The Call of the Anthracite!

Damp, overcast and chilly here in Connecticut so I heeded the call of the coal and fired up some clean burning anthracite in the Hitzer! Really makes a difference. The dogs are happy too.

Thank you American miner, I appreciate it.

Nothing like it I truly do not understand all the new wood piles around. These folks must love work. I have been burning 30 years, and everything is going full circle again. Burning wood, and all these green ideas. We did this in the early eighties, oil dropped we changed our minds and here we go again. The "coal train" at my house has been steady for 30 years, and with the 2 year old Keystoker 90 it is gaining even more, as we have been able to keep the thermostats of the recently installed Buderus boiler off. The Buderus just makes hot water who would of thunk

I burn both coal and wood. The wood mainly when I'm not around, and my wife and daughter are more comfortable with it, or, when the coal fire has burned down some and needs a quick pick-me-up. But I LOVE burning coal, and will continue to do so for as long as I can hump the 40# bags around, which at age 56, I think I have a few good years left!!

" But I LOVE burning coal, and will continue to do so for as long as I can hump the 40# bags around, which at age 56, I think I have a few good years left!! " That's what kids are for I recently built my "Coal Barn" my son half my age he is 26 years old was throwing the 50 lb sacks around while the 53 year old man was stacking. My 70 year old neighbor always gets his John Deere garden tractor out when he sees me with my coal. He has his heart in the right spot but I work twice as hard because I try to make it so all he has to do is drive. I don't have the heart to tell him to stay home and we will drink beer together when I am done.

Way to go Steve! I did the same with the kitchen stove. It was pouring rain, damp and chilly and calling for highs of 45 and lows of 34 the next day it was a no brainer for me! The cat's loving it too, chillin on a matt right in front of it. They love winter with the stoves as much as I do.

I'm hearing the call too. My son asked me for the estimated day of burn yesterday. I'm going to get coal Friday and Saturday. I am waiting longer this year then in the past to ask DK for the match. Usually, I light it only to have the summer make a reappearance a week or so later so I have to let it go out, losing my valued membership in the one match club -not this year. I still have to do some work on the stove and get new black pipe. That will push my date back a little but it's definitely coming on fast.

My dad was complaining that it was "chilly" bordering on cold this morning. When it was 70* in the house! So my first fire is rapidly approaching.

I was enjoying sitting on the deck doing my homework and drinking coffee. Granted, I had a sweatshirt on, but I was comfortable.

Today was beautiful here, no need for heat. I set the Hitzer on low and opened the windows and went to work. I'm debating on letting the stove go out or to just let it idle for the next week or so. I think I'll let it idle along.

I have the windows opened now, I just hate it when it's damp.

Well, the wife complained of being cold so I too have fired up.

Not sure how long it will last. One small bag of Cowboy Charcoal, and a little bit of pea I had left from last year but it's near 70 in the basement now.

It's supposed to be near 40* tonight so it will at least take some chill off.

Yep - tonight is going to officially suck. The first FROST ADVISORY of the season. I can guarantee my house will be in the low 60's when I get up tomorrow .....

I yanked both A/C's out tonight .... literally. Left one of the accordion sides stuck in the window. I got pissed trying to wrestle the 90 lb unit out. What a pain in the ass. Lucky I didn't smash the damn thing. There's got to be a better way .....

I refuse to heat any part of this dump until November. Cost me almost $800 to fill up the oil tank this year. I'll be damned if I fill it again until '13.

Got up this morning at it was 34 degrees outside. Took a walk down the drive to fetch the paper and I was trucking in my slippers and tee shirt to get back in! Downstairs in the house, 73 degrees. Both stoves where untouched from 6pm the prior day and 12 hours later the herald was tooling along at 375 and in the kitchen the cookstove about 300. By the time I had a cup of coffee and slice of toast in hand, the glenwood was freshened up enough for a shake and load. The parlor was already still cruising right where I'd left it the night before, so I just threw in a couple scoops, shook out some ash and bob's yer uncle. Wood be damned, I'm loving this anthracite thing.

Oh yeah and by the way, the forcast for Sunday, is 80 degrees!

Yep .... I was wrong again. UPPER 50's ... not LOW 60's ...

Wait a couple days Smitty. Talking about 70's on sat and 80! on sunday up here. Imagine it'll hit you first on it's way.

I had 28* this morning. The oil furnace ran some in the night, but the forcast is for warmer weather. I may make a wood fire in the coal stove this evening, but will hold off on coal untill is consistantly stays below 50* durring the day.

I have about two tons of coal left from last year, and 4 tons on order. By the way, I better call the coal man. I have had my order in for about a month.

I've seen 34* here in Vernon. Still not cold enough for anthracite as daytime temps are hitting 70*+. I've ha a lot of Cowboy Charcoal fires and two wood fires.

I managed to get my 50 year old furnace that was under water during Irene to work this evening to take the chill off the house. The blower motor was seized but managed to get it spinning and functioning.