sleeping and not when you were sitting at the table. Lucky it was not a lamb falling from the sky:)
Joyce

Mari @ Once Upon a Plate said...

Oh Sue ~ I'm so sorry this happened, and poor Maxine ~ but it could have been far worse, yes?

I'm glad humans and your beautiful pup weren't injured (and I can't wait to see your new ceiling fan.) :)

Julie said...

Poor Maxine. I am so glad no one was hurt in the making of this Post...Julie

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Well that was scary! Poor Maxine! What an unexpected blow.

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Wow! I am so sorry to hear about this!!

This happened to a friend of ours. The fan fell from a two story cathedral ceiling and hit the landing rails along the way. Our daughter just replaced the ceiling fan in their master bedroom. She said it looked like it was hanging by a thread. I think we'll check our fans, when we get home!!

The Country Nest said...

Sorry about the death of your chicken, honestly sorry about your ordeal, but you had me laughing...the way you told the story was great. I can see myself jumping up and thinking it was the dog. Wow you were lucky no one was under the fan.
Hugs,
Donna

ellen b said...

:0) Poor Maxine! I love this post and the reality of it all :0) Blessings...

Michelle said...

I've thought about our ceiling fans falling especially the fans over our beds!

Poor Maxine and she was my favorite too!

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

I have never heard of that happening. I am so sorry and how scary. Thank the Lord no one was sitting there or anywhere near when it happened. Sorry about Maxine....but just think...shopping is around the corner!!

KBeau said...

Sue, does your friend Cheri know where she will be living in B'ham? Tell her that there is a link to my email on my blog. Have her get in touch. Thanks for stopping by.

The Tablescaper said...

Wow! I've often wondered if that ever happens. Thankfully no one was hurt.

Would love to see more of the lobsters!

- The Tablescaper

Eileen said...

How scary! So glad no one was hurt!
Still, it's a pain!
And sorry you had to lose one of your favorites.
All the best,
Eileen

Sharlotte said...

Guardian angels must be working around your home...thankfully no one was hurt.

Lady Katherine said...

Oh, How sad, for I loved your yellow roosters! I never seen any like them! Got any glue? Glad no one was hurt! Those fans have to have a lot of support to hold them up!

bj said...

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE...I don't believe I've ever heard of a ceiling fan falling. Now, i'm gonna watch mine like hawks. So so glad no one was hurt....POOOOOR MAXINE...she will miss the Rooster Party on Friday..

Christi @ A Southern Life said...

Oh, NO! What a loss. That is crazy. Poor Maxine. Glad you survived, as did your great lobster plates.

Christi

Sarah said...

Oh, my! I'm sorry it broke your lovely things but glad to hear no one was hurt. Same thing happened to us once. The fan fell just inches from my husband who was sitting at his desk.

Hope you can find another Maxine.
Hyacinth

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Wow...that is shocking! That must have put a giant dent in your table, too. Those chickens all look like they are running for the hills. Thank goodness noone was sitting there...unbelieveable! First a baby deer...or was it a lamb...in your truck...and now this! I'm glad your dishes weren't all still there, too. Thanks for sharing the pics! I think I'll go check ALL my fans!
Susan

Nouveau Stitch said...

On a hunch, I guessed you weren't the first this happened to so I Googled "falling ceiling fans." I was shocked how many people have had this happen and that ceiling fans have been RECALLED for this reason. There have been injuries...Google ceiling fan recalls! Thanks for the 'heads up,' Sue.

Lori @ Dining Delight said...

WOW! All the "what if's" must really be running through your head. Thankfully it wasn't even more serious. Poor Maxine! You had such a nice set of chicks!

DD

The Little Red Shop said...

I'm so glad no one else was hurt!!!! Poor Maxine, may she rest in pieces.

Julie M.

ps Wasn't it the chicken who insisted that the sky was falling???

Beeutiful by Design said...

At the beginning of your story I was guessing a tree fell thru, I would have never guessed the fan! Glad you are all safe.

