DID YOU KNOW????

Maybe a watched pot never boils, but an unwatched one does catch afire?  I had some beef cubed and ready to go, but still had to chop up the veggies smaller for my stir fry. I actually  thiught enough to  start the rice ahead of time to time it all. That was doing it's thing, I put the olive oil in my pan and turned it on. My back was to the stove and I got preoccupied getting all the veggies (I was at the island) All of a sudden I hear a whoosh behind me. I turn to see my pan in flames (For a second I thought I was a chef preparing cherries jubilee tableside. lol) I stood there blowing frantically (Who knew I wouldn't have enough hot air???) Of course by now the alarm system is bellowing all through the house.  I grabbed a large lid and covered it... trying to beat down the flame. Then a flame appears under the damn pan. By now I finally put on the vent fan over the stove and turn to put water in to cool the pan.  The pan does cool, but smoke billows through the kitchen.  (My poor new white microwave has a film of soot I have to clean off. 

I do have a fire extinguisher under my sink, but I have yet to use it. Perhaps I need to learn how?

That was my excitement for the day. Luckily no damage. (except perhaps the ringing in my ears. lol 

PS All of this was with my central air on and the house closed up. I had to open doors and did look both ways to see if any neighbors did hear the damn alarms. Thankfully did not notice any. Lord knows they would have wondered what I was up to.