Sunday, January 5, 2020

A Sunday That Was Far Better Than Saturday


Well, it's not so bad in my house without the usual central heat. The cats do keep looking at me like, "Do the human magic, Human! Make it warm again!" I've got the gas logs on in three of the five fireplaces in the house. Of course originally they were wood-burning fireplaces but somewhere along the line they got replaced and I'm not upset about that. Fireplaces can be lovely and crackly and magical but they can also pull all of the cold air from between the door and window frames in a drafty old house which makes it colder than the fire warms. I know this from experience. Experience that after forty years I still remember.
That was a shack, truly, and there were cracks between the wall boards and floor boards so it wouldn't be quite the same. This house is still solid and was built far better than that one to begin with but still- the gas logs work nicely. And there are so many doors in this house that I can shut off entire areas to keep the rooms warmer so it's pretty cozy, really. And even though they're gas fires, not real fires, they're still pretty. I especially love the one in our room pictured above. It's the most primitive looking one and I feel certain that it, unlike some of the others, has not been rebuilt or rebricked or whatever it is they do to fireplaces to restore them for use.


Jessie brought the boys out this morning. Everyone was fine and merry. I remembered to give August and Levon the last Christmas present which was delivered after they left for North Carolina. It was a punching guy and they had great fun in the hallway, knocking him over and watching him stand back up (mostly) but in a little while, we noticed that Levon had found a different use for the smiling wrestler. 



Sorry for the blurry boy but he was moving whereas his passenger was not. 

We decided to go to the Hilltop and get our lunches and eat outside. It was a good plan although the boys really were not ready to leave my house. Levon literally said, "Stay Mer's house." Getting them into their carseats is always a process and this one was even more interesting. August tried to escape by getting on his daddy's truck. 


"You climb up here!" he told me. 
"No. I will not," I told him. 
By some sort of mommy magic Jessie got him down and buckled in and off we went to the Hilltop where we got delicious foods and ate outside in the warm sun and watched customers come and go from state troupers to little old ladies fresh out of church in beautiful fancy hats. 


It was so much fun. 

And then they drove me home and although the kids wanted to come in and play some more, Jessie wanted to get Levon home for a nap and so off they went with promises to have them back soon. 

Here are pictures from Dog Island that Mr. Moon sent me. 




Oh, those men! Oh, that sky and water!
They had taken last night's leftover chili and sourdough bread to eat for their lunch and this was on their break. I bet they washed their bowls and spoons in the bay. 
They're on their way home now and I can imagine they are both so tired. 
I am waiting to hear the report about what they've found and what sort of plans they've been forming. 

I better go get some supper started so I can feed my man before he falls asleep in his chair. 

Stay warm, y'all. 

Love...Ms. Moon












12 comments:

  1. It looks nice and cozy at your house. This place is drafty, so the cat and I cuddle in bed when it gets cold. Have a great night!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It got really cozy and warm last night. I was shocked! But cuddling in bed with a cat is my favorite way to warm up.

      Delete
  2. I love a fire in the fireplace! It looks so cozy and warm. How wonderful that your house has five fireplaces. I know it is more practical to have them converted to gas but they still have a romantic, old time look to them.

    It is exciting to think about what kind of plans you may have for Dog Island. A special family get-a-way is good for everyone.

    I hope you have a good week Mary!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, it's not the same as a wood fire- definitely doesn't smell as good, but it's still nice.
      I'd love to have a family get-away to Dog Island but there are only two tiny bedrooms. We'll have to do it one family at a time, I guess. We'll figure it out.

      Delete
  3. Now that looks like an amazing day, weather-wise, on Dog Island! And I love the photo of blurry Levon -- especially since the inflatable punching guy ISN'T blurry. Which is a cool effect.

    I really miss having a fireplace. We used to have one in Notting Hill and it was fantastic. (Olga loved it too!) I grew up with one in our house in Pasco County.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I liked the blurry picture too, Steve. Especially the way the punching guy is so in focus and is reaching his little inflated arms out to Levon.
      My granddaddy's house in Roseland had a fireplace and it really was nice on cool winter evenings.

      Delete
  4. it was a gorgeous day here too and today is looking to be the same. in fact we've had a string of pretty days. I've never had a fireplace either. my old house in the city had wood burning stoves originally but then was remodeled and hooked up with gas and the old brick flue was hidden away in the wall.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had a wood burning stove when I lived in my other house in Lloyd, many years ago. It heated well but Lord, it was a lot of work.

      Delete
  5. I love the gas logs. Cleaning out a wood burning fireplace is a strong deterrent to ever using it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. your fireplaces look quite cozy.....and hope they are doing the job of keeping you warm with your heating not working? We have a woodburning stove as our only source of heat in winter......so although it must be cleaned and tended to....it is a delight and keeps our small house cozy. It's a daily task I love doing...preparing it and smelling it and listening to it crackle, which is cozy in itself. Dog Island......... it's a keeper, but daunting as to what needs doing.
    Susan M

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daunting is right!
      What kind of stove do you have? I remember when it was quite the thing for hippies to have wood burning stoves. We had one. As I recall the Swedish and Norwegian stoves were the must lusted after stoves. They had it going on!

      Delete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.