Smoke Alarms

Yes, I have smoke alarms. One special one is way up on the ceiling over the stairs that lead to the basement. It's been lurking there for over twenty years. And it still works!

How do I know?

Because it not only picks up the scent of smoke, it picks up other scents, such as the scent of a carpet spot remover, and bread coming out of the oven.

No kidding!

One day I sprayed some spot remover on a little piece of my kitchen carpeting and left the room to wait for it to do its work. About three minutes later, the alarm sounded that horrible ear-piercing noise all through the house. I tried to remain calm in order to find out where the

fire was. I went upstairs and down, but no fire was found.

I realized that it was the spot remover scent that set the alarm off. The high-pitched noise almost drove me crazy because it wouldn't stop and I couldn't stop it. But it mercifully stopped before I totally lost my mind.

I figured the batteries had by now died, but I got fooled.

Just the other day, I was taking a loaf of bread out of a very hot oven when that darn alarm went off just like before. I checked throughout the house, of course, but no sign of smoke or fire. Hirkimer smelled the bread! This time I opened the back door and let some fresh air come in and Hirkimer stopped. I call him Hirkimer because he IRKS me.

Moral of my story: put your smoke alarm in a place where you can reach it so you can turn it off.

P.S. To my dear children: do you recall when you were very, very young and misbehaving, I used to warn you that Hirkimer was watching you through the window? I don't think that

threat did much good, though. And so Hirkimer got his revenge on me.