Home is where the hearth is.

[Manky Monkey]

It's been a lovely day here, but as soon as the sun started to dip, the temperature followed. Taz & I have been with Loony & PD at the workshop all afternoon, playing with the Pop. So by the time we drove home to Guildford we were cold & tired. The local chimney sweep was here last week, so this evening we lit the fire. Swelteringly warm here now, but a real fire's a lovely sight.
Grate.

[mouse]

you cant beat a open fire like that just looking at it makes ya feel warm

[VALLEYSBOY]

i love real fires hate gas central heating s**t, im dead jealous

[tazet]

I agree. If we ever have to move then that is one of the things out next place has to have as well as a double garage. 

[VALLEYSBOY]

why am i depressed now

[Manky Monkey]

It's not our fire VB. We don't own the cottage, it comes with Taz's job, so, lovely as it is, it's sort of borrowed from her boss. Hoping to be living here for a very long time though.

[VALLEYSBOY]

yeah i know its a house with jobby thing ...just seeing the fire reminded me of when i had one in 1st house i owned and ive never really got used to gas,cold winter days and christmas times are especially that bit more special with real fires. ohy p.s. dont take my depression comments literally

[BikerGran]

Our house doesn't even have a chimney!  But years ago I turned the room round so the sitting end became the dining end and vice versa.  That meant we could have a 'balanced flue' fire that has a flue going through a hole in the wall.  Had to replace the original one 4 years ago, and now we've got one with real flames.  It's not very pretty, but even thought it's obviously a gas fire, I do like to see those flames!

[Manky Monkey]

We've been burning wood & garden rubbish at the end of the garden & it's amazing how long logs smoulder for. Days after they were first lit I could still see the embers glowing when I went to work in the dark in the mornings. A quick stir up with a stick & they burst into flames again. One of the local cats would come & warm himself there every evening.