Enjoying an Open Fire

This afternoon, for the first time in my life, I sat before an open fire in my own house, and found it very reassuring.

My parents had open fires when I was a child, and since then I've occasionally enjoyed fires in other people's houses, but never before in my own house.

When we moved into this house we found that one fireplace had survived. We found a chimney sweep, who removed enormous quantities of soot and then tested it and judged it to be in working order, and today I'm burning a mixture of logs and smoke reduced coal.

I spent an enjoyably idle afternoon in front of the fire, my attention divided between various magazines, and watching the flickering flames which is extremely relaxing.