Monday, October 20, 2025, 50*, 92% RH, 0646
Zayne nosed the barricade into an opening he could fit through to help me get dressed. Zsolt sat waiting for me to say “okay” even though he would have fit through too. Ruger sleeps on the sofa, he was already in my room. Years ago, we had four XL dogs. They all slept in our bedroom. Getting up at night was like hopscotch to get to the bathroom. Sasha, the standard poodle slept in the fireplace. There were never any ashes.
The center chimney supported 3 fireplaces, but we only used the one in the living room as an outlet for the wood stove. On frigid days the Chinook settled into the fireplace sleeping beside warm bricks heated by the wood stove. I always wanted to bake bread in the brick oven built next to the fireplace. I could picture someone doing that while tending a pot of stew over an open fire. The pot hook was still there when we moved to Oklahoma. I never baked bread in that oven. It was kindling storage and spider hiding place. 2 hours of fire needed to preheat the oven 450-500 degrees. No thermometers to verify – just a sprinkle of flour that quickly turns brown indicates the oven is hot enough.
Dogs, bread, heat from a fire. A blessed life.
Photo: LJ Austin
