Grilling with Melinda-Reflections From The Kitchen Sink

Grilling With Melinda

So you know those times when your head is just really busy? Like 90-11 things buzzing through like a bunch of kindergarteners when they first hit the playground after a busy academic morning busy? Yeah, that pretty much describes my brain the other night. 

I had a list of to do tasks spinning, a conversation going, one chat on hold, and steaks grilling. I remembered my potatoes were boiling on the stove, so I rushed inside to check them. Eek! I remembered the grill so rushed back outside. The steaks were a little more done than I intended due to some of those juice drip flames, so I grabbed them off, turned the burners off, and rushed back inside to finish the last minute touches on dinner. It was a frenzy, but we settled into our typical dinner groove and enjoyed the next hour as a family. 

I decided to leave the dishes until the morning and just take a little stroll before bed. I opened the back door and found the grill cover wrapped in flames! I quickly yelled inside that I needed my oven mitt and proceeded to the grill. I stepped on something but couldn’t take the time to look down because I noticed one of the knobs was totally off the front of the grill. I opened the compartment underneath and was burned immediately upon touching the propane shelf. Thankfully, my son got outside right then with the fire glove. I got the gas tank turned off then started knocking down remaining flames including those that had engulfed the wooden handle of the spatula sitting beside the main cooking area. 

It happened pretty fast, so I didn’t get rattled really until the next morning when I saw the damage in the daylight. It appeared the knob that blew off was at the juncture of a cracked fuel line. It was actually really good that pressure released like it did with no one present! I reached down to pick up pieces from that and found a bit of burned metal that had by then cooled and attached itself to the concrete. That had to be extremely hot to create that much dripping metal. It was when I couldn’t budge the metal blob that I realized more of what could have been. The propane tank I’d turned off was at least half full, and there was a new full tank just to the side. A little more heat, and…well, you know…

I am a not a coincidence girl. I know in my heart the Lord put me outside to manage all that to (1.) protect us and (2.) remind me to be more aware. We all can get overwhelmed by the goings-on in life and get too busy minded. Of all seasons in our lives, this global pandemic that has us slowing ourselves physically should also have us slowing down mentally. This time is the perfect time to do some resets to our daily lives. I am pointing my finger right at Melinda with that reminder because obviously my head is pretty crowded with things! So there will be no more chasing the 90-11 squirrels in my head. I’m going to try not to chase even 9010 for that matter! I’m obviously not a super multitasker anyway, huh? 

…like now, I better focus on this cup of coffee… 

…until next time…

Bio:All Reflections from the Kitchen Sink posts are written by Melinda Campbell. Melinda is a retired educator who currently focuses her efforts on raising her two teenaged boys, advocating for individuals with special needs and against drunk driving, and serving in her local community. New Kitchen Sink Merchandise-Click Here?