Summer never truly arrived this year, and autumn is already here, with conkers falling off the trees, torrential rain, muddy fields, cold dark mornings.
My day does not properly start until I have lit the fire.
In the past, this was a protracted and messy ordeal that left me coughing, frustrated, and redolent of smoke, with very little warmth to show for it.
But over the course of last winter I discovered the most fantastic solution, courtesy of Andy at Midsummer Energy: eco-logs.
What are they? Essentially, tubes of compressed sawdust that you can break down to any size you need.
They arrive in 15kg bags that inform me the contents are recycled pure wood waste, C02 neutral, and produce low flue gas (which is apparently better for the chimney).
The description claims they are easy to light, and though I was skeptical this has proved accurate. I turn on a seven minute song and by the end of the lovely tune I have a roaring conflagration that will, with tending, keep me toasty all through the day and night.
Of course I am still not quite awake at that point, and spend another hour or so stumbling around unable to focus; but at least I am not shivering while doing so!
Best of all, if I can’t face the long cold slog down to pick up more, the nice bike messengers at Outspoken Delivery will cheerfully deliver for a very small surcharge.
Life on the river is in fact sweet.