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

Oh, no! I can't believe that. I've never heard of a ceiling fan falling like that. How scary! It really is amazing that no one but the chickens got hurt.

I think I'd better do some Googling to make sure our ceiling fans don't come crashing down next!

xinex said...

OMG, Sue! Am I so glad nobody was hurt. Poor Maxine! Too bad, your vignette and lobster table was so beautiful...Christine

Peg said...

Rest in Peace, Maxine.... that was a scary wake up call! Thank goodness it happened at night and no one else was hurt. I also loved the story of Bo. Miss B looks so cute riding on his back! He definitely deserved two birthday cupcakes!!!

Cathy said...

Oh my gosh, the crash must have scared the wits out of you. You've got me wondering about the chandelier over my dining table. The main thing is nobody was hurt.

Sorry to hear about Maxine.

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Thank goodness that no one was hurt...except for the poor chickens. For what its worth, I loved your lobster tablescape with the Maine license plate...very creative!

Brenda Pruitt said...

Poor Maxine. May she rest in final peace, in her many pieces. I'm so sorry. But glad you and your family weren't sitting at that table! I have them all through the house. It's hot and muggy in East Texas. I shall mention this to Carpenter Robert, who has taken the week off. My mister isn't worth a damn with these things. He's just good at medicating mental patients. I shall be thinking of Maxine all day.
Brenda

Daryl said...

Wow .. glad no one but the chickens sustained any real damage

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Wow, this makes me very glad we don't have any ceiling fans in our house...our ceilings aren't high enough, for one thing...I guess in 1941 when the house was built, the standard was 8 foot ceilings.

I'm so glad for your sakes it happened in the middle of the night and not when someone could have been injured...except poor Maxine, of course (RIP).

Michelle said...

Well...that's the most interesting tablescape yet!! Glad you are ok? It was looking good!

Best,
Michelle

nannykim said...

A most uniques tablescape!! YIKES!! Glad it happened when no one was sitting there. We had a similar thing happen when a chandelier crashed.

ps. I have several blogs--the one for my tablescape is the spindle cottage one;

Unknown said...

Wow! That would have scared me to death. So glad no one was hurt. Gotta love those sweet pets! :)

~Liz

Cottage Rose said...

OH My Gosh; what a scary thing to have happen.. I am so happy that no one was sitting at the table when it fell... poor Maxine, I am sorry for her loss.. and I did love your lobster table scape, look so great,, and I adore Lobster.... so yummy..

Hugs;
Alaura

Kathleen said...

Unbelievable! And yes, RIP, Maxine, bless her little mottled feathers..
That could have been a disaster...
Did you call the company???
Really, it scares me, our 4 little gkids are always running around in the den where the ceiling fan is!
Me thinks that company is responsible, at least for a proper burial for what's her face!
Seriously, they should pay for the installation of a new one and any damage to the table too!

Dream Mom said...

Well, I am glad no one was hurt. I have never heard of a ceiling fan falling down and the first thing I thought of was whether or not the ceiling was braced for a fan. When we had oour home built, I wanted overhead lighting in all of the bedrooms and we had all of them "braced" in case we installed ceiling fans. Bracing is just extra wood in the ceiling to support the weight of the fans and to keep them from falling. Not sure if this might help.

I am really glad no one was hurt.

Cass @ That Old House said...

Holy smokes! Thank goodness that fan came crashing down in the middle of the night. Poor Maxine took the bullet for all of you!

We have one ceiling fan here; I think I'll have it checked out just to be sure. That's terrifying.

Cass
PS the table looked great with the lobster plates!

Bill said...

Sorry you had to go through that ordeal! Thank goodness you had mostly "un-set" your table. I usually leave mine up for a few days too (or sometimes actually use them ... for serving food!).

I have friends who had a celing fan fall in their bedroom, during the night, while they were sleeping. Fortunately, it's a big room, and the fan wasn't directly above the bed ... but still!

I'll be looking forward to your next tablescape. Here's hoping it's calm, relaxing, uneventful ... with NO casualties at all!

Bill