This may be the answer to another persistent mystery around here: What is that weird burning smell?

Ah, a variation on one of our most common games: What's That Smell? (Kato, I am looking at you, buddy.)

Zen, I'm glad you got that figured out.

askye, I hope you can get some relief soon.

I had a weird smell the other day - something caught on fire in the microwave. The microwave itself wasn't on fire, but a piece of paper from the package of the pot pie was on fire. I also realized that I really really needed to clean the microwave at that point and did that too.

Meds have kicked in, mild pain but I don't care that much because I feel all relaxed.

Zen, be careful with those plug-in diffusers. When they're empty, they're a huge fire hazard. KEMTGuy has told me more than one story about responding to fires caused by them.

Ugh, I have a four hour layover in Atlanta. I couldn't take the earlier connection because it was too expensive, and leaving the airport is not an option. The SkyClub is crazy crowded too, and it's hard to get anything done.

Thanks, Maria. The possibility of a house fire scares me badly, and yet it never occurred to me until today that these things could be a fire hazard. I've discarded the messed-up ones and ordered new ones, and I've set reminders in my calender to check them regularly from now on. No more letting them run empty.

Hooray! I kinda like having you around.

Yeah, that is NOT the dumb way I was planning to go out!

I don't generally worry about fire much, but in the Otter Lake house I was more cautious. It is mostly wood and older, although the last owner was an electrician and replaced the wiring. Still I only plugged in most things when I used them. I had to run the space heaters a lot, but would unplug them even if I was running next door for a few minutes. Kept the toaster and coffeemaker unplugged too.

My reasoning was that although I could get out my bedroom window and hop to the ground from the lower level roof pretty easily, I would never be able to talk Zoe into it.

Hells yeah, Zen. I can think of a whole lot more fun dumb ways to go out!

Thing I am not saying to right wing relative ohhing and ahhing over the star spangled yay America blinding light holiday display: what happened to keeping the Christ in Christmas you were just moaning so loud about? Nothing Christy about that, bud.

Had to get it out.

eta: I don't have any objection to anyone's OTT holiday displays, it is the person posting this right after the conflicting message.