"LOVE IS...HEARING HIS VOICE LONG DISTANCE"After a harrowing experience on Tuesday I thought I would shuffle my way through my endless collection of "LOVE IS..." clippings in hopes of finding one that might better say what I'm feeling in my heart this very moment~
Here's the Back Story...
I'm a "Do-It-Yourself kinda Curler-Girl". I am! I have lots of hair but it's very fine and if I only blow-dry my tresses then there is absolutely NO OOMPH and my hair lays FLAT ON MY HEAD (follow me?). So, everyday, as is my morning ritual, I put the LARGEST HOT ROLLERS I have (my set ONLY holds the big ones) in my hair, hoping against hope I can fool my locks into believing they actually have some body...
So, on Tuesday morning before jumping into the shower I plugged in my trusty set of Hot Rollers and readied myself for the day. I emerged a few minutes later fully refreshed and feeling fine! I opted to let our Miss Mollie outside for a quick visit to her favorite tree before returning to my office (bathrobe on, towel on head) to check my email and to print out some invoices. No more than 15 minutes had passed since I'd lathered up and covered my body with moisturizer.
Then it hit me. All of a sudden I smelled smoke! I mean a lot of it. A LOT OF SMOKE!
I ran to my hall (the one I've shown you with my grandfather's clock) and realized the stairwell was a hazy from floor to ceiling. I hurried down the steps looking frantically for the source of the smoke... The phone rings...it's my son. I tell him of the smoke and then hang up after he promises to call his father who left our state earlier in the day on business...
I see nothing...the upstairs appears to be smokier than the downstairs so I take the steps two at a time to reach the top. After quickly eying each room I still see nothing. I also realize my SMOKE ALARM is NOT going off. I'm TRYING not to panic.
I'm doing a poor job of faking it. I grab my beloved Yorkie and my cell phone.
I'm doing a poor job of faking it. I grab my beloved Yorkie and my cell phone.
I begin to punch in those three little numbers (I'VE PRAYED MY ENTIRE LIFE TO NEVER NEED) while I'm still running from from room to room (half clothed) to find the source of the smoke. I realize my entire master bedroom is also filled with a dusty gray haze. My mind is racing and even though only a few seconds have passed since I first noticed the smoke, my house is filling up fast.
In my head I'm thinking "No candles are lit...I had cold cereal for breakfast...no oven heat...no toaster...". I'm about to push the last ONE in 9-1-1 when I reach my bathroom vanity and see this...
A SHOCKING SITEMy Hot Rollers were on FIRE with thick smoke pouring out of the top. I go into power-mode. I'm crazy-calm even though my little doggie is crying from the tight grip I have on her four-pound body.
I grab a decorative cloth hanging by my sink and use it to unplug the cord (which wasn't hot or burned by the way). Removing the damp towel off my head I then covered the Curlers and ran back down my foggy stairs tossing the blistering hot set of rollers out onto the concrete.
I felt dazed from the confusion when the ringing of my cell phone shocked me back to reality. I struggle to find it amidst the twisted, tangled pocket of my now soot-covered robe. The person on the other end of the phone was my hubby. Obviously my son had reached my hero...
I blurted out "MY Hot Rollers were on FIRE! They MELTED" or something like that. "Mollie is safe...we are OUT! The house is full of smoke and my eyes are burning...but we are SAFE!"
Now...I realized two very important things yesterday that I must share with you...
FIRST and most importantly, not having a PLAN could have cost me my life! I did the exact opposite of what I should have done! GET OUT and then call 911~ I put my life in great danger when I chose to go back upstairs.
SECOND...TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS and REPLACE aging ones with NEW ONES! Despite the fact the one we had at the top of the stairs had a new battery it did NOT GO OFF. If it had been working properly I would have found the smoldering rollers long before my home filled up with thick, gray smoke which scared the life out of me...
In the end I find I'm most thankful for another day to spend with my family...another day to share the deep love I have for my beloved and another day to offer up praise to the Most High for His love, grace and protective hand. We have an awesome God.
Blessings to you as you make a smart plan and stick to it...Rebecca
I grab a decorative cloth hanging by my sink and use it to unplug the cord (which wasn't hot or burned by the way). Removing the damp towel off my head I then covered the Curlers and ran back down my foggy stairs tossing the blistering hot set of rollers out onto the concrete.
