My Superpower Sense of Smell

I have a gift. A gift, and a curse.

I have an acute sense of smell, which allows me to detail every minutia within a waft. Today, that gift may have just saved our lives.

About 6am, I started to smell something funny. Like that smell when I burned my Barbie's hair when I was 10, just 'cause it would curl up in the coolest dreads. Anyhow, that burny, plasticky, gassy smell freaked me out. Electrical fire? CO poisoning? I put my bloodhound nose to work, and sniffed around the house.

Alex woke up early. I am overcome by the fact that he has my gift.

"Mom! Something smells really funny." He started sniffing around. I was so proud.

So, in spite of the freezing temperatures, I threw open every window, opened my garage (which was really stupid, I'll explain later), and doors, then figured if the smell comes back after I close up the house, I'll get worried.

Before picking Alex up for preschool, I was frantically rummaging through the house for the twins SS cards. Missing! GAH! What more! I opened the basement door to start the search downstairs, when WHOOF.... a huge waft of gas hit me in the face. I panicked. The twins were snoring away in their cribs upstairs, and I had to pick up Alex. I had NO TIME for this kind of emergency! I decided it wasn't a huge priority (a "911" moment), so I called the fire department. They NEVER PICKED UP THE PHONE. So I called Questar, our Gas company monopoly.

I got evacuated from my house.

You know those moments in the movies where the strong Momma is taking her sleeping children out of bed and out of peril? Telling their kids, "everything is fine! We're just going on a drive!" That was me today. I did that to the twins, who were startled out of their naps. THANK HEAVENS I had to keep a cool head for the kids. I sped to preschool, picked up Alex, and headed back to our house where it was being investigated by the gas men.

So, here's the scary part of my story.

We have been living with a gas leak. For how long? Well, the gas guys said it looked like "a really old break" in a line. It took the flame igniter going out and burning for it to be discovered by a very meticulous technician. Praise God for him! He saved our lives. Also, he found that the gas line going to the dryer hookup was exposed, and OPEN. By my dryer, which was not attached properly, and throwing lint out ON TOP OF THE VALVE. So, opening my garage earlier was REALLY stupid. Really. The gas guys said that opening a garage, answering your phone, turning on the TV, all could set off an explosion.

HOW did I not smell the leak before now? I keep at least three windows open year round, no matter the weather. I am a very nervous Nelly about CO poisoning and gas leaks. Plus, I love fresh air, no matter the outside temperature.

The furnace is dead. My house is cold, and smells like burning plastic and gas right now. Oh, I'm not at home, by the way. I made my escape to my parent's house when evacuated.

No, it wasn't my superpower sense of smell that saved our lives. It was the brigade of guardian angels who have been protecting us, working holidays, going overtime, without extra pay. I have always believed in angels and miracles, but check it out: I'm alive. My kids are safe, healthy, and LIVING. Ya, I'm being over dramatic. But with all the candles I burn, incense I burn... those guardian angels have been working overtime. I pray they get the night off as we sleep here tonight. They deserve it.

"Storal of my Mory:" Do you know anything about your furnace? Your gas hookups? Where your kids' Social Security cards are? I do now. Except where the twins cards are. ugh.