September 20, 2006

Got Wood?

Monday I ordered two cords of firewood, our usual winter supply. Today the wood was unceremoniously dumped in our driveway. There was the traditional jumping for joy and cheering, because firewood delivery means something special: fall is in the air with winter close behind.

So deep is our appreciation of a roaring blaze in the fireplace, Wendy and I welcome even the task of hauling and stacking firewood. Into the wheelbarrow log by log, load by load, rolled lovingly through the gate and across the yard to the designated wood stacking location. We have fabricated a tidy rack to safely store our precious logs until it is time to incinerate them to ash as they add warmth and atmosphere to our humble abode.

Usually we stack on the weekend. But it's Wednesday. The thought of leaving our precious firewood heaped unattractively in our driveway until Saturday was unappealing. So after work today we began the hauling and stacking process. It got dark right about the time we noticed the wheel on our wheelbarrow was rolling drunkenly instead of smoothly. Cheap piece of shit wheelbarrow, we cursed. But the timing was good, I suppose, considering it had gotten dark and all.

A cord of wood stacks to the dimensions of 4' high by 4' wide by 8' long. The racks we constructed hold two cords perfectly. Before we broke the wheelbarrow broke itself and it got dark, we had filled the racks about 3/4 full, representing approximately a cord and a half. Yet a significant pile of logs still remains in the driveway. A significant pile. Enough logs that I'm thinking they delivered closer to three cords than two.

A blessing or a curse?
My back says the latter while my frugal nature says, "Score!"

.

12 comments:

KMae said...

We sure do wish we had a fire place over here. The air is already smelling great with everyone burning their logs!
Enjoy!!!

Middle Girl said...

I'm so jealous.

Not of the back aching moving and stacking...

But of the hearth, warmth, ahhh.

Take care of your back.

SassyFemme said...

Hey, extra wood for free is a very good thing, indeed. We're not going to use the fireplace much, but need to get a little (and I mean a little) wood in, in case we lose power for any extended time this winter.

Anonymous said...

A wood fire is so pleasant.

sporksforall said...

I buy the little bundles at the hardware store. There about four days in L.A. that are fire worthy. Two cords? Wow!

Deb said...

My father's in construction, and would always bring over piles of firewood for me and my partner. It was great, but our yard looked like a complete mess! So when I do have a fire, most of the time, I get the duraflame logs- that last up to **5** hours. I know, I know, so bad, right?

nina michelle said...

SMORES!!!!

I'll be right over! What kind of wine goes with smores?

Anonymous said...

You can always borrow our wheelbarrow.
We never use it!
Hell, you can HAVE it!

weese said...

We have a wood stove, my toasty wife likes to keep the house VERY warm. Like you could wear shorts warm.
Two cords...that is alot of wood.
i think we probably use 1.5, tho its hard to say since its not usually delivered at once. (we are blessed to have access to basically unlimited free wood)
I too constructed a wood shed thingy to house our precious heat. Shall we share pics then...

Teresa said...

Hold on; I'll be right over!

maxine said...

This subject is somehow disconncerting coming from a lesbian.

Anonymous said...

Ah...talk of fires and hearths and cords of wood. Does it get any better? I mean, really?