Follow the directions and play by the rules!

Didn't we learn this at a young age?

We are once again anchored in woods Bay on Flathead Lake. It is a warm sunny morning and the water is smooth as glass. We got the word last night that I didn't have to paddle in the races this morning. So our plan is to have a delicious breakfast cooked by Mark and then go out and explore on the paddle board.
Mark is making hash browns in a small frying pan on the right burner. The flame is getting lower and so he knows that the denatured alcohol is getting empty. I am out in the cockpit doing my thing and I see him grab the alcohol to refill the stove. Good thinking! Otherwise breakfast will be lunch. He keeps on cooking the hashbrowns on the right and starts to pour the alcohol down the burner on the left without turning everything off and opening the stove like it is supposed to be done. I think that these kinds of directions are written for a reason and I can't help but hear Jeff Foxworthy in my ear, "Here's your sign". "Honey", I say, "do you really think that is a good idea to pour the alcohol down there without turning out the burner and opening the stove?" It will be fine he says. Don't worry! I watch closely in disbelief, thinking that this isn't going to work out as well as he thinks. However, I can't seem to leave his side wanting to see what's going to happen. BOOOOMMMM!!! That's what happened! Fire went spraying after an explosion sound and I went running out into the cock pit. I turn back to see the new cushions that I recovered are now burned in a spray pattern and Mark's hair on top of his head is crispy! Wait a minute...so is mine! Damnit!
He turns to me and says humbly, "go ahead and tell me, I told you so". You know that I did! Quite a few times in fact. We are damn lucky that is all that happened.
So, the next time that you want to cut corners and save a step, remember the directions are written for a reason. We know that and so does Jeff Foxworthy!