The Stove is not a Heater!

Sometimes you just need a laugh...

How many of us as kids knew someone who used the stove burner to create warmth in the kitchen. I personally can remember my other grandmother putting a brick on the stove when it was cold yet somehow I never remember it being warm...

It doesn't happen often enough mostly because our weather is inconsistent but from time to time I have walked into Grandma's house to find the stove on. She doesn't cook anymore so there is no reason why the stove should be on. The first few times I just shut it off. But now as things progressively get worse with her memory I'm afraid of what could happen if the stove is left on and she falls asleep or the pilot light goes out. Now as an adult I know that there is not enough heat generated to warm an entire kitchen but grandma still has that old school mentally.

Today it's raining, I knew she would be extra cold and she would be unwilling to go out and I couldn't blame her I didn't want to be out there either. As soon as I opened the door I smelled gas, I went directly to the kitchen turned off the stove and looked around. She was in the bathroom getting ready, how long the stove had been on I will never know. I went about my daily routine in checking her mail, cleaning up and looking in her Fridge to see what she needed from the grocery store. When she was out of the bathroom she was complaining of feeling achy, "did you take your prednisone?" I asked she said No. I gave her the pills and then called in a refill because the bottle was empty. I also began questioning her about a folder I found on the table. Home Design? Oh no what could she possibly have gotten herself into now? She had no idea... She starred at the paper estimate trying to read the scribble but had no idea what any of it was. I called the number on the card to find out. She had signed a work order for exterior paint on the front porch for $2,750!!!! I immediately cancelled the work because there is no way we were just going to let anyone do work on the house. She still had no real memory of what was going to happen.

I left for the grocery store and CVS came back unloaded everything and then sat down to talk to her. I clearly stated that when I first walked in a few hours ago the house smelled or gas and it was of concern that she had left the stove on. She denied the whole thing. Well I continued someone did... and for safety reasons I am asking you to find a different way to get warm because the stove is only for cooking it is not a heater! She as always told me it kept her warm and that she would never put herself in any real danger because she's smarter than that... I pressed on that it was not a good idea and if she was cold she could use the blanket resting behind the exact chair she was sitting on. Now being the queen of excuses she assured me that she knew what she was doing and it was fine. I would not take that response. I continued with a story I heard on the news about people dying in there homes because they left the stove on over night and I was just looking out for her safety. And then I saw it, that devious look in her eye that tells me she is just going to tell me what I want to hear to get me off her back and once I'm gone she will do what ever she wants. So I called her out on it. She laughed SO hard that I had caught her. I told her she could not create a loop hole for this one. The stove is NOT a heater! I told her I would have neighbors come into the house and check in on her to make sure and if necessary I would buy child proof locks so she couldn't use it. This idea was very hilarious to her. Then She asked me, "What if I'm boiling water?" I asked her, "Are you making tea?" She laughed again and again I said if you are using the stove to cook something or making tea great but if you are not I don't care if you use a brick, a pot of water or and open flame THE STOVE IS NOT A HEATER.

I am not 100% positive she is going to listen to me but I will continue to make my case one day at a time.