Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
Sounds like good news! Really pleased for you!
What made you smile today?
- Thread starter snowbunny
- Start date
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
That’s great news about Jackson
That’s good progress so far. I hope all’s well at the end of January.
Glad he's doings so well. Well done Jackson
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Our third week at Sniffer dog class. Cass is rockin it, born for the job 
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
I’m back online - hurrah!
It‘s been odd with no TV or Internet for a week!
It‘s been odd with no TV or Internet for a week!
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
Welcome back! We've missed you! Hope you're settling in well.xxx
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Thank you.
We’ve had drizzle today. I still very much enjoyed the farmers market in the town square and bought bread, cheese and sossidges.
We have a carport so my washing is hung out in all weathers. Coronation Street has arrived in Axbridge! Boogie - always to be relied on to lower the tone!
I am loving the log burner! The rule is that the one who sets the fire gets to light it and tend it. I beat Mr Boogs to it every day and I’m finding it really therapeutic. We put a log on at 7pm and it lasts all evening. Very cosy.
The first thing I’ve joined is Yoga at the town hall on Tuesday evenings - starting the week after next.
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
- Location
- Isle of Man
and clean it?
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
I also quite enjoy the daily ritual in cooler weather of cleaning out the stove, building a fire and lighting it. My parents always has real fires and from the age of about ten clearing out the fireplace and laying the next fire was one of my jobs. My lovely Dad taught me how to do it and wanted the fire laid so well that he could light it with just one match. Every time I achieved this I was heaped with praise and I still take pride in being able to do it now! I always feel my Dad is just looking over my shoulder when I'm building a fire. 
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Mine did too. It became one of my jobs to clear the ashes, set and light the fire. I was taught to roll up newspaper very tightly and wrap it - a bit like a pretzel but tightly. That in itself was an art. You laid a load of those, then kindling and then coal. Once alight, you held a whole sheet of newspaper tightly across the fireplace to draw the flames and help get the wood and coal alight. Occasionally the sheet of newspaper set fire and you had to quickly push it onto the fire without setting fire to everything around you. It was a really messy job - hands got covered in newsprint and coal dust - no rubber gloves. I remember fire lighters becoming available in the shops. We got some but they had to last. They were smelly. It was tempting to use more if the newspaper was damp but frowned upon as expensive.
I had to go to a ladies house and set the fire as part of one of my Girl Guide badges. She was well impressed with my newspaper rolling and twisting skills and getting the fire lit quickly
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
Happy memories! I wonder how many people learn those skills today. I have been getting my logs from the same people for years, they're a local family firm, reliable, friendly and the logs are ethically sourced. I recently read an online review for them and someone had posted 'Their logs don't light' .
Errr.....well how are you trying to light them? I've never had the slightest problem. I wonder if they thought you could just put a match to a log and it would light? Fire laying is a skill and I'm glad that I was lucky enough to have a good teacher in my Dad.
Errr.....well how are you trying to light them? I've never had the slightest problem. I wonder if they thought you could just put a match to a log and it would light? Fire laying is a skill and I'm glad that I was lucky enough to have a good teacher in my Dad.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
It is, and I'm happy to be able to say both my twentiesomethings have it!
I too am a fire affectionado, I had this idea last week that on economy grounds I would light my woodburner alternate days. This lasted until 6 pm on the first day, when I could bear the emptiness no longer! I really feel it's like company when I am the only hooman in the house.
Of course, it goes without saying that Cass feels the same
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
My Mum always used to say 'A fire is company's. I feel it is too.
- Location
- Isle of Man
I remember watching my mum lay the fire in the morning. She made two different shapes of newspaper thingies (what to call them?). And I remember her holding the sheet of newspaper across the fireplace too, but sadly she didn't teach me the whole art of actually building the fire. I can see the little red wooden handled hearth brush with its worn bristles...
We have an open fireplace but it's never been used, OH keeps threatening to get the chimney swept so we can have a fire, but I'm not keen. I don't know...
We have an open fireplace but it's never been used, OH keeps threatening to get the chimney swept so we can have a fire, but I'm not keen. I don't know...
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Do it
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
The dogs would love it!
My new rose arrived.