Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Sukiyaki and the Fireman's Hold

Or how I saved us all from certain death.

Had a VERY scary experience Monday night! DH is in SUCH big trouble...
I woke up a 3am to the smoke detectors going off!

I was disoriented at first, and thought it might be my phone alarm (which was set to a furiously urgent nuclear power station alarm so I would wake up and not miss my plane) but it seemed to early, and too dark. At the same time, I WANTED it to be the phone alarm not the smoke detector, but pretty soon had to admit it really was the smoke alarm. I realized it was the upstairs smoke detector going off, so I had to go check. I opened the bedroom door, could see smoke but it wasn't very thick, and no heat. I first quickly opened the balcony door, as that is our designated, and practiced escape route. I had a split second to decide if I should get the kids out now, or check downstairs, but I saw that the smoke wasn't really thick at all, so I went down; half way down, I could still see only light smoke, and by the time I got to the bottom, eyes on the kitchen (I knew it would be there) I saw the pot on the stove, smoking furiously but not yet burning -- and Kanji on the sofa completely out to it, not from smoke inhalation, but from drunkenness.

On the way to the kitchen I pulled off his blanket (he'd had the presence of mind to cover himself, but not to turn off the stove), shook him and slapped his arm to wake him, but he didn't wake, and I had to rush to the kitchen to turn off the stove. He'd been heating up the suki-yaki, and it was a deep pot, so it had been left on for quite some time!

After I turned it off, and turned on the kitchen fan, he was still out cold, and by this time I was MAD MAD MAD! I shook and slapped him but no response. I thought for only a nanosecond to leave him there and tell him what happened in the morning, but I knew it wouldn't sink in as serious in the light of the day, plus I thought what if there really was a fire, I would have to drag him out, can I do that? (providing I could get back to him after getting the kids out, who would of course come first). I was also really MAD, and to be honest, I kind of wanted to punish him.
So I sat him up, YELLING in his face, "GET OUT! GET OUT!!!" Dragged him to the hall (by this time all the children were awake, Erica crying, all come down to see what the commotion was about), went to open the front door, yelling the whole time, dragged him into the genkan, by this time he was muttering, "What? what?" and coming round, and I was just yelling "GET OUT! GET OUT!", and finally he stood up in time for me to push him bodily out the front door.
Then I stood there in the doorway shaking and crying for a bit. I finally let him back in, and explained that if we didn't have a smoke detector, we could all be dead by now. That if we didn't have one, he would be dead for sure, because despite my practice run at the body drag, I doubt if I could really have gotten the kids out and gotten back in to get him. Now, my gas stove does have an auto-switch-off function, and turns off it it gets too hot, or beeps if you leave it on too long, or if the flame goes out, leaving the gas on. But there's still a chance, especially when everyone in the house is asleep, that something could catch fire.

I found the living room detector had no battery. I'd have know about the pot that much sooner if it was functional, so I quickly remedied that with a new battery. It was the upstairs one that had gone off. We also have extinguishers on the upstairs landing, in the genkan, and in the kitchen. Why? Because I've always been worried about him cooking after drinking! Hence my just KNOWING it would a pot on the stove in the kitchen.

The house was full of smoke, and I was opening doors to get it out, coughing from the smoke in my throat. He took the kids upstairs, Erica was upset. He very nearly went to sleep up there too, but I kicked him out on account of the fact that he snores when he's drunk. When he's not burning down the house that is.

He was very sorry the next day, and bought me a lovely new pink floral pot. And I have extraced from him a promise to NEVER cook again after coming home from a night out. Unless it's just cup noodles. I'll also buy a new microwave, then I'll turn the gas off whenever he goes out. Hopefully he'll be too pissed to figure out why the stove isn't working at go to sleep. Which is infinitely preferable to turning it ON then going to sleep!

My house still smells of burnt suki-yaki, smells a bit like Marmite actually, makes me want to eat Marmite on toast...


Friday, January 14, 2011

Don't Stop

1.) IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY', YOU SAY?

Ain't Nobody (LL Cool J)

2.) HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?

BURNING! (As in "London's...") (The Clash)

3.) WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

I like 'em MADE IN STONE (Stone Roses)

4.) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

Sweet Sixteen (Billy Idol)

5.) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

to Walk... (The Cure)

6.) WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?

I'm Not in Love (Enrique Iglasius)

7.) WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

We are the Champions! (Queen)

8.) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

Complete Control... them or me? (The Clash)

9.) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

In the arms of SLEEP (Smashing Pumpkins)

10.) WHAT IS 2+2?

Jean Genie (Bowie)

11.) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR BEST FRIEND?

SAY GOODBYE (and I often do say that to them...(Chris Brown)

12.) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

Promise (Ciara)

13.) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Soldier! (Destiny's Child)

14.) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

Dancin With Myself (Billy Idol)

15.) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

Seconds (of the Pav) (U2)

16.) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

I SEE RED, a red tunnel maybe? (Split Enz)

17.) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

34 Pricks of Distance. (Hannah Fox Larkin)

18.) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?

Just Can't Get Enough (The Saturdays)

19.) WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

Fools Gold.. (The Stone Roses)

20.) WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?

Untouchable (Girls Aloud)

21.) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

It Wasn't Me! (Shaggy)

22.) WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS ENTRY?

Don't Stop (The Stone Roses)

(Answers from ipod shuffle)

My year, stolen from Midori

2010 round-up

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Finally went to Disneyland

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

YES! I lost weight, after reaching a peak in about March, I lost about 7kg

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, Ming-Ping and Andrew got themselves born

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No

5. What countries did you visit?

New Zealand and Hong Kong

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Intact shoji

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

My birthday, I had a good one last year! And Christmas, as I was at home in NZ with family; also the drama of getting back to Nakastu on Dec 30-31

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting a contract with OIT!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Failing to do osouji. Again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Broke my toe.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

iphone

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Kanji, for spontaneously starting to do laundry finally after ten years

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

ALL my family for leaving their clothes all over the place. Myself included.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Travel!


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The trip to NZ

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Anything by Lady Gaga, or her doppelganger chez moi, Eri-Gaga

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?

same, always happy. Perhaps happier

ii. thinner or fatter?

thinner

iii. richer or poorer?

richer for a bit, then poorer again as the tax bill hits!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

cleaning

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Reading the Daily Mail online

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

With my family in New Zealand

22. Did you fall in love in 2010?

Several times, all with the same man...

23. How many one-night stands?

hahaha!

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Star Trek repeats, the only thing I have time for

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I wouldn't say hate because I won't let her create such damaging negative emotions in me, but I am surprised and disappointed by one person's turning against me.

26. What was the best book you read?

The Head Trip, Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Lena

28. What did you want and get?

iphone

29. What did you want and not get?

New car

30. What were your favorite films of this year?

I only saw Avatar, Lovely Bones and Alice in Wonderland.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

See my blog entry for those days!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A cleaner

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

Split personality - three different wardrobes for home, work and play

34. What kept you sane?

beer and internet. Preferably not together...


35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

No-one. Maybe Johnny.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

The hint of a possibility that Japan might, perhaps in the near future possibly sign the Hague Convention

37. Who did you miss?

Everyone!

38. Who was the best new person you met?

My sister's boyfriend James, so funny!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

Time-management skills improved

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Just d-d-d-dance!