You know how when you are trying to do something all nice and everything goes wrong...
Well, that is what happened tonight. We were having some friends over (Jeff & Marla Koops and family) for dinner. We had decided to take this opportunity and have steaks since our kids don't readily like them and I don't fix them all that often. (I made steaks for the adults and hamburgers for the kids.) Anyway, with the steaks, I did baked potatoes for the adults and was trying to figure out what to do for the kids. I decided to do French fries, but doubted I had enough of the Schwan's fries, so I thought "How hard can it be...I'll just make my own to add to them."
Weeelllllll, it wasn't hard, but it was dangerous!
I had the steaks in the oven with the potatoes, and the fries all cut up and soaking, and then the oil got to temperature! I took the Schwan's fries I had and 'dumped' (my first mistake) them into the oil! YEP...it overflowed the pot! And wallah...we had a grease fire! And it wasn't just a small one either! I quickly told the kids to GET OUT, and Marion came running to assist! We tried the lid on top to smother it, but unfortunately the fire could still get air from the other burners and so it wasn't dying out! Sooooooo, I got out the flour and started dumping it on! (Later we read that Baking Soda would have been better, but all I could remember was that you had to smother it with a 'powder', and flour was all I could think of!) After about 5-6 cups of flour the fire was out and we had burnt flour smell permeating the house!
Meanwhile, the steaks got a bit overdone in the oven, and I had a HUGE mess to clean up before I could finish making the hamburgers which were not done yet! And guests were coming in 30 minutes! By the grace of my God, I remained calm and even my husband commented on how well I had handled the catastrophe. I am so thankful for all that the Lord is doing in my life, and when peace comes in the turmoil it only encourages me more that He is moving! I've still got a long ways to go in some areas, but thankfully we can see that He is working!
I had to chuckle when I remembered the last time Marion and I had to work together in a fire situation. (Remember the yard fire several years ago?) We are so very blessed that both of these situations turned out so well. We praise God for protecting us...and yes, we are both very aware at how BADLY this could have been. In the moment it was all VERY serious, but now that everyone is safe and there was not damage or harm done, there were once again humorous moments!
Because we had a few 'in the moment' uncertainties, we did sit down and research out what the 'proper' way to handle a grease fire like that is! We do have a fire extinguisher right there under the sink but what a mess that would have made...way more than a little burnt flour. We both knew not to put water on it...and we both knew to try the lid but when that didn't work, we questioned what to do. Now we know and I will be buying some 'fire baking soda' to have on hand (meaning baking soda reserved only for that purpose - not that I intend to have another grease fire anytime soon ;0)
