Friday, November 16, 2012

Fire & Mayhem on the Farm

We had a fire.. in the kitchen.. here is how it happened.  We went shopping for Thanksgiving on Wednesday.. when we got home Dayle brought in a heavy bag and swung it up onto the cooktop where we would unload the bag.  He then went outside and was moving my car and getting some pellets.  I headed to the other end of the house and was taking some pillow shams out of the packaging.. and started to hear a beeping, then I smelled smoke.. so I headed down the hall and saw FLAMES on the stove!!  What had happened was that when D put the heavy bag on the counter/cooktop, he'd accidentally hit the knob and turned the burner on high.. and the bag of groceries caught on fire!
When I walked into the kitchen, miniature marshmallows were flying through the air, and  melted marshmallows all over the floor, fresh cranberries were popping and flying through the air and were all over the floor and a bag of bread cubes were burning like coal, the flames were 2 feet high!  I admit, in retrospect, that I did not perform well in this emergency.  My main action was to go to the back door and scream at the top of my lungs for Dayle.. instead of dumping water on it myself.  :-(  When he got in we both worked to get water on the fire and we put it out.  The neighbor lady and her friend showed up, they'd heard me yelling for Dayle.. come to find out the guy was a firefighter and helped us immensely by helping D get the smoldering things out of the house and told us how to air out the house, etc.  He told us that a few minutes more and the paper towels would have ignited and the whole kitchen would have burned, if not the whole house.  ::sigh::
The microwave is "toast" and so is the stove.  There is just a bit of charring on the cabinet to the right of the main burned part.  We really actually got off lucky.  The house was full of smoke and still smells smoky, but it could have been sooooo much worse. 
Yesterday we spent all afternoon visiting appliance stores to find replacements.  You don't know how important your microwave and stove are until they are not there for you.  Happily, we found what we wanted at the last place visited, which is a local small store in Gresham.  I am happy to buy from a family owned store.  AND.. they are bringing them to install them this very afternoon!! 
On to happier things.. the 3 Christmas Cactuses in my garden window are in bloom.  And after getting that colorful duvet cover, I realized we needed some colorful pillows, so we went back to the store and found these pillow shams to match.  I still want to do a crochet pillow in these colors.. someday.
Should I do a round?  Bolster?  Square?  All three? :-)
See the skylights over the bed?  I love them.  When you wake up, you know right away what the weather is.  Rain?  Dry?  Blue skies?  Snow?   
I will try to get some photos of the new stuff in the kitchen after they put it all in.  We also got a new dishwasher as.. :-)... I fell into it a few years back and bent the hinges.  OK, we seem to be a couple of clumsy screw-ups, huh?  LOL!  I hope you all have a great weekend!!  I'm going to a really neat art/craft show tomorrow with my younger sister.  I'll take some photos to share with you.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

53 comments:

  1. I'm so relieved you are both ok, Teresa. It must have been very frightening.
    Your bedroom looks amazing!
    Abi x

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    1. Thank you, Abi. It was very scary - hubby and I have been kind of nervous ever since. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  2. I've been waiting for this post ever since reading about it on Facebook. I'm am so happy you, Dayle and your beloved farmhouse are okay. And new appliances never hurt do they? :-) You are truly one lucky and blessed lady to not have more serious damage.

    And I say, make all three pillows. You can never have too many pillows!

    Blessings and love my dear friend,

    Betsy

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    1. Betsy.. you can bet I've been going over in my mind how awful it would have been if we hadn't gotten the fire out before it got worse. I think of trying to rescue photo albums, the dog, cat and my laptop computer.. and all that we would have lost. My antiques, dishes, clocks... beads.. ::sigh:: and then I think of all the people that lost everything in Hurricane Sandy. ::whew::

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  3. Goodness! I'm so glad you two are OK? Look at the bright side...new appliances. Those are always cool. You two need to be more careful!

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    1. Yep, we need to be more careful. Lesson learned. :-)

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  4. Oh Teresa, how frightening.

    Glad you're both ok.

