the wood stove

My last post ended up a little more serious than intended. The post I was writing up until a few minutes ago was much the same. While I do want this blog to have some therapeutic benefit for me it's not called "Sadly Tragicson's Trip to Sad Vegas" It's "Urban Evacuation". So I'm going to try and stick more with that. I've emailed the other content I composed to myself and might use it later. 

This morning was one of those wonderfully chilly ones. I awoke to cold air on my face, my nose cool to the touch, the rest of me all cozy under a hand-me-down comforter from my Granny. This is when I have to really motivate to leave the cozy cave of downy comfort to go get some wood and start the fire up again. But the joy of heating my home this way seems to be doing the trick so far. Hopefully the novelty wont wear off until...March? 
Also? It was only 53 in my house this morning and in the upper 40's outside. The challenge may be different as we edge closer to freezing, and then drop below. But I'm up for the challenge. And I bought some shearling scuffs.


Reasons for choosing wood heat: 
Horror stories of astronomical propane bills.
If you looked down into my vents/under the house at the ducts you would not want that stuff blowing into your house either, please believe me. I will spare you the details. Ew.
Poor insulation. Why pay a bunch in propane when you know so much is leaking out? I feel like we might as well just burn money to keep ourselves warm. 
Lots of wood lying around our acreage for "free".
Fires are fun. 
That pioneery feeling that a wood stove lends to the daily routine. 


Frandz, with his burning passion for craigslist and internet research in general, located a Fischer stove in Carrollton, within our budget, that was specifically designed for mobile homes! Amazing! The Honey Bear is now installed, complete with a big pot of water on top to humidify the air. It works like a charm and has made the house as warm as 80 while it was in the 40s outside. I am duly impressed. 


I fear I may have an overly romanticized view of our stove. I keep bracing myself for the evening when the stove doesn't really make the house warm enough and we need to sleep on the floor in the den, right in front of the stove, to avoid hypothermia. Although I will enjoy cuddling my Sadie if this happens.