Day 266/267 - COLD!!! Fireplace rules

Day 266 was the start of a very cold week, driving to work it registered -30!! what the heck. And it never warmed up thru the day. I was lucky enough to have a massage booked so enjoyed that before coming home to light a blazing fire and prepare supper. Shaina went to Calgary dress shopping but still no luck. Once home it was time to light a fire then Britt went out to pick out horse feet.

I went out and caught Nightbird for her and she took her out to give her beet pulp and we blanketed her. We pitched out some small hay piles for Bird as she seems to be odd girl out. Then headed back into the warm house.

Day 267 was even colder driving in, -31! and school still was a go. I pitched a bit of hay before work and Shaina did before classes.  Being so cold I ran to get the girls at work hot tea. I found a lady online who sells free range chicken eggs so she dropped off 10 dozen. At 2 I quickly dropped Kaylin and Amanda's eggs off at AJ house where Kaylin babysits, stopped at UFA to buy some insulated coveralls for me and raced to the house to meet the fireplace guys. Sheldon had called them out on a service call to check an air vent. I was lucky enough to get the complete low down from the exuberant fellows. here are their tips..

1- remove that grate and build a fire in a log cabin style on top of 1" of ash.
2- use dry (17% recommended) non sappy wood  or expensive sawdust compressed logs the fireplace store sells (150 for about $600 if buy a full skid..;-/) however he did suggest getting a cheap license for the parks and cut your own
3- he demonstrated the best way to clean the glass since you must never clean it or my cook top with windex which etches it but rather with wet newspaper and ashes, amazingly it works, then buff dry with paper towel. He did say the glass cleaner they have for the gas units will clean cook tops brilliantly!
4- we must sweep the chimney every 500 hours of burning which correlates to about every 6 weeks in winter, shoot now we have to find a chimney sweep
5- he showed me that hot fires actually clean the black soot off the bricks, very cool
6- he showed me how to set the damper at half to kick more radiant heat into the room but also noted to be careful with this trade secret cause if it closes you are in for a world of smoke in the house..LOL
7- they mentioned there is an Anntionette 11 out now which is even bigger, HA salesman at heart I think he is.
8- the two chatted up the whole hour, 1 fellow way more than the other but they did love building fires and what they do.
9- PS .. no pressed woods, glue is bad for chimney and probably lungs. But great kindling can be 2X4 pieces cut about a foot long and chopped into long narrow pieces.

Britt rode home on the bus since Shaina worked and then was going to Drumheller for a hockey game. Once home she made up food for Birdie and her and I went out again to feed her and Julio. When Sheldon got home he came out to help pitch smaller hay piles out for her to. In the evening I spent 1 1/2 hours trying to unsuccessfully get the router to work while Sheldon worked on farm books. Fun night! LOL