Fire Alarm Tests, a Necessary Evil

So I'm sitting here minding my own business on a peaceful Friday afternoon, instrumental music (what else?) playing softly in the background, as I answer emails and wait for the apple oatmeal cookie dough to finish chilling in the frig before baking.

(Credits to Danielle from Live Well Bake Often Blog)

A delightful fall afternoon.

Until I hear this off-the-charts high-decibel, prolonged and very shrill shrieking sound.  Yes, all of those adjectives are necessary.

I jumped measurable inches out of my office chair.  Chessie, my peke-a-poo, practically springloaded into my lap. 

And it just kept going.

We're not talking beeps here.  Oh, no. 
Long, shrill shrieks, blasting my eardrums.  Let's be sure everyone for miles and miles hears this alarm. 

I wanted to open the apartment door and yell to maintenance or whoever else was conducting this drill, helllooooo?  Mine is working is just fine.  Thanks!  You can stop now.

So much for a peaceful Friday afternoon.

Now.  Where was I?  Oh, yeah.  The cookie dough.

Crap.  There it goes again! 

 Stop!  Enough already!