I felt dazed from the confusion when the ringing of my cell phone shocked me back to reality. I struggle to find it amidst the twisted, tangled pocket of my now soot-covered robe. The person on the other end of the phone was my hubby. Obviously my son had reached my hero...
I blurted out "MY Hot Rollers were on FIRE! They MELTED" or something like that. "Mollie is safe...we are OUT! The house is full of smoke and my eyes are burning...but we are SAFE!"
Now...I realized two very important things yesterday that I must share with you...
FIRST and most importantly, not having a PLAN could have cost me my life! I did the exact opposite of what I should have done! GET OUT and then call 911~ I put my life in great danger when I chose to go back upstairs.
SECOND...TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS and REPLACE aging ones with NEW ONES! Despite the fact the one we had at the top of the stairs had a new battery it did NOT GO OFF. If it had been working properly I would have found the smoldering rollers long before my home filled up with thick, gray smoke which scared the life out of me...
In the end I find I'm most thankful for another day to spend with my family...another day to share the deep love I have for my beloved and another day to offer up praise to the Most High for His love, grace and protective hand. We have an awesome God.
Blessings to you as you make a smart plan and stick to it...Rebecca
36 comments:
So thankful that you are alright Rebecca! That must have been pretty scary. I'm going to check my smoke alarms first thing in the morning. Hope today goes smoother.
Blessings to you and yours, Lisa
Wow...so glad you and yorkie are ok..How scary would that be...Hope all is well now and things get back to normal soon...praysers for you and yours...hugs to.
I oftentimes left my hot rollers plugged.
Thank God you are all safe.
Oh Rebecca, bless your heart!! That must have been so terribly frightening! Who would have thought that the curler set would have caught on fire and completely melted? Yikes!! I once had a blow dryer catch on fire..but of course with a blow dryer, your standing right there...but this is just too scary. Bless you friend, I hope that there wasn't too much clean up for you. Oh Dear~!
Wow Rebecca, this certainly is a good lesson. I plug my rollers in all the time, and go about doing other things. Whew, thank the Lord that you are safe and that there was not more damage.
Ohmygosh, that must have been frightening, sugar!!!! Like you I have a thick head of baby fine hair but I perm it for the body. BUT I use gel and a curling iron for the "fluff" and don't ever use those fire hazard curlers again. HOWEVER, recently my blow dryer exploded on me and nearly set ME on fire and scared the living heck outta me. Of course, hubs/Love Bunny was gone and took it all in stride since I phoned him about it and since I was able to do that he figured I was ALIVE!!!!! Sometimes I wanna just pop that man, chickee! But he loves me beyond reason even if he does drag me kicking and screaming into the wilds of Idaho to "CAMPPPPPPPP"!!
But you are right, get those alarms fixed with new batteries posthaste!
xoxo,
Connie
You had me scared for a minute, but Thankful everything is alright.
You are right. I don't think most of us really think about what to do in case of a fire in the home. We are told what to do, but do we really practice a way out if the time comes.
We live in a one story and I told my Hubby that I would jump out of a window since we have so many in each room, but first I would make sure that no one was left behind.
I am so Happy that everything was find and no one was hurt.
Oh sweet Rebecca, that must have been awful for you! I am so glad things turned out okay. It could have been such a tragedy. Why do things like that happen when the men are out of the house? I think you did pretty good considering the circumstances.
We have a fire plan at our house because of Landon's disability. I have even alerted the fire department of his location in the house and his limitations so that in case Dale and I are overcome with smoke they will be able to help him. My biggest fear is fire.
I'm so glad your okay (even with flat hair). You make my day brighter.
Hugs,
June
Oh, Rebecca, I am SOOO glad you are alright, & the doggie! I knew you were not feeling well just from your note ... How harrowing an experience for you.
THANK GOD things worked out with no major issues. We are grateful that you are safe.
We've had an experience that alerted us to always double check our alarms twice a year.
Hugs of love, TTFN ~ Marydon
Hello Rebecca,
Oh my goodness! How scary is that. Glad you and your fur baby are okay.
Debbie
Hi Rebecca~
I am so glad, you and your Yorkie are o.k. May Today be a better Day for you. Take care!
So glad you & your furbaby are o.k. When I read this it sent chills up my spine & down my arms. It is amazing how complacent we get with everyday life!!
God Blessed you...
Love You!!
