Good morning!

[dreamflower]

Last night something scary happened: I was getting ready to saute a few veggies to go with our supper, I'd heated a little canola oil, and then, just to add a bit of flavor, I chucked in a tiny chunk of margarine. And the skillet caught fire! I mean absolute gouts of flame. I yanked it off the burner with a yell, and grabbed the nearest lid and put it out. (My husband ran in and grabbed the fire extinguisher--but I'm glad the lid did the trick--I hate the thought of my skillet being ruined!) I've been cooking for over 45 years (since I was ten years old) and I've *NEVER* had that happen before!

Word of advice: DO NOT use "Bluebonnet Light Margarine" in a hot skillet!

Anyway, and in other news, I'm very proud of myself! I have finally begun to upload stories onto The Last Ship! Eleven of them so far! It's been much easier than I thought it would be, although not completely painless--I did mess up my formatting a few times, but the admin was very quick to get back to me with help!

Comments

[meneleth.livejournal.com]

Wow - that would have been scary alright! I'm glad you didn't get splashed with burning oil when you moved the pan and that you got the fire out so quickly.

What's The Last Ship? I'll have to check it out if you're posting stories there.

[dreamflower]

It really was both scary and unexpected!!

It's a new archive; it's open to anyone who's written any LotR, and most of the stories are LotR, but they can post fic from other fandoms as well, and real person stuff, too. If you want to check it out, just click on the link in my post. It's a very easy archive to read and comment on.

I've always posted mostly on Stories of Arda and my LJ, but the recent spate of hacking attempts at SoA has made me realize it's not good having all my eggs in one basket, so to speak!

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

The Last Ship can be found here, if you're curious:
http://thelastship.org/eFiction331/index.php

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness! That sounds very scary. I am glad nothing else caught fire or that you got burned. I never use margarine when cooking, only oil, but I have seen people use the combination and I've never heard of the pan taking fire like that.

*hugs*

[dreamflower]

I've used the combination for *years* and never had that happen. My only conclusion is that it was the brand of margarine (which I'd never used before) and that the skillet was hotter than I thought!

(((((hugs))))))

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

oh good for you!! (about the Last Ship!! I'm sorry I haven't been able to be as helpful myself lately, but baranduin is wonderful as always and knows a lot more of the technical stuff than I do!!!) *hugs*

And yikes about the margarine fire!!! Eeep!

[dreamflower]

Yes, she was very helpful! And a couple of other people were helpful too. So it didn't take long to solve my problems.

It really was an "Eeep!" moment, LOL!

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

baranduin is super-helpful, isn't she? Loading stories to The Last Ship isn't as easy as to SOA, but it's not too difficult - and I love how inclusive the attitude is, and the mods are just great.

[dreamflower]

It's slightly more complicated, but not too much so--it looks more intimidating than it actually *is*, if you know what I mean. And it's no more difficult than filling out a MEFA nom, once you figure out the drop-downs.

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean! The first time I uploaded anything there I was like 'OMG the BOXES!!!' But then I took a deep breath and figured it out. And with the fic moving in late March, I got to be a pro at uploading there.

The MEFA analogy is a very good one. Lots of boxes, but most of them make sense.

And I still lovelovelove that when I'm looking to click a pairing for my fic, I can click 'Halbarad/Serinde' instead of 'Halbarad/OFC.' That's very happy making for me, that the mods are that welcoming of original characters. baranduin will pop them right into that character list for you if they weren't there already. It's a beautiful thing.

Don't mind me, I tend to burble happily about TLS any time I'm given a chance. :D

[elendiari22.livejournal.com]

Oh geeze, that's scary! Glad the lid put the fire out. I'll pass the warning around; I don't use margarine but some of my roommates do.

[dreamflower]

I've used both butter and margarine before in combination with oil, and this is the first time I've had that reaction.

It's also the first time I've used that brand.

I think the logical conclusion is obvious.

[lbilover.livejournal.com]

Yikes! I'm glad you weren't injured and were able to put the fire out right away. I'll never buy that product, that's for sure.

