Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Smoke, Firemen and a BIG HONKIN' BILL!

Dear Henry, 
There has been enough time now I can write about the trauma that occurred the day our 42 year old heater was laid to rest.  Daddy had just left for work, you had just had your diaper changed and sucked down a bottle.  We were doing our regular thing, cuddling for an extra hour before getting dressed.  I was deep asleep until my nose was itching and I thought to myself, "hmmm that smoke is so annoying!"  Wait! "That smoke is so annoying! Smoke! Smoke!?"  I open my eyes and yep! Smoke!  I pick you up quickly and put you in the crib.  I feel the door and it is cold.  I run around the house trying to figure out from where it is coming.  Just two days before Mommy replaced the batteries in ALL of the smoke detectors, but apparently it was not enough smoke to set a single one off.  This surprises me because it was enough smoke that I was starting to feel panic as I searched to find the source.  I ran to the basement and there was no sign of any smoke there, not next to the furnace, and I sniffed all of the outlets and switches in the house, nothing!  I shut off the furnace and shut all of the doors.  Mommy couldn't find it and I didn't like being separated from you.  It smelled electrical.  I went to grab you to get you dressed quickly, yanking you from your slumber and then dialed 911.  They sent an entire fleet of fire trucks and firemen.  I felt stupid but I couldn't find it and it was getting much thicker and I worried about your breathing because my throat and eyes were burning.  They arrived and we stood outside for a while.  You were a bit in shock jumping from our warm snuggles to standing out in the cold snowy driveway.   Fireman quickly checked the attic and around the house and ascertained that it was in fact the motor on the heater burned out.  
 So!  Daddy gets home after a speedy drive from work and we get to work on buying a new furnace.  It was a long dramatic day.  New furnace was installed the next day while we staying in the bedroom with the bedroom closed and the space heaters on, you bored and Mommy trying get over the sticker shock, despite talking the salesman down 25%.  I'm certainly grateful that our home and bodies were alright.  
Love, Mommy   

5 comments:

Doug said...

OMG! I knew you had a new furnace, but I didn't know about all of the DRAMA! I'm glad you guys are okay. See you tonight!

Saran said...

Sure glad you are all safe. It is so scary when you smell smoke. We have a fire alarm that detects carbon monoxide too and every now and again (normally on a super sunny day when the heating hasn't been on at all) the alarm for carbone monoxide goes off and scares the hell out of me. Had everything checked and now idea why it is going off.

Enjoy your warm safe home!
Saran

PS won't make you too jealous by telling you that it is solid blue sky and 70 degrees here in CA today ;-)

Brook said...

Whoa! That is terrible. So sorry you had to go through that scary experience!

Anonymous said...

Way to save the day Mama!! AMW

Amie said...

Glad everyone is safe...that is very scary!