Remember when my kitchen wall was on fire?

All I wanted was some tea...  Today was not my day.

I am a property manager and my apartment door leads right in to my office.  So from time to time while I'm at work I will leave the door open for funsies.  It's a good thing I left it open today.  I turned on the stove to heat up my kettle for a bit of afternoon tea and went back to my desk to get some work done.  A couple minutes later I smelled something that reminded me of a campfire and I thought, "That's nice."  Then something triggered in my brain that the smell was coming from my apartment.  When I entered the kitchen, my favorite oven mitt was on fire along with the wall.  (The kettle wasn't anywhere near warm by the way.  Maybe I turned the wrong element on...)  Thankfully I was able to put the fire out.  Sadly I lost my beloved red gingham double oven mitt and it is now lying in the garbage.  Rest in peace, my faithful oven mitt.  You kept my hands and wrists safe for over 10 years.  *Sniff.  *Tear.  I was able to remove any traces of the burn from the wall with my magic eraser (seriously those things are awesome!) with the exception of the two large bubbles that formed under one of the many layers of paint whilst on fire.  Thankfully this apartment is so ghetto-old and has been painted a gizillion times that no damage touched the actual wall and I think with a bit of touch up paint, no one will be the wiser.  Yes, the smoke detector went off.  No, the fire department was not called.  But as for the smell in my kitchen and parts of my apartment? Well, to paraphrase Ralphie Wiggum... it smells like burning.

Excuses, Excuses (But I'm Back!)

Hello there. Remember me? I know. I know. We're already in mid-April and not one post in 2012 from yours truly. Well allow me to remedy that...

Why I've been seemingly absent from the das Blog:

1) I'm in showbiz!

But seriously, I auditioned for community theatre back in October, actually got cast and have been auditioning and doing shows ever since. Let me just say it's been so fun. I forgot how much I really do love performing. I am working with ManeStage Theatre in Sumner and have had the opportunity thus far to be in "A Christmas Carol: the Broadway Musical" (Mrs. Fezziwig/dance corps), "The Wizard of Oz" - (Glinda), "Narnia! The Musical (Phoenix, u/s White Witch), and now I'm currently in production for "You Can't Take It with You" (Essie Carmichael). I love it. All of it. It is definitely a saving grace in my rather random life.

2) I got a puppy!

Yup. I live alone with my closest family members in Arizona (the rest in California, Washington, D.C., and Africa). So after my sister Anna came to visit me in December, I think she felt bad for me and decided that I need a dog. So for Christmas she and my other sister Lindsey decided to give me one. Enter Fiona. And for any of you who have or ever have had a dog... you know. I am so thankful for her, though, and my sisters were right on the money. I definitely needed her and am happy to have her as a part of my family.

So there they are. My lame excuses. But I am back. And don't worry. I'll make it up to you.

Nothing but love for ya!