How to Light a Fireplace

When I was in Melbourne, I bunked over at Lachy's and his very very very hot mix Indian girlfriend. They stayed in this very olden English cottage style house in the urban area.

It's so old that there's no central heating system in the house, in fact, seeing that it was winter, every night I have to sleep with a metal heater that operated on gas (or oil, yea like I can tell the difference).

But what I like about this house was that it was very traditional and ancient, and back in the days, people keep themselves warm through the most basic way.




Yes, the fireplace. In the living room. Or the common area if you must.

When I first saw the fireplace, I got so excited and started shouting

"OMG OMG you have a fireplace! OMG you so must light this up for me. Teach me how to light a fireplace, show me show me show me!"


So Lachy went to his backyard where we found a whole stock of dry woods and logs and twigs lying around on the grass.




He started choosing, selecting, analysing, discarding, and chucking them into a box.




So I asked Lachy: "Hey, why are you choosing? Can't you just get any log you want? What about that big one."

Without turning his back to look at me, Lachy replied: "No, you have to look for the dry ones, and the ones that are easily lighted, you only need one or two big logs, then you need to fill the rest (in the fireplace) with twigs".

Me: "Ohh....."




So this is five steps to How to light a fireplace according to Lachy.


1. Place two or three big logs in the fireplace, then cover it with smaller branches, dry twigs and stuff it with lots of old newspaper.




2. Light it.




Light the paper, not the big fat impossible-to-light log la.


3. Blow




Usually the fireplace blower will do the trick for you. But for a traditional fireplace such as this, you have to work your lungs like you mean it.

I was looking at Lachy working his lungs out like an full tank engine on lubrication for a good 10 minutes before the fire decided to get even with him. So keep on blowing till your face is rushed with blood.


4. Poke around




Give it a few final pokes so the fire and fully cover the log before settling back in your comfortable lounge of sofa and pillows.

It will take half an hour or more to turn the big logs into coal, which then the fire will keep on burning for hours on end.




5. Enjoy




On a cold winter, nothing, I mean seriously nothing, beats a good warm laze by the fireplace. Such fuzzy feeling, brrr.




Now all you need is a good rug,




and Coco.




Meet Coco. He She was so warm and cute, I simply adored him her.




Now that's what I called a comfortable evening on a cold winter night.