That's what I told Jacob when I called him this evening around 5:15pm.... "Those sirens are for me"... I told him I blew up the back porch and I'm not so sure if he believed me completely, until the fire truck sirens came within hearing distance.
Yes, I said fire trucks. Fire trucks - plural - came to my house tonight. Because my back porch exploded. This far out does the time I filled the kitchen with smoke shortly after we married, because I put a frozen solid slab of sausage on a too hot pan... and it even far exceeds that minor explosion in my kitchen 4 months ago that I blogged about... I doubt I'll ever live this one down. Jacob is already saying we no longer need a smoke detector to tell when dinner is ready... we just need to wait for those fire fighters to come by. ha ha
Ok, so you're on the edge of your seat wondering "What the heck happened?!?!?!" Here's the story...
I was making dinner for our friends Asheton & Tracey with their new little baby, Bailey. Pork tenderloin was on sale and I figured that was about as close as they'd get to Asheton's request for filets, shrimp cocktail & lobster tail. hehe.
So after I preheat the grill, I put on the marinated pork... it comes time to flip it, and Nathan starts to wake from his nap. So I flip the meat and leave the door to the porch open as I go back to get Nathan. (It was nice outside... 72 degrees in DECEMBER!! What the heck?) I change Nathan's diaper and we head to the kitchen to start the rice before I feed him. I reach for the pot (in the back cubbie of my kitchen) and BANG!!!
I spin around to go back in the kitchen and all I see out the kitchen window is a wall of flames. The back proch is on fire. And I mean, the back porch is on FIRE!!! Its no ball of flame that evaporates. Stuff is on fire. I hesitate for a second - should I grab the fire extinguisher under the sink? No. Nathan's still on my hip. So I grab the phone and dial 9-1-1. I look out onto the porch from the open door and see stuff on fire so I head out the front door, just as a guy in an Upward shirt comes running up my porch with a phone to his ear - also calling 9-1-1. He tells me he saw flames coming from my roof - and I panic as we move into the front yard and give the dispatcher my address and explain what happened. The friendly Upward guy makes sure Nathan & I were the only ones inside before he disappears. I have no idea who he was or what he was doing in my front yard - if he's reading this, Thank You! :)
Well, by this point I look around and ALL the neighbors are out and in my back yard. I guess that's one way to meet the neighborhood. Lisa - one neighbor - holds Nathan while I pull the burning folding chair, Jacob's attache bag and random other things from the porch out into the yard to try them put out. Another neighbor hooks up the hose and puts the fires out. I get off the phone with 9-1-1, call Jacob and we all wait for the fire department.
The trucks arrive and guys get out in their full gear to check out the house. Fireman Evatt - the same guy who fixed Nathan's car seat just 2 days ago - headed into the attic to check for fires. The Upward guy had me worried that there was a fire in the attic - since he said he saw flames come out our roof - and the hole in the porch ceiling was worrisome, too. But no sign of damage was to be found up there.
They took some information and told me we could pick up a report tomorrow. I never found out from them what caused the explosion. I didn't think to ask. I was just thankful we were ok. Jacob thinks there was a leak in the propane or something with the release valve. We'll figure it out. All I know is that it will be a very long time before I ever grill anything again... and... I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO thankful to God for keeping Nathan & I safe!
Here are some pictures for those already tired of my novel - which will continue for those interested/bored/addicted/in need of procrastination material after the pics :)
Yes, I said fire trucks. Fire trucks - plural - came to my house tonight. Because my back porch exploded. This far out does the time I filled the kitchen with smoke shortly after we married, because I put a frozen solid slab of sausage on a too hot pan... and it even far exceeds that minor explosion in my kitchen 4 months ago that I blogged about... I doubt I'll ever live this one down. Jacob is already saying we no longer need a smoke detector to tell when dinner is ready... we just need to wait for those fire fighters to come by. ha ha
Ok, so you're on the edge of your seat wondering "What the heck happened?!?!?!" Here's the story...
