serenity now. insanity later. gratitude today.

It was a pretty normal morning. Charlie was climbing on my back and I was helping Ellen with her hair. Steve was getting dressed. same-o, same-o. I smelled something burning, but figured it was the biscuits. The burning smell got stronger and I asked Ellen and Charlie to wait in Charlie's room while I checked it out. As I turned to step into the kitchen, I was overwhelmed with smoke. I couldn't even see from one side of my small kitchen to the other. I pulled my PJ top over my mouth and ran toward the sink. The toaster was on fire.

I'm not sure how it happened. Either the waffle got stuck and kept the thingymijig pushed down or it just malfunctioned. By the time I opened the back door, I could barely breathe. Steve ran in, picked up the toaster and threw it out of the backdoor and onto the driveway.

Not one smoke alarm went off. If memory serves, the one right outside the kitchen was beeping one day and I knocked the crap out of it with a broom and pledged to change the battery. Later.

I spent the day wiping down cabinets with my own solution of vinegar, soap and water, buying and replacing smoke alarm batteries and spraying this cool, evironment-friendly stuff around the house.

I started to complain about my terrible, rotten, no good morning when it dawned on me that I should be extremely grateful.Not everyone gets a warning.

I did crack myself up earlier today, when I stood alone in my stinky, smoldering kitchen, waved my hands in the air like a crazy person, and screamed at the top of my lungs: SERENITY NOW!

Have a great weekend. Thank you for your wonderful support, feedback and sharing. Your comments mean the world to me! Please check the batteries in your smoke alarms. Right now.

Comments

[deb]

When my son was ten he started a fire in his bedroom with a flint he had received at boy scouts for being such a good scout. Ironic I know. So he started the fire and then panicked. By the time he came and got me the garbage can was on fire and the house was filled with smoke. My husband put out the fire with an extinguisher but the smoke and soot took days to clean up.

Glad you're all okay.

[Veronique]

Woman,

I am glad you are OK. Scary. Next time call me. I'll come and help clean up with ya. : )
Veronique

[carissa]

what a stinker & a blessing all in one big 'ol crazy moment! glad yall are safe! i got a really great image of you yelling "serenity now"... sometimes you just have to laugh through it. love!

[Renae C]

Glad everybody is okay! Good luck with the smell. My mom was cooking a brisket overnight and the oven malfunctioned - filling the entire house with smoke in the middle of the night before it woke us up. Scary & Stinky!!!

[dawnfh]

I wish I could find the humor in this, but it really just freaks me out. It just takes me back to whole Madla thing..I feel like I want to cry. I am scared for anyone who has to deal with fires or the aftermath. I will replace the serenity now phase with a "thank god" yell and send you positive thoughts. love, dawn

[Brené Brown]

We're all OK - the smoke alarms are up and running. The stink has gone away (for the most part)! Thanks for the comments, calls and emails. Special thanks for the offer to help me clean up!