I Did It!

The crackle and warmth of the fire made my Friday night complete. It brought back happy memories and made me feel good.

It had been a chilly, some would even say a cold, Friday here in New Jersey. Temps hovered in the twenties this morning and only came up to the thirties as the day wore on. All day the air in my classroom fluctuated between needing and shedding my jacket but by the time I drove home the only thing I noticed was the pervasive chill in the air.

As I pondered my evening meal I also pondered a second thought. Should I attempt a fire in the fireplace? These late winter/early spring days have always been the perfect time to light a fire. The crackling of the dancing flames both brightening and warming our living room, creating a cozy space. The problem is that I’m not very good at starting a fire and keeping it burning.

When my husband and I lived in our first home nearly 40 years ago he affectionately gave me the nickname, ”the fireman”. We had a coal burning stove in the basement as our only means of heat. Rich would get the house all toasty warm with a fire burning its little heart out in the stove. Then he would need to leave for work. All I had to do was keep the fire burning. But I would fail. Like any good firefighter, I would put the fire out. Sadly that would mean a chilly house, sometimes a really really cold house. And a very sad me.

I lost my husband in January. Cancer swept him away from me. But he made me strong and smart and brave. And so I faced the cold today and I decided I would build the fire. He would have made a fire had he been here. So I decided to give it a go. I recently bought a box of fat wood to use as fire starters because I was planning for this. I also had a conversation with friends while visiting a couple of weeks ago. We discussed fire building techniques amongst many other topics. I was ready.

Four fat wood sticks and three small logs. A few crumpled up pieces of newspaper for luck. I lit the fat wood and it burned just like it said it would. I kept my eye on the flames, not too big, not too small. A nice medium ”baby bear” fire, just right. I adjusted the logs and added wood as the evening wore on.

It worked!

I did it!

I had my dinner. I had a Manhattan. I watched a show on TV. All in all, I had a lovely evening. It was Friday night after all, the second best night of the week (that’s a whole different story). I’m lonely but I’m not alone. I’m sad but I can do things to lift myself up. And when that chill enters my home, I can ward it off with a fire in the fireplace. Thanks for having my back, Rich!