By the Firelight

Tonight I am working in my office in the basement of my house.  I know I have probably described my office about 3 or 4 different times on my blog but since not everyone has been reading my blog forever I figure I will describe it again.

My house has a walk out basement.  So the basement really doesn't seem like a basement.  The southern side of the house is lined with a total of 3 windows and one sliding glass door.  The windows are absolutely huge.  They are 3 feet wide by 4.5 feet tall.  They start not too far from the floor and go the whole way to the ceiling.  So being in my basement is like being in any other floor of my house.  It is open and airy and filled with natural light.

My office occupies the far eastern end of my basement.  In between my office and the western end of the basement there is an open space that has in the past been part of Zack's play area.  On the far western way is my fireplace.  It is actually more like a wood burning stove as opposed to a fireplace.  I guess the actual description of it is a wood burning insert that is very efficient.  Having a fire burning in there heats the entire basement.  It is really a good efficient burner!

Being in my office at night I have a very clear view to the fireplace.  So as I sit here at my desk tonight I see the glow of the fireplace dancing across the ceiling.  I burn oak wood in my fireplace.  It is a strong, solid burning wood that provides a lot of heat.  The wood I burn is the leftover wood from the production of railroad ties.  Before the railroad ties are coated with cresote, they are cut to size.  All the wood that is cut off is usually recycled into other products.  However some of it is sold off to the firewood industry.  Several years ago I bought a cord of wood from a guy who buys from the railroad tie industry.  As much as I try to burn it all every year it never seems to go away as it burns so strong for such long periods of time.  So tonight the glow of my fire is being produced from the by products of the railroad industry.

Being in my office on a cold snowy night like tonight is very comfortable.  It is very warm due to the fire burning in the fireplace.  Additionally, the glow of the fire and the light from the stained glass lamps I have here in my office provide a very warm glow.  It is just a comfortable place to be.  When I get tired of sitting here in at my desk, I can retire to a huge reading chair with an ottoman that I have here.  I can not begin to tell you the number of times that I have fallen asleep in that chair due to how comfortable it is.  I sit down and I being to read and I am dozing within 5 - 10 minutes.

The only thing that would make any of this better is to have my love here with me.  Yes - you all know who I am talking about as I have talked about her so much.  But she isn't here and I don't know if she will ever be here again.  Oh well - I need to learn to be comfortable in being alone and knowing that my spirit, my soul is with her and maybe someday she will return to me.  Maybe...  but then again...  maybe not.

Enough said - Hope that everyone's Wednesday has been good!

Thanks and peace to all! ~J.

FYSRD!