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ActiveRain burned my oatmeal!

By Charles Buell

Home Inspector with Charles Buell Inspections Inc.

March 27, 2008 04:43 AM

At today's inspection I had a mental picture of a typical ActiveRain Addict,

half-smile on his face,

frantically typing away,

attempting to keep caught up with the comments to his most recent featured blog----ignoring the incessant screaming of the smoke alarm in the back ground---ignoring the tears in his eyes, when suddenly he remembers----OATMEAL!

Running through the smoke to the kitchen he finds the oatmeal pan in flames.

WHAT TO DO!

He has the presence of mind to NOT set the pan on the Formica counter-tops---(smart idea in a rental property). But then he stops thinking and runs out of the apartment with the pan smoking like a locomotive (well the loco part is right anyway). He sets the pan down outside the door, quickly closes the door and runs to turn all the vent fans on.

Whoops........ 620

----hope the landlord doesn't notice the melted carpet! sunsile

Charles Buell

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Mina V. Garrey

Commercial Capital Properties - License #01768282 - West Los Angeles, CA

Commercial Capital Properties, Los Angeles, CA

Hi Charles, LOL :-)

Forget about the carpet...It's a good thing you didn't burn down the building!

Mar 27, 2008 12:04 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Hey Mina---who said it was me? sunsmile

It really wasn't me. Really. It really wasn't.

Mar 27, 2008 12:31 PM

Ravinder Pilson

Intero Real Estate Services - Santa Clarita, CA

Intero Real Estate in Santa Clarita, CA

Oh no!!! Sorry to laugh, but at the same time, thank you for the laugh! Hope your place is all aired out by now!

Mar 27, 2008 12:35 PM

abka defg

Fountain Hills, AZ

LOL...Thanks for the laugh!

Mar 27, 2008 12:37 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Ravinda, may have to get the fire remediation guys in:)

Bonnie, you are welcome!

Mar 27, 2008 12:43 PM

Lisa Friedman

Alliance Realtors - Bedminster, NJ

Central New Jersey Real Estate

Burning breakfast - all the time! At least I keep the damage in check though :)

Mar 27, 2008 01:35 PM

Ernie Steele

Lebanon, PA

Humor...We all need it...Thanks and have a nice day.

Mar 27, 2008 01:46 PM

Sue Prins

Five Star Real Estate - Forest Hills, MI

Realtor- Greater Grand Rapids, MI

OMG Charlie! I sure can relate to this story. I get lost in my work and AR stuff like that all the time only I have not yet burned carpet. I think I have burned dinner though. Thanks for sharing. I liked this one!urbal

Mar 27, 2008 02:00 PM

Ryan Vivo

Gateway Realty - Fairfield, CA

NRBA Realtor Solano County, Gateway Realty 707-384-5894

ha ha, that is funny you should consider putting a plant there to cover up the melted carpet.

Mar 27, 2008 02:21 PM

Natalie Langford

Realty Negotiations - Winchester, VA

Winchester, VA Real Estate

Too funny. You hooked me with your clever title. I hear they make oatmeal bars you don't have to cook! Trust me, when I think to check AR when boiling noodles, I put on the loudest timer I've got because I'll forget!

Mar 27, 2008 03:58 PM

Joe Virnig

RE/MAX Gold Coast REALTORS, Ventura County, California - Ventura, CA

No Ordinary Joe

At least you didn't burn the house down!

Mar 27, 2008 04:30 PM

Wayne B. Pruner

Oregon First - Tigard, OR

Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI

You will have to fess up if asked. Your landlord can do a google search and find all the proof he needs for court! :>) I guess I have to wonder why you are renting......

Mar 27, 2008 04:52 PM

Shelby Morris

Realty Exchange - Columbia, TN

Cute story, Charles. Congrats on the feature.

Mar 27, 2008 05:16 PM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Charlie,

At least this time you did not burn your buns. I remember what a commotion you made the day that happened. It was not something you could just sit back and suffer in silence..... being you and all.

Mar 27, 2008 05:17 PM

Bob & Carolin Benjamin

Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ

East Phoenix Arizona Homes

Oh my goodness. One must never set oatmeal onto a carpet... or a number of other things for that matter.

Mar 27, 2008 06:31 PM

Russ Ravary ~ Metro Detroit Realtor call (248) 310-6239

Real Estate One - Commerce, MI

Michigan homes for sale ~ yesmyrealtor@gmail.com

Well that is one insurance claim that would be interesting to read. I thought the ring was from a heavy pot.

Mar 28, 2008 12:43 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Lisa, my wife knows when the toast is ready when the smoke alarm goes off:)

Ernie, thanks for stopping by

Sue, definitely burned dinner a few times myself

Ryan, a lot of people are voting for the plant idea

Natalie, AR should "market" themselves with timers----"Save your house, get your AR Timer Today!"

Joe, not my house, really:)

Wayne, great question----I have definitely exposed myself now----glad it wasn't my house:)

Shelby, thanks

Steve, hates it when I show pictures of his own rentals (by the way the "buns" are all healed:)

Bob & Carolin, very hot, and plastic carpets don't mix---for sure. Lot of chemicals have the same effect too.

Russ,that is one pot mark that will never vacuum out:)

Mar 28, 2008 02:58 AM

Christy Powers

Keller Williams Coastal Area Partners - Pooler, GA

Pooler, Savannah Real Estate Agent

That is too funny. My cousin did something like that only a little worse. She was making grilled cheese and went to grab it off the stove. Well she dropped it. It scorched the vinyl, so she flipped it over onto the carpet. So she ended with a scorched circle and circle cut out in the carpet.

I agree with the potted plant. It looks like it would be the perfect fit.

Mar 28, 2008 01:51 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Christy, the area was hard as a rock---about a pet watering dish?

Mar 29, 2008 03:00 PM

Find a Notary Public needAnotary

QEC Internet Services - Long Beach, CA

Funny, that is why they call it Addictive Rain!

Mar 30, 2008 03:28 PM