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We have two open fires at home – one in what economist David McWilliams so aptly characterises as “the good room” and another in the living room.
We only light a fire in the good room at Christmas but there’s a fire in the living room almost every evening from September through to April.
I love an open fire and, with an abundance of firewood at home, it’s cheap keeping it fuelled. Over the years, I’ve listened to experts extolling the virtues of stoves over open fireplaces.
Yes, most of the heat disappears up the chimney but I was never sufficiently motivated to do anything about it.
That was until our youngest stopped coming home every weekend. You might wonder why that should matter, but keeping the stick box full and a reserve in the scullery was his job. As was cleaning the grate, disposing of ashes and filling the coal bucket.
Now with him coming home less frequently, those jobs fall back on us – so we’ve bit the bullet and invested in a glass-fronted stove for the living room.
We still have the look of an open fire but, my goodness, the heat from it is amazing.
It’s only in a few weeks but if we let it go full blast, well, we’d melt.
The heat from the stove is permeating right through the house, while, at the same time, using about a quarter of the firewood of the open fire. Stoves aren’t cheap and for safety reasons it’s essential they are installed by a reputable agent, but even at this early stage I can see the value of them.
Stamps
Talking of value, hasn’t An Post shot itself in the foot with the price of stamps.
It’s not often I buy a stamp as text messaging and Facebook are putting paid to letters, but I like sending Christmas cards.
However, at €1 a stamp (up from 72c) it would make you think hard about keeping up this nice old tradition. Anyone I’ve spoken to is cutting back on the number of cards they send and the big losers are all the charities who depend on Christmas cards for a good chunk of their income. However, An Post isn’t the worst.
The price of a standard stamp in Denmark is an eye-watering €3.63, while it’s €2.80 in Italy. At the other end of the scale it’s 58c in Portugal and just 50c in Spain. Ireland is just about average.
Finally, I’ve been enjoying a bit of nostalgia looking through The Show - a Celebration of 50 years of the Aughrim Sheep Show.
The book is packed full of great photos going back to the 1960s – I even recognised an uncle and cousin of mine – and celebrates the work of the Aughrim Sheep Breeders Association over all those years.
It’s a lovely social memoir of different times, with a huge amount of detail on show entries.
If you ever had anything to do with the show, this is a perfect stocking filler. It costs €15 and is available locally or by contacting padraighealy4@hotmail.com
On behalf of all in Irish Country Living, I wish our readers a very happy Christmas. I know it will be a sad Christmas for many who have an empty seat at the table and my heart goes out to you.
I will be counting my blessings to have all the family home because that’s what really matters.
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