The Ever-Evolving Fireplace

Or otherwise known as

Why I Don't Have New Carpet.

This is our fireplace.

Nice rug in front of the fireplace?

This is what it is covering.

And this.

Oh, and this....

You see, these are what happens when my husband builds his fires. Not nice little Indian Fires, but great big crackling, spitting, sparking White Man Fires. 

The first Thanksgiving that we were married was the worst.  House all clean, it was to be the first blending of the families.  Just as I finished cleaning, (no small task in a house this size) I smelled smoke and ran downstairs to find at least 15 smoking places in the carpet.  Not a happy, fuzzy Thanksgiving memory, only to be topped the next year when I burnt the gravy, my mother put it down the garbage disposal and it came back up in the bathroom shower, but we'll leave that story for another time.  The only reason that I mention it is because every time I tell the fire story, dear hubby says, "Well how about the year the gravy came up in the shower stall?" 

Several years later, dear hubby decides that he needs gas logs for the fireplace.  Several hundred $$$ later and several tense moments when all the pieces were not in the box and I had to make a trip back to get them because they needed installed BEFORE he left for Florida on the bike for two weeks....the NIGHT before he left for Florida...well I think you get the picture. 

That winter started the $$$$$ big, $$$huge, $$$$$terrible, $$$$$gas bills.  Get the picture? 

When I sat in the recliner looking at those lovely gas flames going up the chimney, I did not see relaxation in front of the fire, I saw $$$$ going up the chimney.  Now I should have been able to replace the carpet, but with all the $$$ going up the chimney, I settled for this rug to cover all most of the burnt spots.

Two years of gas bills, Saturday at lunchtime, I walk downstairs to see dear hubby standing in front of the fireplace staring.  Mind you, we have a wedding to be at by 3:00. 

He announces, "Today I reclaim the fireplace" 

You would have thought he just stepped foot in the New World. 

I cringed, did an about face, headed to my sewing room, turned up the TV loud and buried my face in the sewing machine. 

About an hour later, I smelled it, wood smoke!  I waited for the normal next smell....burning carpet...

For the past 2 - 3 years I have been hearing the murmurs...fireplace insert,  wood burning, heat efficient.  I see the searches on the computer.

Monday finds us at the Canfield Fair.  Instead of taking my gas efficient vehicle, or the motorcycles as we had talked, we load into the truck.  Why?  "You never know what we might want to haul home" he says.

One hundred yards into the fairgrounds, he finds them...fireplace inserts.  He talks to the guy, they "happen" to have the one that he likes, it is the last day of the fair, they will make us a deal on Cash and Carry, they are close to the gate, and we have a truck.  I say we will think about it, I go to give blood, I come out and say "what are we going to do about the fireplace insert?"  He looks a trifle guilty and explains that while I was giving blood, he went and paid for it and they are taking it apart right now and  looking for a dolly and it will be ready when we leave."  Does this all sound like fate? or a set up?  I am starting to wonder.  He did seem a little more excited to go the fair than ever....hmmm.

Anyway, this is what it looks like now.

This is what it "hopefully" will look like soon.

And because the door HAS to stay closed and we should not be burning the carpet, and because we will be saving so much on our gas bill, and just maybe we can sell the gas logs, maybe, just maybe there will be some new carpet in my future!

And just a little craft item to end with.  I have been working a lot of hours at the shop this week, so this is all that I have.

Sweater balls.  Saw these in a magazine, I think that a few of them would look nice in a bowl with pine cones.  They are ready for sale at the Open House.