Marilyn
Oh Rebecca, what a scare. When we lived in the bay area and I was in high school, we had an electrical fire in the middle of the night. It destroyed the home and was something that I still carry with me today. The scent of smoke brings it all back whenever I smell that particular ordor. I am so grateful you and yours are fine. I am sorry you had to go thru all that, maybe limp hair is the way to go afterall. Char
HOW SCARY!! Glad you and little doggie are safe though! I'm definitely checking my smoke alarms. Have a wonderful day today! Traci
Ooohh ~r~,
I can't believe this happenend.. I do this all the time !! They had to short out or something !! You need to contact the company that made that particular set !! That is a default of some sort.. That could of been devastating if you had left.. Can you imagine !! I had to giggle tho, when you were to call 911..Bathrobe, wet hair.. that's NOT when we want the firemen coming !! hahaha..I bet your pretty home still smells like a bbq !! I'm just glad my friend is safe !! And than, Mr. Wonderful calls.. Aaahhh.. He is a hero !! Okay sweetie, get dressed, and go buy NEW rollers today !! Big ones, and they come in PINK !!! What could be better !! Love and blessings to you as you roll your pretty hair today !!
huggers ~tea~
xo
Rebecca, thanking our dear Lord for His mercy. So glad you are okay......I have goosebumps.
Blessings this day!
Barb
Oh my goodness! how very scary for you! I am so glad you are alright.
Just last week I was drying my hair and our hairdryer starting smoking, I quickly turned it off and call for hubby.. it was time for a new hairdryer. You are right about checking your smoke alarms. The ones we have will beep to alert you when the battery is low.
Take care and enjoy your day,
Elizabeth
Oh, Rebecca! How terrifying this must have been! I'm so thankful you and your little dog and your lovely home are all okay! Silly old rollers! I guess flat hair is okay - at least it didn't get singed! :) You'd be beautiful if you had no hair! ;)
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
That would be a scary experience. So happy you are ok. God was sure watching out for you.
Oh my goodness what a day and what a story! I'm glad to hear all turned out safe and well! I hope your day today is as peaceful and relaxing as yesterday wasn't. Hope you find a new (safer) set of hot rollers too.
Cathy ♥
Well, I would have done the same thing in my panic. Glad you and puppy are safe and I hope there was no damage to your lovely home. What a blessing!! God is good.
karen
Rebecca,
I am glad you and your little yorkie are safe. I had a similar experience with a clothes dryer one time! It is so scary to see smoke filling up your house, isn't it. Hope the rest of your week is less eventful. Sending blessings your way. Vicki
Hi Rebecca...Rebecca here. Glad everything turned out well. Hope the house wasn't too stinky that it damaged anything. I recently had a curling iron overheat on me and I didn't realize it either and burnt my bangs...to frizz! Another feature is the fuses on the electrical outlet in your bathroom. I have one on the plugin I use for the appliances. Unfortunately it doesn't shut off stupidity...lol
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by today
Blessings
Rebecca
Oh no! I'm so glad you are safe! I'm the same as you, I would have gone to investigate the smoke, if I didn't have any little ones in the house. If I didn't see any flames or see any fire, I would have checked it out. Years ago, the fan in my parents bathroom ceiling caught fire and I pulled a hose through the window and put it out!
I know it probably wasn't the safest thing, but it was easy to put out and my exit was in no danger of being blocked. We did call 911 and they checked everything out to make sure it hasn't spread to the roof or in the rafters. The fire stayed in the metal piping/flashing. We had a big water mess from the hose though. I think we are more apt to risk our own lives than have our loved ones risked. I'm glad everything turned out and there was a happy ending. The rollers weren't so lucky!
Oh Rebecca! I'm glad all is ok with y'all! What a scary situation!
I better check our smoke detector here!
Blessings,
Sandra
Oh my Rebecca...so happy that you are safe...You are so right...We have a Awesome God! Love the cliping you have posted...You take care of those fire alarms so it can warn you next time...Take care...Smiles and Hugs...Katherinellen
You are so lucky. I would hate to see if you did just call 911 and go out the door..all your beautiful things you have worked so hard to put together..wow..so glad you and your baby yorkie are safe. Hope you can get it all cleaned and the smell out.They have people around here that come in and do all that..special cleaners.. I have to tell you when I first looked at the picture of the hot curlers..I couldnt figure out what it was..I thought it was a tray of sushi...Yikes..Well I know how important the hot rollers are..they just put more fluff into the hair than curling irons. Speaking from a hairdressers view...Bless you..sally
Hi Rebecca!
