Fire check...

The house happens to be empty right now...pretty unusual for 5pm, so I took advantage of the quiet to blog-hop AND watch the news at the same time.  I'm not a big fan of the news, but if I don't watch occasionally, I can really become out of the loop on what's happening in the world and my community.  So, once in a while I force myself to watch.  The big story of the day was a family who was lost in a fire in Harrisburg this morning.  Four young children and their aunt were consumed by the house fire...and partly because their smoke detectors were not working.  It was a gut-wrenching story...so sad, and so preventable.  

The story ended by encouraging listeners to check their detectors for 1.} a good battery and 2.} the expiration date on the bottom of the product.  Apparently there is actually an expiration date on smoke detectors.  They only last 10 years. That is the first I've ever heard of this...so I assumed you may possibly be surprised to learn this, too.  

But, now you know...and you have no excuse not to get up and check the back of all your detectors to see if they are, in fact, still working.  It's kind of an annoying thing to ask you to do...but there's a mother out there tonight who sure wishes she had done the same yesterday.  Get up...go check them!  

On to more annoying news:  Apparently there is a Starbucks in Washington who will be serving alcohol after the morning latte rush.  Really, Starbucks?  Can't you just give us a place to sit and relax with a cup of coffee?  Does money matter THAT much to you that you have to ruin our coffee break with a little happy hour???  really?

I'm sorry...that's just wrong.  

Enjoying my cup of Grande decaf will NOT be as relaxing if the table next to me is enjoying a couple rounds of Vente Bud Lights.

That's it...I quit the News tonight...I don't want to hear more.

I prefer to enjoy another night of blissful ignorance.

{which I will do AFTER I check my smoke alarms...}