As the nights are drawing in and the weather getting unmistakably colder I take delight in our evenings in front of our big open fire. Years ago we did all we could to get central heating and a fake gas open fire with glowing 'coals' so that we could pretend we had a real fire but without the mess of ash to clear out each morning. The thing is, it was never quite as cosy as we remembered the old real fires when we were kids.
So when we moved last year and we found the real fireplace that was hidden by a hideous old gas appliance we were absolutely delighted and (like now) spend our evenings in the beautiful warm glow of our blazing fire. It's no problem to clean out, I do this each morning and lay the fire ready to be lit when the temperature starts dropping rapidly outside (around 5.00pm ). We all look forward to the ritual of lighting it and locking the doors against the elements and the outside world.
It's a sort of primitive instinct, the feeling of warmth, safety, security and I am thankful for being able to enjoy such simple pleasures in life when so many are unable to. I also remember my Grandmother who had such a hard life in bringing up her 6 children single handed after my Grandfather died in the war. My mother tells me of how nan had to sew by candlelight to help pay the bills. It must have been so difficult to keep everyone fed and clothed. When they were evacuated nan joined them in a little village called Great Glen where she became a housekeeper at 'the big house'. In those days they had fires alight all day. In fact I also remember during my school days when I started at my secondary school at 11 years old we had a coal fire in the corner of each classroom and in Winter these were always lit before we got in and we would all gather round the fire before the teacher came in. Memories.................
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