Excitement at Rosa's

Last night was one of those crazy nights. I worked on my ATCs until about midnight. I finally retired about 1 a.m. As I crawled into bed and turned the TV on in the guest room on the main floor (where I am sleeping until the floors are finished in the master br), I could smell smoke. It smelled like a fireplace. I admit, I have a nose that smells all things little. I compare it with Steve Martin's nose in Roxanne where he can smell smoke a mile away. Well, I can smell anything, no mater how minute. As I've said before, it's both a curse and a blessing at times.

As I began sniffing around, it was apparent in the guest room, no where else on the main floor. I opened the back door and could smell it strongly there. Went to the basement where I could definitely smell it in the unfinished storage area which is directly underneath the guest room. Decisions, decisions. Should I call the fire department?

I did. Better safe than sorry there, I believe. I phoned their local number because I didn't' feel a 911 call was in order. I also didn't want them barreling down the road, lights and sirens blaring at 1 a.m. I told them my story, it was definitely stronger outside, but I did smell it slightly in the house. Not 5 minutes later, a fire truck, incognito, came down our street, stopped in front of the house and then continued. Well, I figured they saw a chimney heaving the smoke and didn't need to look any further. I waited for a phone call explaining, but none came. So I took it upon myself to call back. Called the same number. The gent who answered told me they had come out and smelled what they thought was a fireplace. When I told him I smelled it in the house also, he said to hang up and call 911. Lord. He then told me nevermind, he would call 911 for me and send another troop out here. Lord. "Are they going to be blaring down the road?" "YEP!" Oh joy, let's just wake up the whole neighborhood. I hate that. giggle. (This pic was taken from the internet, not our local fire department!)

As promised, here they all came. At least three trucks, paramedics, the whole shebang! Geesh. I stepped out on the porch and we all sniffed the air. It was definitely in the air, stronger on the side as I had said. It was then that the special "indoor brigade" arrived, blaring down the road too. (Sorry, I couldn't resist this pic in the hub's absence!) I think everyone knew by this time the fire department had arrived! They walked around the entire house with a heat meter, smelled it in the basement as I told them but said it was probably because the area was not insulated. They checked every room, even the attic and said everything was ok. I felt better (Who wouldn't with these guys snooping around--giggle). I was happy they could also smell it though and that I wasn't alone. I didn't' want them to think I was crazy (like I really am!). We all congregated back on the front porch and they gave everyone the ok to leave and walky talkied everyone else that needed walky talkied and they were on their merry little way again. I felt bad getting them up at 1:30 in the morning, but I felt better that everything was ok.

Do you think I slept? Nope. The smell was still strong in the room. The teenager slept through the whole incident and asked me this morning what had happened. Of course, all his friends called him when the fire trucks ended up at our house. Do you think he got up to investigate? Of course, not.

Even today, we all walked around and even he could smell it in the guest room and the basement. He doesn't think I over reacted. I suppose since the unfinished area doesn't have any air vents in there, it takes a while for the air to get out. I sure hope so. I may just be calling the fire department again tonight when I go to bed! Let's hope not, though. Unless, of course, the indoor brigade looks like the guys above. hehe. Then, I might be having fires every night while the hub is out of town. Evil grin.