"To build a fire"

A few days ago, a gentleman/chimney sweeper was at our place, we had called him to check the fireplace and wood stove. 

Forgetting he was supposed to come that day, I lit a wood stove fire first thing that morning; this was the first cold day with temperatures bellow zero and we had just receive a pile of wood for our winter paradise. 

This is just part of our lot. Photo: MCC

The, by now, memorable day the gentleman/chimney sweeper came, in my efforts to light the fire, I had managed to fill the whole house with smoke; the air was so thick with it, it was unbearable. Although there was never a danger of a house fire, I even tripped the fire alarm.

When Mr. Hoover, that is his name, arrived and was checking the living room fireplace - by the way, I had ruined his chances of checking the wood stove - he asked with an intrigued and somewhat ironic air: "How do you like the smell of burning wood and smoke in your house?" "Not at all!", should have been my answer but, suffering from a pride attack, I bent over backwards trying to explain this was a once in a life time event. He looked at me with an 'I don't believe you' kind of face. Then, I swallowed my pride and began to ask all sorts of questions about the wood stove and its use and, evidently, I won him over with my 'inquisition'. 

Mr. Hoover explained that, if used properly, this type of modern wood stove should not smoke, neither inside the house nor through the chimney, because it harnesses all those hot flue gases prior to their escape heating the space more efficiently and becoming more environmentally friendly. We opened a couple of doors to clear the smoke and smell from the house and the good gentleman took the time to teach me how to build a roaring fire in my wood stove; later, he sent me a book that tells all I wanted to know about wood stoves and their use, even though this is not our main source for heating the housed. I read the whole document, very informative. If interested, you can check it here.

I love controlled  fires every once in a while, especially on cold, snowy days. Fire has an hypnotic and relaxing effect on me. Since the beginning of Fall, I had been so looking forward to the first fire in my study cum family room wood stove and I, finally, had it!

Wood Stove Fire. Photo: MCC

After Mr. Hoover left, I sat in front of the wood stove looking intently at the fire. I could not help but remember Jack London's short story To Build a Fire.  This was one of the my first readings about life in the North and it marked me forever. Funny how the brain works!