I was making dinner for our friends Asheton & Tracey with their new little baby, Bailey. Pork tenderloin was on sale and I figured that was about as close as they'd get to Asheton's request for filets, shrimp cocktail & lobster tail. hehe.
So after I preheat the grill, I put on the marinated pork... it comes time to flip it, and Nathan starts to wake from his nap. So I flip the meat and leave the door to the porch open as I go back to get Nathan. (It was nice outside... 72 degrees in DECEMBER!! What the heck?) I change Nathan's diaper and we head to the kitchen to start the rice before I feed him. I reach for the pot (in the back cubbie of my kitchen) and BANG!!!
I spin around to go back in the kitchen and all I see out the kitchen window is a wall of flames. The back proch is on fire. And I mean, the back porch is on FIRE!!! Its no ball of flame that evaporates. Stuff is on fire. I hesitate for a second - should I grab the fire extinguisher under the sink? No. Nathan's still on my hip. So I grab the phone and dial 9-1-1. I look out onto the porch from the open door and see stuff on fire so I head out the front door, just as a guy in an Upward shirt comes running up my porch with a phone to his ear - also calling 9-1-1. He tells me he saw flames coming from my roof - and I panic as we move into the front yard and give the dispatcher my address and explain what happened. The friendly Upward guy makes sure Nathan & I were the only ones inside before he disappears. I have no idea who he was or what he was doing in my front yard - if he's reading this, Thank You! :)
Well, by this point I look around and ALL the neighbors are out and in my back yard. I guess that's one way to meet the neighborhood. Lisa - one neighbor - holds Nathan while I pull the burning folding chair, Jacob's attache bag and random other things from the porch out into the yard to try them put out. Another neighbor hooks up the hose and puts the fires out. I get off the phone with 9-1-1, call Jacob and we all wait for the fire department.
The trucks arrive and guys get out in their full gear to check out the house. Fireman Evatt - the same guy who fixed Nathan's car seat just 2 days ago - headed into the attic to check for fires. The Upward guy had me worried that there was a fire in the attic - since he said he saw flames come out our roof - and the hole in the porch ceiling was worrisome, too. But no sign of damage was to be found up there.
They took some information and told me we could pick up a report tomorrow. I never found out from them what caused the explosion. I didn't think to ask. I was just thankful we were ok. Jacob thinks there was a leak in the propane or something with the release valve. We'll figure it out. All I know is that it will be a very long time before I ever grill anything again... and... I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO thankful to God for keeping Nathan & I safe!
Here are some pictures for those already tired of my novel - which will continue for those interested/bored/addicted/in need of procrastination material after the pics :)
I couldn't get a good picture of the trucks in front of the house... it was too dark by the time they were leaving...
This is the best picture I got.
Here's the back porch afterwards... with insulation, some water and burn marks as the few bits of evidence of what just took place.
Then there's the hole in the ceiling and the ash covered window.
And the burnt chair, bags and stuff in the backyard...
But the tenderloins....??? Cooked perfectly! I couldn't have done better if I'd actually tried!
But since I got a late start on the rice, we were still late to the Amersons with dinner. They forgave us ;-) Here are the proud daddies! Wow... did Nathan really use to be almost as small as Bailey?? Just 5 months ago... wow... You know, I've often wondered "what would I grab if my house was on fire?" Pictures... cats... computer... cell phone... important papers... Now I know the answer. Nathan. That's it. You know how you're brain thinks 100 times faster than your body can move? I clearly remember the thoughts I had in those 5 seconds it took to get out of the house....
* "should I grab the extingisher? No... Nathan's in my arms, I can't find it, operate it and keep him safe"
* "but what if the fire get worse and comes inside, it's already complete engulfed the whole wall in front of the kitchen... then so be it. Nathan's safe, I'm getting out of here"
* "where's the closest phone? where's the 9 & 1?" (its a new phone... my cell phone wasn't close enough)
* "Is it really ok to call 9-1-1....? hello!!! porch is on FIRE, call you idiot, fast!"
