Another Road Trip

I don't like to announce when I'm going to be away. Often, I can keep up with the blog. This time there were not enough hours in the day.

So what was so important? In short, family. My lovely wife and I were visiting one of my daughters and her family. We also made the effort to catch another granddaughter's softball game. Only a grandparent will travel three states over to watch a 10 year old's softball game.

Cool 50 degree wet weather settled in for a few days. I'd been avoiding lighting my woodstove until the chimney could be inspected. My basement is pretty cramped and with my leg still tender I was concerned about banging it on something. However, it had been a while since the last time it had been inspected. The procedure isn't all that hard. Just take a small mirror and insert it into the chimney clean out. Angle it to see completely up to the top. There should be a nice square of light if it is clean. (assuming you have a square chimney, of course) Any soot and creosote deposits show up as irregularities in what should be a square of light.

After using the woodstove for the winter the chimney is usually in need of a cleaning. This year we mostly burned compressed sawdust blocks. They are supposed to burn cleaner and sure enough, they really do. The chimney looked almost perfect. Since it was good, I had no problem cutting up more pallets to burn in the stove. It's been cool and damp so a nice fire makes the place a lot more comfortable.

My leg is still healing. As long as I could elevate the leg at least once or twice during the day, the swelling wasn't too bad. The trip home was just a bit too far. I had my lovely wife drive the last 15 minutes on the way home. It almost seemed silly not to push on, but my leg was getting numb. Better to have someone fresh at the wheel in the middle of moose country.

All in all, it was a good trip.

-Sixbears