RideCamp Addiction - Fire!!

[Lauren Horn <fourhorn@fea.net>]

An event yesterday evening, proved to me that I'm addicted to RideCamp
and I better find a "recovery " program.


After dinner, everyone retreated to their favorite places; I, in my
office with my computer to see what was on RideCamp, the kids nearby,
playing with drums, guitars and noisemakers and my husband in his
office. I heard a noise in the kitchen and turned around to see what it
was. As I walked toward my kitchen, to my horror, I saw that it was on
fire!! 

The flames were from a pan of oil (taco night) and shooting to the
ceiling. The noise that I heard was a plastic ceiling panel from the
florescent lights which had melted and fell to the floor. I reached for
the fire extinguisher under the sink.  I, gladly give myself credit for
having one there. I'll never forget my scream and my fumbling hands
trying to unlock the extinguisher. I never knew how fast the
extinguisher would work. It immediately put out the grease fire, but not
before a lot of damage was done. I then had to run out of the house fast
because I could feel the thick, black, toxic smoke in my lungs, which
hung under the family room ceiling in a deadly layer.. It amazes my how
silent the fire was. I was in the next room and didn't even know it.
Luckily, the light panel fell and I heard the noise.

My cabinets, ceiling and over-range microwave (which partly melted) are
charred, black, and fully damaged. Paint is peeling from the heat. Black
soot has highlighted all the cobwebs that I never saw in my house and
left a fine, black dust layer all over, even inside cabinets.

Now, if I wasn't so addicted to RideCamp that I forgot that the oil pan
was on and would have cleaned the kitchen BEFORE I had to have my "fix"
then this would not have happened.  I lead a charmed life, but this past
10 days have been anything but. They say bad things happen in three's
and I've reached the third. The first was the stallion that I was going
to breed my mare to is dying of cancer, my mom fractured her pelvis
falling from her horse and my kitchen catches fire because I can't wait
to see what is on RideCamp. All three are horse related; I give up!! 

Lauren