May the -ma be strong. But at least three or four times a year there's going to be an inconvenient backup on the Bay Bridge or Matilda will just be difficult. Last year we had a little grace because his first class was gym. Nobody wants gym first class, but they do have five minutes to get dressed that he could use when we were late.

So maybe just some low rolls.

Y'all, I need someone to talk me off the edge here-- I've got a guy here pressure washing the house and driveway and when his water/chemical stream hit one of the outside GFI outlets, it flared up and burned-- I'm concerned that the outlet didn't trip immediately and of course, fire. It looks like it's out, but I've got the fire extinguisher by the front door and I'm checking every few minutes.

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed at the guy because something he did might have caused this or relieved because he may have uncovered something potentially bad.

Either way, I'm scared to the point of tears right now. I've called an electrician and they're going to be here within an hour. I think it's going to be the longest hour of my life.

Speaking of which, I need to figure out what to buy a 5 year old girl between now and then.

My niece is turning 5 in a couple of weeks (how is that possible????). I got her a little Tigger backpack and a Paul Frank Julius memory card game (she loves playing memory): [link] She also loved the Cranium game I got for my nephew for his b-day back in July: [link] Oh and both nephew and niece love the Rody, but it's kind of pricey: [link]

Barb, you should be ok. If it's not still smoking, should be fine. Feel the wall right above the outlet where the cable would be heading, if it feels warmer than the wall areas around it, then there might be a problem. But if it's the same warm from sun beating on it as the rest of the wall, you should be fine. Hopefully it's just some gak that got power washed into the outlet, and shorted it out. If you know what breaker it is on, you can flip that off. The electrician will need to do that to replace the outlet anyhow. But that should put your mind at ease.

Well, it's been raining all morning and the house surface is actually pretty cool so if there was appreciable warmth around it, it would be easy to feel. Since everything, including the outlet itself is cool to the touch, I'm going to attempt to relax. A little.

The breaker is off, o_a-- that was the first thing I did. And I've got the extinguisher nearby.

if the breaker is off, no power is going down that line to the outlet, so you should be fine. See, you reacted perfectly! Killed the breaker, and had extinguisher on the ready! Nothing to fear.

I will not freak out

I will not freak out

{{{Barb}}}

{{{ Barb }}}}

Barb--o-a is wise. Electricity is really really predictable. Now that the breaker is off, you really are fine. Think of it like water--once you close a valve, water is not going to sneak in.