* and once outside... "should I go back in for my pictures?? It looks safe, I got the things that were on fire out of the porch. What if there's a fire in the attic? Then I should go in and get some things - like my camera to take pics of this. No, what if there is a fire and I get stuck. I'll be a good example and stay put."
On a similar note... this is kind of a pathetic confession... but I'm standing in the backyard this evening, watching my folding chair burn in the grass and waiting for the fire department... And what am I thinking? "Man, I wish I had a camera to take pictures of this for the blog" lol... I was thinking the very same thing when three fully decked out firefighters were checking out my porch while a forth guy was in the attic. "This would really make a great picture for the blog..." And then when the fireman was taking my information for his report, I was thinking "I really wish I could ask those guys if I could take a picture of them with my son... for the blog..." lol I'm so addicted it is pathetic!
I was good and restrained the urge to go back in the house for my camera or to ask them for a picture - I knew it would trivialize what had just happened. This really was a serious accident. It could have been a horribly different outcome. It was not a photo opp.
I don't think it all really hit me, though, till I was back inside, settled down and feeding Nathan. That's when it hit me how sooooo very thankful I am to God that I was not on the porch - or worse, I was not holding Nathan while out on that porch when the grill exploded. SOOO THANKFUL.
There's a lot I'm thankful for tonight...
* I'm thankful that Nathan wasn't hurt in any way tonight. To him, it was just a fun evening of seeing new people - some of which were dressed kind of goofy.
* I'm thankful that I wasn't burned or hurt. Just my jeans got some scars.
* I'm thankful that the pork tenderloins weren't ruined - in fact they turned out pretty good. Maybe I should let the fire department be my timer more often... NOT!
* I'm thankful that my house was in pretty descent shape when those firemen trodged through it. I didn't have to be embarassed ;-)
* I'm thankful that I was fully dressed when the explosion happened... minus shoes. It would have been rather embarassing to run out half dressed or in my PJs
* I'm thankful for awesome neighbors who heard the boom and came running and helped out in holding Nathan and putting out flames.
* I'm thankful for fire fighters. They're pretty nice, brave and all around awesome guys. They didn't treat my call as dumb, even though all the flames were out by the time they arrived.
* I'm thankful that we only lost a lawn chair & attache bag.
* I'm so thankful that our screened in porch is all brick. Watching the flames climb those bricks all I could think of was "if that was wood, the house would be engulfed in seconds!"
* I'm thankful that I now have a great reason to not use that grill again... for a long while.
* I'm thankful for God's perfect timing. He put us in one of the safest places possible for the explosion - inside the house, away from the window, and close to the door to get out. And I'm thankful that Nathan was already in my arms so we could just run out.
There's so much to be thankful for. Thank you, God, for keeping us safe!!
* "should I grab the extingisher? No... Nathan's in my arms, I can't find it, operate it and keep him safe"
* "but what if the fire get worse and comes inside, it's already complete engulfed the whole wall in front of the kitchen... then so be it. Nathan's safe, I'm getting out of here"
* "where's the closest phone? where's the 9 & 1?" (its a new phone... my cell phone wasn't close enough)
* "Is it really ok to call 9-1-1....? hello!!! porch is on FIRE, call you idiot, fast!"
* and once outside... "should I go back in for my pictures?? It looks safe, I got the things that were on fire out of the porch. What if there's a fire in the attic? Then I should go in and get some things - like my camera to take pics of this. No, what if there is a fire and I get stuck. I'll be a good example and stay put."
On a similar note... this is kind of a pathetic confession... but I'm standing in the backyard this evening, watching my folding chair burn in the grass and waiting for the fire department... And what am I thinking? "Man, I wish I had a camera to take pictures of this for the blog" lol... I was thinking the very same thing when three fully decked out firefighters were checking out my porch while a forth guy was in the attic. "This would really make a great picture for the blog..." And then when the fireman was taking my information for his report, I was thinking "I really wish I could ask those guys if I could take a picture of them with my son... for the blog..." lol I'm so addicted it is pathetic!