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    1. It really was.. I share my story so other's can learn what not to do. :-)

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  5. Good Lord, Teresa! How frightening! You know, I sling my bags of groceries on top of my stove every time I walk in the door...and I ALWAYS have a nagging feeling about doing so. We have a gas stove (sounds like yours is/was electric)so the chance of turning it on and getting heat isn't there - BUT there's always the chance that someone has just turned off the burner and the grate could be hot. It's just a nagging feeling that comes over me - and when I read what happened to you, I cringed! And your reaction...we never know how we'll react when confronted with the real deal - adrenalin does funny things to us. I think I would have done the same thing! Someone needs to tell Santa you guys need a little house sized fire extinguisher! It's something we should all have near our kitchens! And trying to save your belongings...hmmmm, that's an overwhelming thought, isn't it? Dog and cat are probably first priority. Laptop doesn't have to be. Can I make a suggestion? (OK, I'm going to make a few suggestions...) You need to tell Santa that you want a little external hard drive that attaches to your laptop. Onto that external, you need to save every photo, every document...anything that you would normally place on your laptop's hard drive. If it's something REALLY critical, save it to the laptop AND a copy on the external hard drive! Then you just have to grab the little tiny external hard drive in an emergency. It's much smaller and easier to carry and can slip into a pocket. It will leave you more arm capacity...room for an antique. But the external hard drive also protects you from losing docs and photos should your laptop crash. I never, ever save ANYTHING to my laptop. It always goes on my external. Can't tell you how many times that has saved me. OK, suggestion #2...routinely make a copy of your original photos on DVDs. I try to do this job once every quarter. If I've taken a lot of photos, I do it at the end of the month. I'm a back up queen...it's easy once you get in the habit. I save my "Favorites" list routinely (onto my external), I save all things I don't want to lose. And my final suggestion...and it's a BIG task...but you can start chipping away at it slowly. Those family photos of yours...those that are in frames, in photo albums, in boxes...they are from the days before we had digital. You need a scanner and you need to scan them and save them all to DVDs. Make two copies of each DVD (do this for your original digital photos as well). One stays in your home in a box, the other gets sent to someone you trust and they keep a copy for you. One DVD can hold a lot of scans - and were you to lose the originals, those scanned copies would be your savior. You could grab your external hard drive, run out the door, save yourself, your hubby, the cat, the dog and a small antique item or two - and know that your photos are elsewhere in safekeeping.

    I'm assuming you have photos of all your treasures...and hopefully those photos are on DVDs - a copy at your home and a copy at someone else's house. All your vital records too!

    Soooooo, busy lady...there's a laundry list of to do's to keep you busy through 2013...but if you start now, you might be done by the end of next year. And, I promise, you'll thank me if you ever need any of it. I've often thought of starting a business doing this for people. It's something that NO ONE wants to take the time to do, but when they need it and have it...it's priceless. Sorry for such a long comment. (It makes up for all the weeks I've been silent recently.) Hugs to you my friend...and I'm sooooo glad you guys are ok! Hugs, Annette

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    1. Our daughter-in-law brought a fire extinguisher over as a gift for us the next day.. tied with a bow. :-) I actually have a Time Capsule which is my wireless backup drive, and I'd grab that along with my laptop. As for the photos.. that would be a huge project to scan all the old ones.. but will think of doing that someday. As for all our treasures.. we plan to take photos of everything and keep the copies of that in our safe.

      You should start a business of helping people get organized! I'd hire you, lol! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. P.S. I LOVE your bed and the skylights!

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  7. Mrs. Teresa, I am glad you all ok and the only thing that was lost was a few food items, a stove, and a microwave!! I am guilty of putting shopping bags on the stovetop as well! I think I may have to refrain from doing so from now on though! Again, I am glad you and Dayle and puppy and kitty are all ok.

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    1. Hi Erin.. I hope in telling my story you won't put groceries on the stovetop anymore. :-)
      ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  8. Oh my, thank goodness you are ok.

    Must have been very upsetting.

    Helenxx

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    1. Hi Helen, I'm still a nervous wreck, actually. The new appliances are supposed to arrive in a few hours.
      ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  9. Teresa, I'm so glad you and Dayle are OK! What a scare for both of you and how lucky your neighbor was there and able to assist! (OR GOOD THING YOU HAVE A LOUD SCREAM) You guys BE CAREFUL......I have grown to care for you both and want you safe!
    OK I'm done preaching, have a fun weekend and enjoy your new appliances.
    xoRobin❤

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    1. Thank you, Robin.. we've grown to care for you too. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  10. Well, aren't we a pair? I'm glad we both lived to tell another tale.. huh? I'll probably have to wait until after the holidays to start on pillows for the bed.. but will do it one day. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  11. Oh my goodness Teresa I am so relieved that you and Dayle are ok. That must have been so frightening. Please, please take care of yourselves. You certainly have something else to say thank you for. Love and hugs Anne x