I am hotter than a firecracker and I wanted to share the latest with you about the State of Oklahoma. Amy was denied hyperal today by the State of Oklahoma. Because she has been ill and lost her job, and has no insurance they will not pay for the hyperal to feed her to make her strong to prepare for her surgery on Monday. Now can you imagine that? Now they are God and they can decide if you do or do not need to be fed. Amy is down to 74 pounds, and they turned them down FLAT. Thank you Oklahoma. I will never forget this. Dr. Medina in Okla City was absolutely furious, so what the plan is: They are going to be in OKC Friday for a pep scan that Amy has to have. Dr. Medina is going to admit her to the hospital and feed her until Sunday night. Then I guess they will let her go from the hospital so she can check in to Presbytarian Monday morning. They are in the process of trying to get assistance from the Cancer Society for a place to stay in the city while Amy is going through surgery and recovery. Supposedly there is some hotel that the cancer society helps with by only charging the family $12.00 a night. I pray that comes through for them. So many things against them. Amy and Debbie have battled this whole process. I just had to write you and let you know the latest about the Great State of Oklahoma. When they were working they had taxes taken out of their checks and they pay taxes like everyone else, but yet she doesn't deserve to be fed. Imagine that? Talk to you soon honey. Love, Sherry
Hi
As I was reading this post I was saying out loud "oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy oy." How lucky for you and Mollie that you were home - I'm so glad you two are ok.
Good motivation for me to make a plan and know where important stuff is to grab quickly. Here in earthquakeland I always go to bed with something to wear (especially a bra) right next to my bed.
So glad it wasn't worse - that was scary enough.
What next, Rebecca, what next?
Marsha
Rebecca...how frightening! We just installed new smoke alarms through out our home..but..not in our bedroom or the bath. Tomorrow we buy two more! Howard resisted at first...but finally decided to do it..thank heavens. Shortly after we did it ..my very best friend since childhood, lost her Granddaughter and tiny 8 month old great grandson in a house fire. Her husband was killed also. THEIR BODIES WERE NOT BURNED. IT WAS THE SMOKE THAT KILLED THEM!
Thank you for sharing that story with and I am so very grateful you and your little dog are safe!
I also want to thank you so much for your very sweet comments on my blog. Your are always so encouraging and make me smile and thank God you are in my life...you are such a good friend.
I believe I still have the magazine with your lay out in it. I am sure I saved it. I remember being so delighted when I saw it. But wait...haven't you had another layout published? I just remember being so delighted when I saw it!
I will be extra careful about leaving things plugged in!
SCARY! You had me on the edge of my seat with that...so thankful it all turned out OK. Thank you God!
Have a great day,
Rene'
How frightening. God was watching over you and it was reminder to not take things for granted. I believe that one can never be to careful. I sometimes drive my Sweet Hubby crazy because I tend to overkill things at times. I look at it this way, it is out of love and concern. He knows that and that why he just smiles and let's me get goofy about things.
I'm so glad that y'all are safe and sound! That is so scary! When my daughter was a teenager, she was bad about leaving her rollers and curling iron on after she went to school. There were several times that I would go into her room after she was gone to check. It use to make me so upset! I'm glad that you caught it in time.
Hugs,
Lee Laurie
Rebecca
I thank and praise God our Father that you and your little dog are ok.Iam sorry your house filled with so much smoke.Thank you for the reminder for us all to check our alarm and have a plan...Iam glad you will have plan set in place.
Take time to rest and get things in order.
Gracie
Holy smoke, Rebecca....how frightening! I'm so glad you're ok, in spite of going upstairs to do a bit of research. I can't count the number of times that I've been grateful my iron has an automatic shut-off! YIKES! Years ago a local anchor talked about her washing machine catching on fire. I would never have thought that could happen...I guess you can never depend on anything with a plug to be entirely safe. I just bought a new flatiron that doesn't have auto-off like my last one. This will be a good reminder to be ever so careful!
Blessings and grateful hugs,
Spencer
Good grief you have been busy while I've been away never a dull day in your home huh!!! Sorry but I did have a laugh while reading this post - can just imagine you running around like a chock with its head cut off in your dressing gown & towel on your head trying to find where the smoke was coming from - bet it was not funny at the time. So pleased you are ok oh have you replaced the rollers????
Lyn xxx
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