I was good and restrained the urge to go back in the house for my camera or to ask them for a picture - I knew it would trivialize what had just happened. This really was a serious accident. It could have been a horribly different outcome. It was not a photo opp.
I don't think it all really hit me, though, till I was back inside, settled down and feeding Nathan. That's when it hit me how sooooo very thankful I am to God that I was not on the porch - or worse, I was not holding Nathan while out on that porch when the grill exploded. SOOO THANKFUL.
There's a lot I'm thankful for tonight...
* I'm thankful that Nathan wasn't hurt in any way tonight. To him, it was just a fun evening of seeing new people - some of which were dressed kind of goofy.
* I'm thankful that I wasn't burned or hurt. Just my jeans got some scars.
* I'm thankful that the pork tenderloins weren't ruined - in fact they turned out pretty good. Maybe I should let the fire department be my timer more often... NOT!
* I'm thankful that my house was in pretty descent shape when those firemen trodged through it. I didn't have to be embarassed ;-)
* I'm thankful that I was fully dressed when the explosion happened... minus shoes. It would have been rather embarassing to run out half dressed or in my PJs
* I'm thankful for awesome neighbors who heard the boom and came running and helped out in holding Nathan and putting out flames.
* I'm thankful for fire fighters. They're pretty nice, brave and all around awesome guys. They didn't treat my call as dumb, even though all the flames were out by the time they arrived.
* I'm thankful that we only lost a lawn chair & attache bag.
* I'm so thankful that our screened in porch is all brick. Watching the flames climb those bricks all I could think of was "if that was wood, the house would be engulfed in seconds!"
* I'm thankful that I now have a great reason to not use that grill again... for a long while.
* I'm thankful for God's perfect timing. He put us in one of the safest places possible for the explosion - inside the house, away from the window, and close to the door to get out. And I'm thankful that Nathan was already in my arms so we could just run out.
There's so much to be thankful for. Thank you, God, for keeping us safe!!
7 comments:
I am so thankful you all were safe as well! That is definitely very scary and makes me think twice about grilling alone.
If it's any consolation, grilled pork tenderloin is much better than the baked pork loin I took. :)
WOW...
I can't believe that happened!! God was really watching over you guys. I can only imagine how bad it could have been. I am so thankful no one was hurt, nothing was really damaged, and most of all...that you got the Amerson's their meal...only kidding about the last thing;)
I had something like this happen to me once but not as bad. I thought it would be smart to but some oil in a pan that was heating up and I forgot about it! Yes forgot all about it and as you can imagine it caught fire!! I covered it with a lid and stuck it outside. Our house smelt really bad but that was all. I did feel really stupid though!
That is so scary! I am so glad the outcome was positive. I laughed and laughed about your being in the midst of it all just wanting your camera to document it for the blog. Thanks for keeping your blog followers on the forefront of your mind in the middle of a crisis!
oh my... I'm so glad you are safe. I can't imagine what I would do in an emergency - but like you said, you just know.
Praise the Lord for all things - he kept your family safe AND gave you an exciting evening to blog about! =)
This is why I do not mess with the grill. The propane scares me. Thank goodness everyone is ok.I bet Jacob was scared not being there with you. Well now you have a great grillin story to tell.
I am so thankful that you and Nathan are safe. God is good! Joye H
What are we going to do with you..lol, that is why I don't ever touch our grill cause I am SCARED of something like that happening... I can say that God is good and he had everything perfectly time out for you even up to the guy showing up in the Upward shirt. I agree we always say what we would grab and do but when something happens like that happens you do freeze and then go into a super mood you had no idea you had... Mine was not a grill story but a dryer story and small thing but scary, loose minded and funny in the end but I know that God protects and take cares of us... I am sure Nathan had a ball watching the fire and the firemen... Glad y'all are ok!!!!!!!!!
PS: the smoke dector is my timer also..lol
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