The boys caught this morning for the first time and goodness it was lovely to quickly nip down the driveway and back again. I was home an hour and twenty minutes earlier than usual.
I'm getting used to cooking in the Aga, though it's significantly slower than a conventional oven to get going. The cast is so thick and its heat is very even which makes it a pleasure to use. The first time we lit the oven smoke billowed out of every nook and cranny. We tried to clean it the best we could but we were a little confused regarding the internal layout. It just wasn't drawing properly, despite a having removed a huge amount of soot and debris already. Grant decided to open her up and have a good look inside to check if everything was ok. We realized we had missed cleaning the joining flue between the two hot plates. It was a simple fix and now she is working beautifully. The silver looking gravelly stuff you can see is insulation. We carefully swept it up and put it back in once the sides were re-secured.
Every time I cook on her I smile. I'm getting the hang of working out how to get a good fast going, and the size logs that easily fit at a glance. Her wood box is on the top, I simply open the flue, remove the internal ring with the little tool that is hanging on the chrome bar and drop in the log. The only fault is with this design is that you need to be fast, or have it cooking well as smoke comes out of the top. With a front opening door, a wood fire will still partly draw smoke up the flue.
Once we get a kitchen sorted, we will tile the Aga splashback, and paint the floor in a mid-grey. Floor paint is a cheap way of sealing a floor so it's easier to clean and mop whilst making it look nicer and also offering protection.
Aggie has settled into farm life beautifully, though has discovered a deep love for rolling in all things she shouldn't. Here she is drying in front of the Aga after a thorough bath. Much to her disgust.
I can't believe the difference having the yurt up has made. We are no longer constantly running into each other and everyone has their own little space. It rained all Friday night and Saturday, and I was so very thankful that we were tucked up warm and dry in the yurt, able to watch movies and play board games. If we had of been camping, it would have been utterly miserable, cold and muddy. This place is slowly beginning to feel like home. Routines are becoming established and that feels really good.
I'm getting used to cooking in the Aga, though it's significantly slower than a conventional oven to get going. The cast is so thick and its heat is very even which makes it a pleasure to use. The first time we lit the oven smoke billowed out of every nook and cranny. We tried to clean it the best we could but we were a little confused regarding the internal layout. It just wasn't drawing properly, despite a having removed a huge amount of soot and debris already. Grant decided to open her up and have a good look inside to check if everything was ok. We realized we had missed cleaning the joining flue between the two hot plates. It was a simple fix and now she is working beautifully. The silver looking gravelly stuff you can see is insulation. We carefully swept it up and put it back in once the sides were re-secured.
Every time I cook on her I smile. I'm getting the hang of working out how to get a good fast going, and the size logs that easily fit at a glance. Her wood box is on the top, I simply open the flue, remove the internal ring with the little tool that is hanging on the chrome bar and drop in the log. The only fault is with this design is that you need to be fast, or have it cooking well as smoke comes out of the top. With a front opening door, a wood fire will still partly draw smoke up the flue.
Once we get a kitchen sorted, we will tile the Aga splashback, and paint the floor in a mid-grey. Floor paint is a cheap way of sealing a floor so it's easier to clean and mop whilst making it look nicer and also offering protection.
Aggie has settled into farm life beautifully, though has discovered a deep love for rolling in all things she shouldn't. Here she is drying in front of the Aga after a thorough bath. Much to her disgust.
It is my birthday today, and I'm enjoying a peaceful day at home. I may even do some hand sewing between getting on top of paperwork and doing various odd jobs. Grant and the boys surprised me with a small pressie, two little portable greenhouses to get seedlings started. How perfect! Small enough so I can move them inside myself if it's going to be a frosty night. One of my lovely readers Jane gifted me a stack of seeds from her garden and we simply have not had a chance to get stuck into setting up vegetable gardens yet, but we are getting there now. It will be a special day when we harvest the first produce from our new garden.
Much love,
Emma
xx