[dreamflower]

Well, I've still got three sticks of it left. I certainly won't be putting any of it in a skillet again!

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
Glad you're all right.

[dreamflower]

So am I! I even still have all my eyebrows, LOL!

[aspenjules.livejournal.com]

YIKES! That's scary! Good job on the quick thinking with moving the pan and using the lid. I lol'ed when I read that you hated the thought of [your] skillet being ruined!. That's the kind of reaction *I* would have had!

It's nice to hear that it's not too bad to upload stories to The Last Ship. I really need to get on that. I have meant to do that with my two little stories since it started, but just haven't done it. But since Shirebound posted yesterday about SoA being taken down for a bit, then moved... I guess I really need to get it in gear.

I'm really just hopeless about such things though, so... we'll see how it goes. Truly, if *I* can do it, *anyone* should be able to, LOL.

[dreamflower]

Well, it's a fairly *new* skillet!!

It really isn't as hard as I thought it would be--it's actually less time-consuming than filling out a MEFA nomination form. And everyone's very helpful about it if you do have trouble!

[the-arc5.livejournal.com]

Oh, there's a great balls of fire joke in here somewhere...where did I put the darn thing? I thought it was right beneath the smokin' hot comment, but maybe I left it by the Mount Doom jokes. *sigh* Oh, well. Glad you're okay (and the skillet, too).

I'm impressed by your archiving! I looked at The Last Ship, but I couldn't figure it out. (To be fair, I didn't hang around and play with it much.) So...kudos!

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

(pointing up) what the_arc5 said. I looked at the Last Ship but haven't the faintest idea how to start or register or get an account there or get approved or whatever it is you do. Got any pointers?

[dreamflower]

This is really useful:

http://www.thelastship.org/lastshipwiki/index.php?title=Help_for_Authors

And it isn't any harder than filling out a form for the MEFAs!

[dreamflower]

Very punny, dear! LOL!

It really isn't as hard as it looks--lots of drop down boxes, but you only have to click on what you want.

And there's lots of neat fic in there!

[mumstheword54.livejournal.com]

Scary about the margarine! I wonder if it happened because of the high water content in "lite" margarines, and adding that to hot oil.

Oh, and *thumbs up* on Bluebonnet brand!

And I'm glad you're not abandoning SoA, but having an additional place to post your wonderful stories.

*hugs*

[dreamflower]

You are probably right about the "lite" margarines! But it was only a tiny piece!!

No, I'd never leave SoA--it's sort of like my home. But, as I said, eggs in one basket, you know! I need to keep in mind that SoA might not be there forever--I mean, look at West of the Moon! You can still read what's there, but you can't add any more stories now!

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Wah! Those moments are just the scariest! I only do olive oil in my skillet these days because I had a wee incident like that shortly after Kevin was born and my mind was so not there. I am so glad you came out of this unscatched!

The Last Ship looks fantastic and runs on one of my fav e-fiction skins. I always considered efiction very easy to use, despite it's quirks I sometimes stumble upon as a site admin for Q&I and SWG :)

[dreamflower]

I've decided it's much more user-friendly than I originally thought it was!

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you didn't get hurt and you were able to put the fire out quickly.

I really like The Last Ship. Once you learn the way it works, it's so easy to use, and so welcoming.

[dreamflower]

So am I!

It is much easier than I thought it would be--and the mods have been very helpful!

[lindelea1.livejournal.com]

Frightening!

Young hobbits know about putting a lid on it, or plying the baking soda. We have fire extinguishers, but they haven't been checked in some years and somebody might possibly have played with them upon a time. I need to find out where to take them to have them serviced.

[dreamflower]

Putting a lid on it is really the very easiest way to put out a skillet fire! Good thing I had one handy--even though it wasn't the "proper" lid, it did the job!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

That sounds very scary!
I'm gradually uploading my stuff to the Last ship too.I especially like the fact you can use pictures in your stories.

[shirebound]

Eeeee! But I'm glad you posted this. I'll be sure to keep a lid handy from now on, whether it's being used or not.