Today, Saturday the 12th was my young nephew´s choral concert. It was held in a large, beautiful, cathedral in the charming district of Outremont, Montreal. He was one of 225 choralists ages 8 to 18 singing Christmas carols in French and English. Quite a sight and sound! A lovely evening all around.
I packed a goodie bag with a fruit smoothie, dehydrated strips of mangoes, banana and plantain chips and a couple of medjool dates. It wasn´t a latte with cheesecake, but it did the trick.
I got home late, certainly much later than my usual 9pm bedtime. I went to bed right away. At 3:17am I woke up to flames shooting up two feet or so above the bed. There´s nothing like one´s bed being on fire to get a guy moving at super speed. It was touch and go for awhile, but in the end I was able to contain the fire to the blankets on the bed.
Here in Montreal, the older homes don´t have central heating; Each room has its own baseboard heater. In my bedroom the heater runs along the bed. At some point the blankets at the foot of the bed fell over and onto the heater. Eventually enough heat built up that the blankets went up in flames.
First hand experience has shown me how easily a fire can start and how quickly it can move. Please believe me when I say it moves extremely fast. Another minute or two, and I may not have been able to put it out. With no fire extinguishers on hand, the likelyhood of the house going up in flames was uncomfortably high.
At this time of year with the extra lights and decorations and the fireplace getting used more often, it would be good idea to ensure that safety procedures are in place, that fully charged fire extinguishers are on hand and that everyone is aware of the evacuation plan should a fire erupt.
Wishing you a wonderful and safe Christmas Season.