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    1. Anne, you are right.. we'll have extra thanks to give on Thanksgiving, next Thursday!
      ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  12. Good Lord Girl!!!!!! Thank goodness your house did not burn down and no one was injured!!! How scary was that!! It would be hard to keep one's wits about them when panic sets in. Years ago I had a garage sale and on Sunday morning I decided to heat up some left over Hamburger Helper on the stove. I went out the kitchen into the garage to do something quick and got side tracked, completely forgetting the stove was on. Two hours later my coffee was working on me and I had to go pee, and what greeted me was a smoky house and a pan of burnt up left overs smoking away on the stove! I had the good sense to grab a couple of pot holders and I ran out of the kitchen into the back yard and threw the skillet in the grass, where it remained for almost 2 weeks. My house was a mess and the ac had been on all that time. It never reached the living room nor the bedroom, thank god, but my kitchen had a greasy smoky film all over everything. The Tupperware in the cupboards had a nice smell to it and everything had to be washed down. They have those smoke sponges that are used by professionals for smoke damage, you wipe down the walls and it removes any soot and smell. Our insurance company paid for clean up and because I refused to have professionals do it they gave me some kind of perk. My husband was out working in his wood shop at the time of my craziness, I had doors and windows open and fans blowing smoke out of the house. I know I looked like a crazy woman cause he said he never saw the doors and windows fly open that fast before. I was so disgusted with myself. When I finally forgave myself enough to clean up that cooking pan, I still had the constant reminder of a black round circle in the grass in the back yard where the pan had been thrown, lol.....So glad you guys were not hurt in all of this.
    (((HUGS))) Susanne :)

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    1. Wow, Susanne.. what a story! I actually almost burned the house down 20 years ago. I was heading out to an all day event and thought I'd put on a pot of beans to simmer while I was away.. (my mom always did that) so I put the beans and water on the stove and turned it on high to get it started.. but forgot to turn it on low! I was up on Larch Mt. to watch our community cutting down the xmas tree for downtown Portland and a local policeman who was my neighbor was there and told me our smoke alarm was going off, but the police looked in the window and didn't see anything.. I asked him if he'd call school and have my son go home and check on it, when he got here the house was full of smoke and he did the same thing by running the pot outside. He saved our house from burning down! I learned a big lesson.. never ever leave something on the stove while gone.

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  13. OH MY GOODNESS! you poor thing...how scary! Thank goodness it was just little minor damage and so glad you were not home alone and you both are safe! Take care my dear friend....OH, your room is so beautiful...I say all three pillows for I love a lot of pillows!!! Hugs, Shari!

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    1. It was minor damage, but ruined the microwave and stove.. but thank goodness it wasn't worse.
      ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. I know! Thanks for playing Draw Something with me! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  15. Your bedroom is lovely, as is your Christmas cactus! So glad your fire wasn't any worse. We have had a couple of fires at our house over the years...thankfully not serious...just mostly a lot of smoke! Hope you get everything replaced in time for Thanksgiving! Enjoy your weekend.

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    1. We got the stove in today, the microwave hopefully tomorrow. The dishwasher.. we have to have a plumber move some pipes so we can get the Bosch to fit.. it's always something! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  16. Seriously, you all are lucky. What a shame. But, you seem to be handling it all so well. I would have had a meltdown....sorry about that pun. Let me know if you have any tricks to get out the smoke smell. I heard that bowls and bowls of white vinegar help. Try and have a peaceful weekend.

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  17. I am so glad you are both okay. That could have been so much worse. Glad you were able to get replacements so quickly. It's nice that you were able to use a local family business, also. Love the skylights above the bed. How nice to lie that at night and see the stars! Hope your weekend is calm and doesn't have anymore surprises.

    Hugs,
    Sharon

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  18. Oh my, yes, that could have been so much worse. A good reminder to everyone not to put things on top of the oven. Glad everyone ok and damage restricted.
    Lovely bedding.
    My Christmas cactus has just started flowering too.
    Hope you have a restful weekend.
    Carol xx

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  19. That's awful, Teresa but so easily done accidentally. Just glad you are both ok.

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  20. I've commented already in Facebook, but what a scare!!! I'm glad you are ok and nothing worse happened...
    Enjoy your new appliances!!!
    Love,
    shanti

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  21. OMG Teresa ! Fires are such scarey things - thank goodness it was confined to one area and that the rest of your lovely house is ok. Re the pillows my vote goes to all three. Hope you enjoy the craft show. Xoxox

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  22. What some people will do to get new appliances, ha ha.

    Happy you all are OK and the house is still standing.

    Love the bedroom and the cactus is so beautiful.

    Please be careful with your next shopping trip.

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  23. So glad you both are ok. :)

    The bedroom looks so cozy.

