Holy Smokes!

Yes, it is the Sabbath, it was fairly holy, but then everything changed...I wasn't smoking, but our entire house was tonight! In fact, it still stinks like fire-- Ted says to tell y'all that we had a Smokin' HOT Valentine's Day. I just want to share how I smoked us out of our house tonight: and if you see and/or smell me and my clothes (bedding, furniture, carpet, kids, towels) and smell fire/smoke, I am open to advice on how to get rid of the smell! How long will this last? I put rice on to cook (45 minute-long-cooking brown rice) and went to a baptism gathering for kids turning 8 yrs old (for Nick who turns 8 in March). We all ran out quick, running late (not unusual). I knew we would be back in time for the dinner (chicken in oven) BUT in the rush to get out the door, I turned the rice down to EIGHT instead of LO. I didn't realize it til I was enjoying some delicious valentine cookies after the short meeting; then I had this horrible picture of myself turning the stove down to only 8, like I was cooking pasta or something (and staying home of course to tend to it). Of course, when we got home 50 minutes later, the entire house was a smoke-bomb, burnt-bar-b-que, eye-watering-where's-the-fire! kind of smoke...everywhere!!! Rats!! I am not breathing clean air now, 3 hours later, after opening all windows and doors. What a bummer! This is not the first time I have almost created a fire in my home: Once I put a beautiful ceramic pie plate on top of the stove on a cold burner; then I went to turn on the burner next to it, to cook something; since I was on the phone (all bad cooking accidents & mistakes happen when I'm on the phone; so if you know I'm cooking and I am on the phone with you, please hang up immediately) I wasn't focused 100% on the cooking; I turned on the burner under the lovely wedding gift and as the burner heated up, the plate literally exploded and hot shards shot off on the kitchen linoleum, which promptly burned a hole right through it. Nice job, Rob! Another time, 2nd condo we owned (the previous event happened in the 1st condo we owned), I was mentally checked out of the kitchen (on the phone, I can't remember, probably) and I put a cardboard open box into the oven (small one from Sam's Club where they put your 16 cans of corn when you buy a bunch of cans). I can't remember why (oh dear) but the next thing I knew the house smelled like fire and that cardboard was on fire in the oven! I think I was preheating and forgot I had stored the cardboard in there (don't ask why). That was a bit scary. So have a safe week and don't call us at dinner time! :) I will ad an entry to our Valentine's day weekend and the fun, new tradition that Maddie instigated. I need to upload the photos, then I'll get to it...