Our Winter Lives Sans Centrale

As I put another log on the fire, I ponder our winter lives over the last three seasons since I made the decision to stop using the gas central heat. Everyone thinks I'm nuts, but I just don't care. There were way too many reasons for stopping to mention here, and even more opinions from everyone everywhere about what I should do to warm the place up. The mistakes I've made with my property in New Orleans after the storm and my heat here, were mistakes made by listening to others and not following my own guts and heart. Yes, this is all about me and what I want and what will work for me. This is a big, old, stone, open, drafty, house. I love it just the way it is. As with my house on Columbus Street-central anything isn't going to work. Fortunately, I stuck to my AC/Heating Unit guns in New Orleans. You're too hot, go to the part of the house with the AC on or find a shady spot in the back yard. And now as I ponder the heat here a little further for myself...my France heating strategy is not that much different than my New Orleans cooling strategy. I want to continue to heat with wood. So, at the top of my upcoming projects list is the purchase and installation of two wood burning stoves to place strategically on the first floor of the Chatette. I am sure there will be other steps to follow, but for now-that is step one. You're too cold, go to the part of the Chatette where the fire is blazing or stoke it up in another room. And of course...you can always go sit in the sunshine on the terrace where it is often warmer than inside the Chatette.

Comments

[Laury Bourgeois]

I must confess to temptation when I saw the insulated ones at Cabella's when I was in the states-there still may be an insultated pair of Carharts in my future. Don't worry-You'll be the first to know. And, I say blog when you want to blog-I think it's suppose to be fun not work-Happy Sunday from France-Laury

[Niels Windfeld Lund]

yeah, I remembering seing you at the first overalls day party with the gloves right, ready for a warm party :) ? and in carhatt overalls ? talking about keeping you warm, I just bought a pair of insulated carhatt in a thrift store here in SF, ready to go back to our farm house or for an eventual cold March month here ! right now we are having a nice weather, a little bit colder today, but otherwise sunny and warm and it is so nice to be in a neighborhood, where I have been regular guest for 10 years now, so it feels really HOME, now I stop, forgive me, and may make a new post on my own blog, are not good in blogging these days ! have a nice weekend ! lol Niels

[Laury Bourgeois]

Ah technology...I'm with you Niels-I've taken layering to a whole new level-and those gloves I use to put the wood on the fire make a whole new fashion statement-while keeping my hands warm too. Hope you're enjoying San Francisco!

[Niels Windfeld Lund]

sounds reasonable what you are doing, especially following your own guts !! and here in San Francisco, we have a funny kind of heater, a simulated "wood fire" supposed to be heated by gas, but it does not work, so it is actually hotter outside than inside ! and if it is too cold inside, I just take two pair of overalls on and a warm sweater !:) have a nice weekend at the Chatette !Niels