Well, maybe more than just oops.<P>I deep-fried fish "tenders" Tuesday evening, turned the stove off and left the oil in the pot on the stove to cool.<P>Well, I THOUGHT I'd turned the stove off. The dial goes all the way around, and must've flipped over from off to high and I didn't realize it.<P>Yep. Set fire to the kitchen. I took my food into the living room where the computer desk is, sat down and worked on my email. While I was doing that, the oil in the pot was heating to the flashpoint, apparently.<P>My smoke detector is about the most useless thing going. It goes off if I overbrown my toast, but didn't go off until AFTER I'd already smelled the smoke and gotten up to see four flames leaping out of my pan of oil and licking at the ceiling. It was not pretty. I grabbed the phone to call 911, realized I was on line, panicked and then just shut the computer off. Called 911 and got the fire department dispatched. I realized it was an oil fire and I couldn't throw water on it ... I remember that being drilled into my head when I was learning to cook...<P>I ran into the bedroom and grabbed a heavy throw off the bed, tossed it into the bathtub and turned on the water, then ran back <BR>out into the kitchen to see if it was any worse. I heard glass breaking (it was a canning jar on the counter next to the stove). Ducked outside and took some deep breaths (the smoke, at this point, was down to my waist) ran back in and grabbed the now soaking wet blanket, intending to throw the whole thing over the stove if I had to. I tried to remember what closet the baking soda was in, but by then the smoke was so thick that I couldn't see into the closets anyway. At that point, I realized that the oil fire had burned itself out, but there were still flames from some of the stuff on the counter. I threw bowls full of water on that stuff and put the fire out.<P>Then the fire company arrived. I went outside barefoot and didn't even realize it until I was in the street... I was wondering if I'd have to tell them it was my apartment, but they probably figured I was the one <BR>that called since I had soot all over my face and hands, my hair was sticking out in all kinds of directions and I was barefoot.<P>They asked me if I was all right, and then came upstairs. The village police officer came out of the apartment as we went in. I <BR>hadn't even realized they had come - he must have come up the other side as I was going down to meet the firemen. The fire department checked out the scene to be sure it was really out, then brought up a HUGE fan they refer to as a "smoke ejector".<P>By the time they got it started (it's a gas powered fan with a pull start), the smoke had moved completely out of the kitchen into the <BR>bedroom. The fan, however, moves so much air that they were able to clear the entire house.<P>Then I called my mother. By this time it was after 12am. I talked to her, then she called my sister (who works for 911 in another <BR>county) who called me. We talked for a while and she insisted that I call my sister in law, who is a nurse and works with the fire department and rescue squad. So, I woke them up and she asked me some questions about how I felt ... for some reason, I never thought about carbon monoxide poisoning related to fires... I always thought of nose, sinus, throat and lung irritation, but never realized that CO poisoning was a factor. We<BR>decided that I was ok in that respect, but the inside of my nose was BLACK with soot,<BR>and there were black marks like smudges below each nostril, where I'd inhaled the sooty smoke!<P>I really need to eat out more often ...<P>------------------<BR>terri<BR>No, I'm not a Marriage Counselor,<BR>But I did sleep at a <BR>Holiday Inn Express last night...<BR>

I'm glad you're all right. What a scare that must have been, but you sound like you were very cool-headed.<P>Stay healthy & yes, eat out!

terri:<P>Glad you’re OK. I actually broke down and sent you a mail asking about this after I read about it elsewhere. How are the cats?<BR>

So much for sleeping at the Holiday Inn Express!<P>I'm glad you're OK.<P>SHA

Thanks, Lor, WhoDat ...<P>I have been trying to arrange with my landlord's insurance company to send an adjuster out to assess the damage, but haven't been able to speak to them. Now I have to wait until Monday.<P>I can't decide if I've developed excellent coping skills or if the "other shoe" is going to drop sometime I'm doing pretty well, considering! Really, I continue to amaze myself with my resilience all the time!<P>Y'know, I don't remember the last time I posted here about myself. Life has been busy busy busy since mid-August. I have had lots of trouble at work (witch-hunt - and I got picked, I guess) and have a union grievance filed about a position that I applied for that was given to a person who has only been working there for 2.5 years (I've been there 9). The same decision-maker who hired the other person has created some real problems in just about every area he supervises, resulting in my being busy with other people's gripes, since I'm a union steward! Add to this that I took a part time job in the Academic Support Center (I work full time in a different office) as evening supervisor 2 nights a week, I'm enrolled in two classes and I still have my Christian singing group ... I barely have time to come up for air.<P>Where does my husband fit into all this? Well, he doesn't ... it appears that all the progress we made this summer has evaporated since the slug left her job and went back to her old job - undoubtedly with hours exactly the same as his... I'm actually starting to feel annoyed - some of you are probably cheering to hear that <P>At any rate ... that's my life right now. I'm not sure if I'm enjoying it or not ... I'm too tired to figure it out! <P>------------------<BR>terri<BR>No, I'm not a Marriage Counselor,<BR>But I did sleep at a <BR>Holiday Inn Express last night...<BR>

Woops, forgot to answer WhoDat's question about the cats. They are ok. They were a little freaked by all the activity - one of them hid somewhere for about 4 hours, the other one was cowering in the living room until I put him into the spare room (which, being closed all the time, was smoke free). As of today, they seem to have recovered pretty well, but are sticking close by most of the time. Except that the gray and white one looks like he rolled in the soot! All of his white is soot gray! <P>SHA, we must have been posting at the same time ... Thanks. Sorry to hear that things have been difficult for you... {{{hugs}}}<P>------------------<BR>terri<BR>No, I'm not a Marriage Counselor,<BR>But I did sleep at a <BR>Holiday Inn Express last night...<BR>

PS ... haven't gotten any email ... ?

Egad!! That sounds like something I would do!!<P>Glad everyone is okay.... and you made me LOL with the "guess we need to eat out more often" ... I'm still chuckling <P>You're doing great!!<P>------------------<BR>~Sheryl<P>Marriage: the most important contract you'll ever enter into, and the most sacred.<P><BR>

terri:<P>send me a mail then; I don't have your address any more.<P>------------------<BR>No marriage was ever healed by the judicious application of hatred.

Terri, glad you're okay. When it rains it pours...