Killing ones selft through healthy eating

I am making a concerted effort to eat a little better. My cholesterol is bad, my good cholesterol is low and the bad is high. So, I've started to eat oatmeal for breakfast on a daily basis. I'm not talking the microwavable instant oatmeal, but the Wilferd Brimley stovetop, milk and oats kind of oatmeal.

So, everyday for breakfast, I get a pot out, turn on the stove to 4, add one cup of milk and wait for it to come to a simmer. Some days, I stir it more than others so that the milk scalds less on some days than others. I add 1/2 cup of oats and let is burble away until its the right thickness. I scoop it out into a bowl, add some cinnamon and sugar, or dried blueberries or cranberries and have a nice breakfast.

And then a little while later, and usually not me, someone turns the stove off. Pretty consistently, I've been leaving the stove on. Some days I find it and some days because I walk by the stove and notice how nice, warm and cozy it is in front of the stove. My hands are usually ice cold and I enjoy any contribution of warmth (over stoves, underneath sweaters and whatnot). Then I realize that it because I didn't turn it off!

It happened tonight again. Heather and Kids 2 and 3 had mostly eaten (a large snack) before they came home from swim practice. I cooked dinner for Kid 1 and myself (and some to share with the other kids) and as I was cleaning up afterwards, I thought to myself, "Boy, the stove sure cools off slowly."

Wouldn't you know it, I left the stove on. Again. Second time today.

So, if you happen to feel the warmth coming off our stove, please, please just turn it off. If you hear that some guy in Sammamish lowered his cholesterol and will live a few more years, but died because he left the stove on, warn your children on my behalf.

Be Safe. Turn your Stove off.