Wednesday, September 28, 2016

And We're Off! The 2016-2017 Heating Season Begins

Tonight, after cleaning the chimney, stovepipe, and internal flue chambers, Marjorie cooked my supper and is now heating our hot running water again.  The electric water heater has been turned off for its 7-8 month siesta, and we are back in business!

Last year, the electric water heater was turned off on Sept. 30th, so we're about right on schedule.  Our thermometer has registered temperatures in the 30s for the last three mornings, and I would have liked to have started the stove earlier, but we've had so much rain (nothing like the flooding in northeastern Iowa, though) that all of the wood was very wet around here.  I also hadn't taken the time to cut any wood yet.

Today after school that changed.  And what a banner afternoon it was, too!  The weather was beautiful, the chainsaw started on the first try, and the wood splitter did the same.  I felt like a king.

I have lots to share with all of you, so let's all hope for a schedule that permits a good deal of blogging over the next few months.

Happy autumn, everyone, and may your wood cookstoves be burning brightly soon!