Magnifying Lamps and Fires

I have a magnifying lamp by each chair in front of the windows where I sit to stitch. One has a cover that closes and one doesn’t. I’ve gotten in the habit of placing a small, thick insulated cooler type bag over the one without a cover and then, as an added precaution, draping a dish cloth over that. Addie asked why I had it covered. I explained about magnifying glasses and fire and asked if her dad had ever shown her how to burn a leaf with a magnifying glass. Yes, he had.

I then explained that any time I’m not using the lamp, I cover it so I don’t walk away and forget, then have a fire. Of course, I don’t cover it at night when I’m using it but I do cover it before I go to bed just in case I sleep past sunrise.

It was almost 9 last night, I was stitching a bit and I got up to get clothes out of the dryer. I came back and my lamp was covered. I thought . . I don’t remember doing that just to go get clothes out of the dryer at dark.

I uncovered it, stitched a bit more and went to take a shower. I came back and it was covered again. Addie said “Granny, Do you want to burn the house down?” I told her no, thanked her for watching out for us and explained that it’s when the sun shines in that it can start a fire.

She said “Let’s not take any chances, ok?” I wanted to say “I’ll go along with that so long as you agree to do the same thing when I ask you not to do something” but I figured trying to negotiate when she was doing something she felt was right was not the best idea so I said “OK. No chances. I’ll cover it up next time I get up!”

Kids!!