Tostadas Get Toasted

On Tuesday I almost burnt the house down. I had put oil on the stove to heat up and then sat down at the computer. Anika was playing hide and seek so Brandon went downstairs to get her. When he came back up he yelled, "Alana!"

I would give anything to have a still shot of what he saw... my poor posture dumbly bent over the computer while the kitchen is on fire just out of my sight. Duh.

He said, "What do we do?" and my mind went blank. I knew water was a no-go. I knew I could smother it with flour but in such a panic failed to remember where the flour was (right by the stove!). Duh. Luckily we own a fire extinguisher, two of them, one on each level of the house. So Brandino pulled the pin and blasted it. Initially, the force of the extinguisher just blew the hot oil everywhere which continued to burn but one more blow and it was out.

I keep thinking about it, wondering if I should have tried smothering it with a lid first bur Brandon and I agree, neither of us would have dared reach in the fire to put a lid on it so I suppose we did the right thing but what a mess! The entire house was coated with oil and black smoke and worst of all the dry chemical from the extinguisher. It found every nook and cranny. I dared Brandon to use the toaster for the first time... Who will eat the first mono ammonium phosphate toast?

After about five hours and six magic erasers the worst was cleaned up. We have to order some new stove parts that melted but it could have been much worse.

I'm going to blame this one on pregnant brain.