In the nick of time

It was 5 o'clock, the cat had been fed, the dinner was cooking and the fire had been lit, sending out a nice warmth into the living room.

On top of the woodburner she had put a small container of bits of a greasy ointment so it would all be in one jar. This was in a waterbath and safe from harm. Being someone who multitasks she sat down to her laptop and continued doing her Duolingo German lesson.

All was going well, when suddenly there was a whoooosh as flames leapt up towards the ceiling. The tin in the waterbath had somehow tipped thus spilling the melted ointment all over the hot plate of the woodburner. Never did you see her move so fast out to the kitchen to get a wet teatowel and smother the flames. Thankfully it worked but even in that time smoke was rising to the ceiling and about a metre in depth. Then began the clean up, getting rid of the mess on the hot woodburner plate and opening doors and windows to get rid of the smell and smoke.

Thoughts came to her mind. "What if I'd been down in the garden picking silver beet for tea or up in the front bedroom doing a bit more jigsaw?"

Shakily she sent a prayer up to the Lord that she had been where she was, knowing that much more time doing nothing about the flames it could have been fire engines and much mess and destruction and what neighbours would have cared?

It came to mind that TV ad about how fast fires can take hold. She thought, “That’s silly, it’s a scare tactic, fire couldn't move that fast” BUT IT CAN!!!

Luckily it was caught in the nick of time.

Margaret Hawkey