Today I’ve got three things to tell you that are sort of . . . in a roundabout way . . . connected by fire. Let’s go.
- Our wood stove has been super smokey lately. It’s gross and stinky and the smoke detector goes off and it’s just . . . ugh. We both know it means the chimney needs to be cleaned but we were also both hoping we could get through until the end of the burning season without doing that. Yesterday, though, I called uncle aka the chimney sweep and they are coming to clean the chimney on Monday. It means we can’t have a fire on Sunday, which definitely blows, but it also means the wood stove will be burning brightly again soon.
- I used to burn candles all the time. For the last several months, though, I have laid off the candles and I’m using my essential oils diffusers instead. I like this for many reasons, not the last of which is that there’s less smoke in the house (see number one) and also because I can change the scent daily – or even more often should I choose. Some of my favorite combos lately have been lavender/lemon/peppermint, bergamot/sandalwood/myrrh, joy/geranium/cedarwood, and frankincense/sandalwood/geranium. The company I get my oils from, Young Living, has some great blends, too, including joy that I already mentioned plus peace & calming, release, valor and so much more. I still burn unscented tea lights and there are twinkle lights everywhere so I’m not missing scented candles at all.
- I lit myself on fire Tuesday night while making dinner. It was actually my sweater but still. Fire. ON MY PERSON. You’ll be glad to know I didn’t actually suffer any injuries. What happened was this . . . I leaned over the stove to get something from the cabinet above the microwave and my sweater, which is one of those cascade type styles with fringe, caught on fire. I didn’t even realize it at first and then I felt hot and looked down and . . . FLAMES. I know about stop, drop and roll but my kitchen floor is ceramic tile (and I’m old) so I went over to the sink and tried to smother the fire with a small dish cloth. Yeah, that didn’t work. Then I realized I was standing in front of the sink which has, you know, actual WATER, so I grabbed the spray nozzle and sprayed myself down. All the while I am yelling for Dale to come and help but he was in the bedroom with the vacuum cleaner going (nothing sexier than a man with a vaccum, I know, unless you’re on fire) and didn’t hear me. I got the sweater off and threw it in the sink and soaked it. But here’s the weird thing – aside from some of the fringe burning off, the rest of the sweater is absolutely fine. No singe marks. No burn holes. Nothing. All’s well that ends well but let me tell you, the song This Girl is on Fire will never be the same.
And that’s a wrap for this Thursday.
If you wrote a post for today please include your link below and thanks for joining in!
Giant YIKES!
Well. I’m certainly glad you put out that fire quickly. Because YIKES is right. And you almost made it to the end of burning season with your chimney! Too bad — but — think how nice it will be next fall . . . to not have to worry about your chimney at all. (Future Carole and Future Dale will be so happy.) I love using my essential oil diffusers. Our massage therapist got us started with Young Living oils years ago. So many options! Happy Thursday!
Whew! I’m glad your story has a happy ending 🙂 and maybe. just maybe?! you won’t NEED a fire inside this weekend!
Holy smokes! (ha-ha) Glad you’re okay!
As the saying goes, “You can be a good example, or serve as a horrible warning.” Let’s try to avoid becoming a PSA for the sake of the blog, eh? And now I’m going to have to listen to that song today.
Holy shite! That could have ended horrendously – and I am so glad it didn’t! I am with Mary and hoping there fires won’t be needed this weekend (unless they are outside! haha!)
What a story, Carole! Love your post, it sure woke me out of my groggy state this morning! Yikes. Glad you–and the sweater, for the most part–were unscathed. Kinda funny in the retelling, but a scary event. Thanks so much for hosting the link-up.
My second thought in reading this (after learning that you were okay) was that I hope it was not a hand-knit sweater that was on fire. It sounds like it might have been a purchased acrylic one that melted, but quite the cautionary tale. This post also contains one of the best lines you’ve written: “nothing sexier than a man with a vacuum, I know, unless you’re on fire”. Thanks for the lesson and a laugh.
Bonny’s right, you made me laugh out loud after I found out you had no injury. There is nothing sexier than a man with a vacuum unless you need him. You are a stitch! I set my apron on fire once, and I have never moved so fast. Fire does activate something in the reptilian brain, I think. Like others, I hope you don’t need a fire soon! Happy Thursday, Carole, and no more fire stories, please!
My first words…also YIKES! And so happy to see you made your way to the sink quickly! And Dale…you go guy! 🙂
Being ready for next year is the second best thing to wearing a hand knit sweater. I hate to think what you’d suffer if the sweater had not been wool! So happy to hear all’s well that ends well.
Yikes, indeed! I am so glad you are okay. And Dale? With a vacuum cleaner? Sexiest Man Alive!
Fire,wool sweater and man with a vacuum cleaner all in one sentence! I think I might combust. Seriously though, I’m glad you didn’t get burnt.
I’m so glad you didn’t burn yourself! I’m also laughing because I’ve set myself on fire twice. Well, actually more than that but…. I think of the multiple times I set my giant, pregnancy belly shirt on fire as “that one time.” Anyway, I had a giant, pregnancy belly and caught my maternity shirts on fire frequently. (We’ve always had gas stoves.) And the other time was after I’d broken my back, I was laying in the hospital bed in traction. It was the early ’80’s and you could smoke in hospitals and those nylon gym shorts with built in underwear were popular. Besides being popular, they were great for wearing while in traction. And I was smoking and dropped my cigarette. The cigarette hit those nylon shorts and Poof! The shorts simply disappeared. Luckily there was no flame, they just instantly melted and curled up and turned to a crunchy ash. And now I’m wondering, since there was no flame, did I really set myself on fire?
SO glad you were able to put the fire out so quickly!
Oh my! Recently I had an oven mitt in the oven as I had a pan under the broiler and turned around and it was ablaze-luckily Steve was there to help get it to the sink and extinguish-nothing like flames to throw you into a panic-including muppet flailing arms
If I ever write a novel, I think the first line has to be “there’s nothing sexier than a man with a vacuum cleaner, unless you’re on fire.”
Oh my, I am keeping away from fire whilst dressed.
Ohmigosh! That could have ended so much worse and I am so glad you’re okay. What you didn’t tell us, though, is if it was a hand-knit sweater. I’m guessing not, because wool likely wouldn’t have caught on fire so easily.
Scary situation with the flames!
Oh my goodness! I am glad that kitchen fire/sweater came out so well. And “Nothing sexier than a man with a vacuum” AMEN to that. My dear husband does most of the vacuuming around here to spare my back and I do appreciate that help. It is probably a good thing the wood stove chimney is getting cleaned. I don’t think you should tempt fate.
Do you use anti-static dryer sheets? I did the same thing once- except I literally said out loud “stop, drop & roll” and proceeded to do just that. My sweater was fine and I read afterwards that the Bounce just burns off. FYI I was in a kitchen too and asked my doctor friend Caity why she didn’t just douse me instead of stomping on me, and she said dousing can cause stream burns that are worse than the fire. Glad you’re OK!
Oops, that should have said Martha. The dog was rushing me.
Oh man, that is SCARY!! I’ve not lit my self/person/clothing on fire, but I have had something I was holding (dishtowel/potholder) start on fire. I’m so glad it ended well… and with vacuuming!