    Happy Weekend. :)

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  24. So sorry to hear what happened Theresa! Glad to know that you and your husband are ok! Blessings dear friend!

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  25. So thankful that you both weren't hurt and that your house was--for the most part--not hurt by the fire!!
    Blessings,
    Aimee
    PS: LOVE your skylight:)

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  26. You were SO lucky!!!! Wow!
    New appliances....I would swoon for it!!!
    Have fun tomorrow!!
    xo Kris

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  27. Ohh Teresa, what a scare reading this blog post's title and first sentence, I am SO happy both of you are ok! It must have been absolutely petrifying to smell the smoke and see the flames, you poor thing. I hope the nervousness after a scare like this will pass quickly, it's perfect that you can go to a craft show with your sis, plenty of distraction! Can't wait to see your pictures (ooh, and of your new appliances as well ;-)) Many hugs to you and Dayle! xxxx

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  28. I'm so sorry about the fire in your kitchen... That can be so scary, I'm glad u found it before it got worst and that you both are safe. The bed spred look great. My opinion wound be for a round pillow as it would match the shape of your bed really well. Hope you have fun at the craft show. Which one are you going to ... . Have a great weekend.

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  29. I am sorry for that accident in your kitchen, thanks God that only things were damaged and none of your family! Be careful next time.
    I loved your bedroom and I was always dreaming of a bed with alcove. Looks very royal and cozy at the same time.
    Have a great weekend and take care! Anna

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  30. Gosh Teresa I am so pleased to here that you are all OK and just a small amount of damage. That must have been very frightening. Fire moves SO quickly. Your bedroom looks fab with the new bed linen it must be a lovely place to sleep in. Enjoy the weekend and be safe ;0)
    Jane x

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  31. Oh my goodness!!!! You are both so lucky that the fire was contained ina short amount of time. It could have been so devastating. I am so glad you are both okay and that the damage was minimal. You gave me such a scare reading this post!
    Special hugs to you both.
    Meredith

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  32. Thank goodness it wasn't worse! I often set my groceries on the stove too. Maybe not such a good idea.

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  33. I'm so glad you are safe, what a terrible thing to happen.

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  34. Thank God you are OK and you caught the fire on time! It sounds like an Everybody Loves Raymond episode I saw once!

    I hope your insurance will cover the appliances and the repairs!

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  35. So glad you are both safe and not too much damage was done by the fire....scary how easy it is to start one though!! Your descriptions of being accident prone made me smile! I love the look of your cosy bed :) Hope you enjoy the new appliances and how lucky you could get them in time for Thanksgiving!
    Have a happy weekend, Teresa.
    Helen x

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  36. Gosh, Teresa. You sure are taking it well. Granted, it could have been so much worse. Good thing you stayed in the house. I'm glad to hear you are already getting replacements and having everything taken care of in there.

    As for the crocheted rocks, I saw them on so many blogs, so just started playing around. I have never followed a pattern. Just make it up as I go along -- depending on the size and shape of the rock. There are some out there that are so intricate and fancy. I like mine even if they are rather simple -- some come out better than others, but all grouped together, I think they make for a very unique display.

    Wishing you all the best, Tammy

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  37. When I was single I had a fire in my kitchen. My broiler caught on fire and flames leapt up the wall and wouldn't you know it I just froze in place! I couldn't remember a darned thing to do or not to do. Lucky for me a friend pulled up in the driveway and I went and screamed the house is on fire, and he put it out for me. Isn't it awful we just freeze? I'm so happy your neighbor was close. Right now my self cleaning oven is frozen, won't open after a cleaning. Repair guy coming Monday, but not certain I'll even have it fixed by Thursday!

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  38. wow!! what a shocking story. i am so relieved that you're okay after all the terrible things happened. yes, really it could've been worse.
    hope you fix your kitchen nicer than before and then get back to have lovely crochet time!!

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  39. Ohhh no Teresa!! I'm sorry about your poor stove and microwave but you're very lucky, not worth thinking about how bad it could have been :o

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  40. We had a kitchen fire several years ago Teresa which culminated in us having to have a new kitchen. Fortunately the insurance covered it and the kitchen was the only room damaged (fire brigade were brilliant and here in next to no time.) The whole house smelled of smoke though and there was lots of wall washing, carpet cleaning etc. We count ourselves lucky though as it could have been so much worse - how much worse doesn't bear thinking about. It's very scary and like yours, ours was started by a knob accidently being turned to high. You, like us, will be super careful now - paranoid for a little while. Glad to hear all is ok.

    Liz T

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