Fire!

The weather is turning colder here in the UK. Apparently we will be getting the biggest snowfall for 18 years!!! In our 180year old cottage it is difficult to eliminate all the drafts (giraffes)so to prepare for this I lit the front fire yesterday! For some unknown reason it took off like I have never seen it, before



It was soooooooo cold, even Jake took to bed!





During the day, we had an awful smell of smoldering wood, which got worse and worse! My neighbours have a wood burner and only burn wood and I wondered if somehow the smoke was coming through as we share chimneys. Sadly no.

By the afternoon it was so bad, we decided to shovel out the fire. Which involves basically using a shovel to scoop out the fire into the ashcan and carrying a red hot ashcan outside, praying to goodness the bottom doesn't drop out! Then raking out the rest so it goes out!

This appeared to make things better, and whilst it cooled we went through to the kitchen to eat our dinner!

After dinner I came back through and the lounge was full of smoke, the stove was cool to touch but the chimney board which blocks the chimney was red hot!



we called the fire brigade! They came as you can see, and pulled out the board and in one corner was a small pile of soot which was smouldering! They checked the whole of the chimney, up through the house with there 'thermal imaging camera' and found that to be fine. They then proceeded to sweep the chimney.

I am fanatical about 'fire safety' as I have two solid fuel appliances in the centre of my house and get the chimneys swept every year without fail.

Anyway they said it was very obvious that I have had the chimney swept. Tidied up and left.

They did a brilliant job and I thank them from the bottom of my heart as there was no way we could have dealt with it.

But..........



my lounge is covered in soot and cinders and stinks and to be honest I'm not sure where to begin! So I shall call my sweep and see if he can recommend someone to come and refit the flue and board. I will then phone the insurance company and see whether they can help with the costs of this and cleaning the carpet, curtains and suite. I will keep you posted!

I have been away visiting my mum, hence the lack of blog posts, but I put all the names in a hat



of everyone who entered my giveaway and the winner was......



Lottie!
These will be winging there way to you, once I can get to the post office!

Living the High Life!

I love living where I live, I only wish I could share with you the view of the sky at night. Being out in the country we have no light polution and some nights there are so many stars in the sky, you just stare in wonder. Tonight is one of those nights and its chilly!!

As usually I have not been sat around on my butt! Hubby went to work and T went on her Passplus lesson and had her first drive on the motorway and into Bristol on a busy Christmas Saturday, she loved it. Anyway whilst she was out I went to Devizes for fireproof rope for my multifuel stove in the front room, it had worn away so needed replacing which involves scraping and wire brushing and cutting and glueing!



I apologise for the pic, I am taking some terrible photos at the moment, probably because I am using a different camera as my old one is being held together with elasticbands!! I miss it!! As you can see the new rope is in place. I thought to try and save our coal I would saw up some old pallets I had been using to edge beds with. Huh! easier said than done, boy was it hard, but at least I have one box full



which will be enough if we need it. Sometimes our front room being north facing can get a bit chilly in the evening and you need a burst of fire to help warm it up abit! We have found where the giraffe (draft to everyone else) is coming from and we may have to remove the ceiling in the porch to find out! That is one job I don't mind supervising but won't do as I'm not keen on spiders!!

Then I topped up one of the cakes with some brandy



ate a couple of mincepies, mmmmmmmmmm they are so lovely. But I have frozen 4 dozen now. Still have some mincemeat left to make some more.

Note to self: 2009 make more mincemeat than you did this year!!!!

Now I am here, typing and catching up!