Burn Notice

Today I warmed up some carrot soup in the microwave for Sylvia. I cooked it for too long so the bowl was too hot to remove with my bare hands. I donned an oven mitt, but it didn't have enough grip to hold the bowl, so it dropped about a foot and a half to the counter top. Boiling soup bounced up to splash my face, arm and scalp. It hurt like the dickens, but I retained enough presence of mind to get my head and arm under ice-cold water almost instantly. I have some pretty painful red welts on my forehead and up under my receding hairline now, but I think I acted quickly enough to avoid any lasting damage to my rakish good looks.

In all seriousness, I experienced a moment of genuine alarm when that boiling soup came splashing up into my face. It made me remember that awful day when we were out camping in northern Manitoba and Sean burned himself with coffee. Dad drove like a demon to get Sean to the hospital on one of the worst, most remote roads in the world, but he got us all there successfully. Sean's burns were far worse than the mild ones I suffered today; he had to be flown down to Winnipeg with Mom for treatment, while Dad and I waited anxiously at home in Leaf Rapids. I remember how relieved I was when they came home and Sean was okay - his hair was all curly from the humidity on the flight. I remain impressed by Dad's driving skills, too.

Today's life lesson: accidents can happen anytime. I'm posting this as a reminder to myself: pay attention to what you're doing. You only get one shot at life, and you don't want to mess it up with an act of easily-avoided stupidity.