Monday, February 25, 2013

Fire!



Happy Monday to you all! And here it is, the first fire in the new woodstove. It burned for a grand total of about 3 minutes and the life was snuffed out of it. We have tried all weekend to keep a fire burning in it to no avail. Hubby thinks maybe the air return wasn't installed properly or something, because it's as if the fire is getting no oxygen and we have the damper opened all the way. So, when the shop opens in an hour or so I shall call them for advice. So frustrating when we woke up to snow this morning as the next two pictures show. Wouldn't a lovely fire be nice this morning? I certainly think so. Oh well, it will all be figured out in time. It's not as if we have never lit a fire. After all, we are avid campers and have fireplaces in previous homes. It was pretty the few seconds it lasted wasn't it. Hee! Hee!

Yes we have more snow this morning. It was a surprise! When hubby left for work there wasn't a flake afalling! I went back to bed for an hour and when I next looked out the window, what a surprise greeted me. This was what happened in that hour I was asleep! It's still falling, but the temperature is supposed to reach the mid 40'sF today so I don't think it will last too long.

Next are my two latest projects. The rainbow blankets are done! I'm going to make two more soon, but I think I'll make a baby sweater or something first for a small break. I don't put the last row of color on until I know if the baby is a boy or girl or if they would like it to match the nursery. I can do that in a short time and it's easier than ripping out a row of blue on the last blanket in the closet and the baby is a girl! This is the first time I made two at one time and it worked very well.

The last picture is of the bookshelves in our cozy basement room. We have a gas firestove there. It's just the right size for the two of us to spend our evenings. We have our two reclining chairs, Chloes bed, my spinning wheel and the T.V. This is where we will be found in the winter. Hibernating with our books. As you can see, hubby and I are avid readers. So are all three of our children. Mandy has bookshelves all over the house, chock full. Jamie has a room in their basement and the office full of shelves of books. Alex would have, but he has limited space in his apartment in Tokyo. When we Skype with him, you can see piles of books all around the walls on the perimeter of the room! Plus, we still have several boxes full of his books that we're storing until he settles in one place. Yes, we most definitely love our books.

We spent the dreaded few hours with our accountant on Saturday getting the taxes done for last year. So glad that's over. Hubby always has everything done on a spreadsheet for them. It's just a matter of signing papers for the most part, but it's good to have a second set of eyes look at things.

I'm planing to make the drive to Portland, OR on Thursday and hubby will follow on Friday after work. We're delivering the Expedition to it's new owners. Then we'll come home Sunday and I'll drive back down on the next Friday to spend a week with Brad, Mandy & Piper. I'm babysitting little Miss Piper next weekend while Mom works at the youth rally at church. Dad has a flight class for his pilot license renewal. It's a great excuse to go back and for the "icing on the cake", Taci, Gracie and Teresa and I are having lunch together! Too bad I didn't know it time that I would be coming this weekend too, we could have met twice! The trip is almost 400 miles each way, so in the next two weeks I'll have 1600 miles logged on my little car driving to and from Portland. Please pray for good weather and NO SNOW!

And now, I have lots of Monday things to get accomplished, not the least is the laundry and some phone calls for hubby.

Have a wonderful day and remember, to have a friend is to have everything!
Blessings,
Betsy

14 comments:

  1. Oh boo on the new wood stove!! Hope it is an easy fix so you can stay nice and cozy during your storms!! Love the rainbow blanket!!!
    Have a great time with Taci, Teresa and Gracie!!! So wish I could come too.
    Wishing you safe travels!!!!
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  2. Hope you get the kinks in the stove worked out soon, especially for these last remaining chilly days. My goodness you are going to be busy, lunch with the girls is worth a 400 mile drive.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  3. The store should be able to help you...on my sibling's woodstove (which was burning nicely last night when I arrived to stay with my dad while they were out of town) there are 2 things that have to be done to keep the fire burning nicely but please don't ask me what they are:)
    LOVE your baby blankets--love the books (we have a lot of bookcases too)!
    Wishing you a very safe trip down here...
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  4. Hi Betsy, I hope the stove issue is an easy fix.. you would have loved the wood fire while watching the snow fall. It's temperate here - rain and such. You know I'm in LOVE with your rainbow blankets.. what yarn do you use? I want to make one for myself. LOL! I'm looking forward to seeing you and the girls.
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  5. Love the bookshelves and the baby blankets Betsy. Hope you can get the wood stove fixed soon :)

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  6. Thank you all for your kind comments on the stove. I did call the store and the guy acted like I was an idiot! Seriously. He said they'll send someone out next Tuesday to teach us to light a fire. Bother! We DO know how to light a fire. Guess we'll keep trying to find out the "secret".
    Teresa- I use Bernat Softee Baby. It's so nice and soft and washes really well.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Sorry you were treated with such rudeness Betsy...the guy who.answered obviously does NOT know what customer service is :-)
      May your evening be MUCH better!
      Blessings, Aimee
      PS: Does the woodstove manufacturer have info on a website?

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  7. I love the baby blanket! Lots of different stitches to make it interesting. Good idea to not add the final color too.
    Hope you get the stove working soon. Nothing better than a warm fire in the evening. I just would not want to deal with the wood mess.
    So glad to see you are back on your feet and going full blast again :)

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  8. Betsy, you have a great sense of humor and perfect comic delivery :) I laughed out loud when you wanted me to; I'm certain!

    Seriously, I so share your indignation that your ability to keep a fire burning was questioned!

    Remember all my bookshelves :) We are kindred spirits.

    Blessings to you and yours and all your adventures with Him.

    xx,
    Gracie

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  9. I will tell you that we have a large wood stove and at first it was a bit tricky and we knew how to light the fire! lol But, you will get the kinks worked out and LOVE it.

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  10. Hope you got the stove working. Looks great.

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  11. Hi just found you lovely Blog. I saw the wood fire and thought what a nice way to spend a few hours on such a cold day, hope you get your fire going soon.

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  12. ah Betsy just as well you clicked the first to show that you can light one..

    It seems to me the fires are often a problem my friend in France is always having troubles with her's... their flue was installed upside down and did not draw as it should but took a while for that to be sorted.. think something was also wrong with the damper as well, I think.. pray your is sorted too

    and yusss! love that rainbow quilt how very beautiful, Shaz in Oz.x

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  13. I hope you got the woodstove working by now. Sure sounds like you still need it. :) Best wishes, Tammy

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