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@Jacqui
Nov. 28.
An experimental piece of coal.
Since my purchase of the wood burner everyone who has been at the dock has questioned me about the success of my fire. For the first few days I smiled and cheerfully replied "it'sfine". Inevitably, looked at me knowingly, paused and then offered that I should attempt to burn a piece of coal – for longevity.
]If you get the embers and fire truly hot a piece of coal should burn. It will keep you warm all night
I have to be honest.
My fires make Miracle a toasty little oven. I can strip down to a short sleeve T-shirt and shorts and be still hot.
At least early in the night.
Cosy warm usually lasts until around 1 or 2am then I experience a gradual decent in temperature until in the a.m. the outside temperature is equal to the inside. I have even noticed that my subconscious “cave man” wakes me when my last carefully placed log inevitably falls, or pops or what ever it does signalling the end of its existence as a heat source.
*Weird, but true. *
When i was a in primary, I desperately wanted to be popular.
Overcome by peer pressure, I stole a Twix chocolate bar from the Mac’s Milk convenience, erhm, very unsuccessfully. My father told them to put me in jail..
I was eight.
The repercussions of that doomed venture into crimality were so great that it alone stands in my memory as to why I never engaged in petty crimes as a teen.
I am no longer a teen, but the shadow of that day in 1981 still hangs heavily on my soul and is the reason for the disease I currently feel.
Tonight after half a bottle of sauvignon blanc and under the added influence of a logical and persuasive conversation with Lennart I have pinched, or “borrowed” a single lump of coal from the pile scattered across the pontoons next to the hermits boat.
I call him the hermit because for the time I have been here I have only seen the boats owner once, despite the fact that he lives here. The coal has been scattered out of two massive bags and lay derelict (if coal can in fact be derelict) on the pontoon unmoved since I have been here.
Yes, i am justifying myself.
I feel terrible.
I have just looked into the burner, the one piece of pilfered coal is turning white around its edges and has a healthy cherry orange-ish glow.
**This is a scientific experiment. **
It is now 20.34hrs and we shall see how things are in the a.m.